“New grads all want to work in a great salon. Often their idea of a great salon is somewhere that’s really trendy, really cool. That may be a fun place to work, but will it provide stability? Is it a good career move?”—Kenny Gibson, vice-president and COO, Toni&Guy Hairdressing Academies

Look at your job interviews not just as an opportunity for the salon owner to interview you, but for you to interview the salon as well, advises Maria Ascher, director of education for the nearly 60 Regis Schools. You should get to know each other and make sure the fit is a good one.

“You’re putting a lot of effort into this,” Ascher says. “Make sure it’s where you want to be. You don’t want to be leaving jobs every six months.”

Watch, Listen and Learn

The front desk is a good place to start, where you can observe the overall quality of the customer service provided. “How do you feel when you go up to the desk?” asks Ascher, whose company also owns the Sassoon Academies. “Is the person nice and accommodating?”

Your relationship with other staff members will play a huge role in your satisfaction level, so this is another aspect warranting your full attention. Ascher continues, “Does the staff seem welcoming, as if they’re anticipating your being part of the team? If you get the feeling that they’re rather unfriendly, they probably are. Usually the leadership in any group sets the tone. If the manager or owner treats people with respect and tries to build a great team and make everyone better, then the atmosphere probably will be upbeat and cooperative. But if yelling at people and making smart remarks is part of the manager’s approach, then the other team members will think they can get away with that, too.”

A good time to visit the salon is a busy Friday or Saturday, adds Adam Broderick, business development consultant to Clairol Professional and owner of a Connecticut salon that bears his name. The hustle-and-bustle level will tell you a lot. “Either you’ll be excited and motivated or uncomfortable and overwhelmed,” says Broderick.

The Right Questions

During your interview, you should ask as many questions of them as they ask as of you, recommends Kenny Gibson, vice-president and COO of Toni&Guy Hairdressing Academies. “Ask very detailed questions, take notes and don’t accept a vague answer,” Gibson advises. For example, don’t settle for a simple “yes” if you ask whether the salon offers education.

“The large, ominous do-you-have-education question is not only cliche, but owners may just tell you what you want to hear unless you press for details,” Gibson says. “If they have a legitimate plan, it will be written down and they can show it to you.” Specific questions Gibson recommends asking include:

Will I be an assistant? For how long?

Who teaches your classes? What are their credentials?

Is my education tied to my income? Is it graded?

Where will I be in six months? in two years?

“Take the time to find out what the compensation package is,” adds Ascher. “Depending on who you are, it matters. If you need a guaranteed income, a commission structure may not work. If you’re living with your parents, then maybe you can afford to take commission while you’re building your clientele. If you’re married and on your spouse’s insurance plan, benefits may not be so important to you; if you’re a single parent, benefits may be your primary concern.”

Join In

Sometimes the best way to determine whether you’d like to work at a salon is to first go in as a client. Then you can feel the energy and evaluate the level of customer service from a different perspective. And don’t forget to join your local hairdressers’ association, where you can network and hear about all sorts of job opportunities.

“If you hear staff talking about each other or clients, walk away. We all occasionally indulge in that, but it doesn’t ever bring about anything good.”—Maria Ascher, director of education for Regis Schools