It’s no secret that the demand for Hairstylists is rapidly increasing across the country each year.  According to the most recent Bureau of Labor and Statistics report, the projection of growth in the Cosmetology field will increase by 10% until 2024.  That number may not seem like a high percentage but looking at it from another perspective means that with the current workforce at 656,000, over 400,000 jobs open each year, add in the 10% growth prediction, the nation needs and additional 6,400 new professionals each year to meet demand.  Are you worried?  Well you shouldn’t be.  Pinnacle is here to help you by providing you with suggestions and tips on how to advertise, recruit, and hire quality Hairstylists for your store.

Defining What You Want and Need
This may sound simple, but the job description is the one of the most overlooked functions of recruiting.  In our opinion, the job posting plays a key factor in finding the best talent for you.  Your job advertising for Sport Clips Team Members should be as colorful as the hairstyles you offer to customers and should highlight the unique benefits of working for your store.  Job advertisements should include your rules and responsibilities for Sport Clips Team Members.  However, your main objective is to generate interest in your job openings, not bore people with a list of rules and “must haves”.  Applicants will have many questions regarding their job, and you should answer those questions to the best of your ability with a well written job description.

Knowing Where to Look
Look at it this way, job boards and job postings are certainly the most popular ways to recruit, but that does not mean they are the only way.  Social media is a great tool to use if you are trying to find creative and driven hair stylists.  Instagram, along with other social media platforms, are a great place to see the work of different stylists in your area, and a great way to connect with them.  If you find someone you are interested in, send them a message with a job link or description.  Who knows?  They might be ready to start a new job and join your team.

Asking the Right Questions
Do you want someone who just wants something to pass the time, or someone who loves what they do?  Do you want someone who only thinks about themselves, or someone who will work as part of a team?  Once you establish what you want, ask the right questions.  Some of the best questions you can ask a potential Team Member, to get a better idea of who they are:

• “Tell me about yourself“

Sounds easy, right?  You want to know how they can benefit your business.  Listen to how they express their passions, and where they want to be in the next year.  Listen to their strengths, and of course, pick up on any “red flags” such as job hopping or uncertainty.

• Do you consider yourself a team player?

Being a team player in a salon is an asset.  Everyone is here to make money, for them and for the business but it’s a team effort.  If they are by nature highly self-absorbed, then that can be an issue. The team will need help, and they will be called upon to help others.

• Why should we hire you?

Wow, that’s a difficult one, isn’t it?  It would be easy for someone to answer this question and brag about themselves.  Think of it this way.  What you are really asking is, “Why is it in our best interest to have you working for us?”  If they explain how great of a work ethic they have or their management style, then that shows they are willing to work hard to get the job done.

Onboarding and Training
Your hard work has paid off, after countless sourcing of resumes and interviews you finally picked the right person.  Your job is done! Onboarding and training is a crucial part of any job. Your training must set the expectations for your Team Members, as well as the policies and procedures they will have to follow. If you train them poorly, they will perform poorly.  If you train them to the best of your ability, they will perform to the best of their ability, and you will set yourself up for success.  Remember to clearly express the company’s values and mission. Your employee handbook should contain all rules for your salon employees, as well as all employee policies, and examples of work that fits the Sport Clips culture.

How can Pinnacle help you?
Our Human Resources Consultants are here to help advise you on certain procedures and best practices. We are creating new initiatives daily to help you with finding and retaining your employees. The services we provide now that can greatly benefit you and your Sport Clips stores are:

• Handbook review and editing;
• Creating Job Descriptions and requirements;
• Interview training and templates; and
• Performance Management training.

The Pinnacle HR Team is growing and is here to provide you with strong human resource services.  Please do not hesitate to contact us for help with existing initiatives we currently have.

• Please take a moment to read our A Great Huddle and DNet Snapshot Feature feature articles, these blog articles are a great source of information.
• All our Blogs can be viewed here.