Four Tips to Landing Your First Salon Job

You’ve successfully completed your diploma program and are ready to start your career in beauty. You have some salons lined up for interviews. How do you stand out from the other applicants?

Preparation is key. Your diploma is not a guaranteed ticket to a job. You need to sell yourself and convince the salon owner that you will be a great addition to their team. After all, your performance will be a direct reflection on them and their salon.

The first step in preparing for an interview is to make sure you know as much as you can about the person and the salon that is interviewing you.

Step One: Do your research.

Once you have identified the salons you want to interview at (or have an advertised opening), learn as much as you can about each one. Check out their website to see what services they offer, what type of ‘vibe’ they portray and who works there. Read their online reviews to see what customers say about them.

Talk to friends, family and your college instructors to see if they know anything about the salon or the people that work there. Gather as much intel as you can.

Even a little bit of research can go a long way in the interview. It shows the owner that you are interested and serious and will go the extra mile for your career.

Step Two: Prepare your resume and portfolio.

There are many articles on writing a good resume so we won’t go into that here. Ensure it is up-to-date and free of spelling and grammatical errors. You will also want to show some examples of your work and style, which you should have from your diploma studies. Make sure you have good quality photos and have them on a tablet to show. If you need to beef up your portfolio a bit, get some friends to model for you.

Step Three: Prepare your answers.

This is one of the most important steps to help you nail that interview. While you may not know all the questions an owner might ask, there are some common ones you can prepare answers for. This preparation will help to reduce your nerves at interview time and help you to sound confident and professional.

Step Four: Prepare your own questions.

A good salon owner is also going to care about you and will ask you if you have any questions about the job or the salon. Make sure you’re prepared with at least one or two good ones. If you say, “No, I don’t have any questions”, it may appear that you lack interest in the job. Sometimes your nerves might take over and at the end of the interview your brain might not come up with any questions to ask.

Preparing some questions ahead of time will help you get past this mental block. Avoid questions like “how much does the job pay” or “how much vacation time do I get”. These are self-serving questions and will raise red flags with the interviewer. Focus more on the salon itself and the environment you’ll be working in. Ask questions about learning or advancement opportunities, their expectations of you, or what a typical day in the salon is like. These show you’re serious about your career.

Your first job in your chosen career is a big milestone. Preparation is key to getting into the salon you want. The interviewer is not only looking for your skills, they are looking at you as a person to make sure you will be a good fit for their salon.

So be prepared, be confident and go get ‘em!

Get Prepared at Eden College

Looking to start or enhance your beauty career? Eden College not only gives you the skills you need to succeed, but provides you with guidance and mentorship to help you land your first job. Contact us today.