Hair Stylist Interview Preparation Guide

Industry knowledge is very important as one has to keep up with trends if one is to satisfy customers' ever changing requirements.

This can certainly be a fun question to answer, and although you may be tempted to provide an answer that you think your interviewer wants to hear, it is more important to be completely honest. After all, your personal style could bring something new and fresh to a salon, and this may be exactly what your potential employer is looking for. "My style is retro chic and I enjoy this style because it brings a crisp, modern edge to classic cuts and styles" is an excellent example. Be sure that you prepare an answer for this question ahead of time; it is asked in almost every hair stylist interview.

Education means something a little different in the beauty industry than in most other job markets. Your education as a hair stylist could be working under someone else who was talented and taught you first hand. Alternatively, you may have attended a beauty school and had a more formal education. If you've been working in the field for a while, make sure you address any continuing education you've received over the years. As trends come in and out of style, hair stylists often have to learn new techniques or how to use new tools, and it's important to show that you've kept up with the changes. If you've never worked in the field, but you attended a beauty school, talk about any experience you received during that education, such as working in an apprenticeship or in an on-campus salon.

Salons are similar to retail establishments. They are most productive during what is considered "leisure time" for other people. This means working nights and weekends. To avoid conflict with new hires, salon managers will always asked about your availability. They will want to know how late or how early you can work. They will also ask about availability during weekends and holidays. The Christmas season is by far the busiest time for salons. Anticipate questions about how many hours you can work during that time.

Hairdressers have more responsibilities than merely cutting and styling customers' hair. They need to make sure that tools of the trade are sterilized after every use, the spa is clean and appointments are scheduled. They also handle cashier duties along with up-selling retail products.

There are a number of advantages to taking an apprenticeship, instead of studying full time at college:

☛ Your learning group will be much smaller than at college. This means that you will have much more one to one time with whomever is teaching you.
☛ You will earn money whilst you are learning key skills.
☛ You will gain fantastic practical experience from the front line of the hair salon.
☛ You will hugely increase your employability, as you'll have more industry experience than if you had spent your time learning at college. You are also more likely to gain employment with the salon you trained at, since you have already built up a relationship with the staff.

If you are to make your clients happy with your skills and expertise, you must be able to communicate and listen effectively. Your client may know the hairstyle he or she wants, but if you are not prepared to listen very carefully, you could end up with a very dissatisfied customer on your hands. "I understand that each client also has a personal style. I take the time to listen to the client and then relay my ideas. In the event that a client shows me a picture of a hairstyle that is not quite possible for any reason, I take the time to explain why and offer alternatives that will work better." This answer shows that you respect your clients and that you are prepared to work hard to meet their needs.

Because past behavior offers insight into the future, expect questions about your work and education history. You will likely be asked why you left previous salons, and why you are looking for a new job now. The person conducting the interview will also want to know how you handled conflict with previous supervisors, co-workers and customers. Be prepared to provide specific examples of issues you have faced in the past, how you resolved them, and what the outcomes where. Also, be prepared to answer questions about what you enjoyed most and what you liked least.

Customer services are the most important part of working as a hairdresser. You need to be able to make customers comfortable with you as they are in a vulnerable position. You need to give them confidence that they will look nice once a treatment is finished and you need to make sure that they come back to you.

An apprenticeship enables aspiring hairdressers to learn their trade in the workplace environment, whilst studying to gain theory and qualifications. Usually, apprenticeships are taken by people aged 16 or over, to allow them to earn money whilst gaining experience. An apprenticeship in hairdressing will normally involve candidates working in the salon every day, and then spending 1 or 2 days at college. However, there are some salons who teach both theory and practical skills. In these cases, candidates will only need to enroll in college if their Maths and English skills are not up to scratch.

Usually, it takes between 3 and 5 years to become fully qualified as a hairdresser in the UK. This can depend upon if you are taking further courses in salon management, or where you start with your training.