Top 3 Skills Salon Owners/Managers Seek

Top 3 Skills Salon Owners/Managers Seek

Knowing what is expected from your employer is a basic element to being successful in the workplace. Although each industry is different in terms of their expectations, there are some very common points that each employer will find to reign true for their particular business. These items solidify that if you do not possess basic skills, finding gainful employment is not only difficult, but rare.

When asking salon owners and managers what they need from graduates/new hires, the number one thing they bring up is attendance. They need you to show up to work. When I first took this job, I was surprised that this was their first response. I thought it would be something technical that was needed, but I was wrong. They feel that they can expand upon their prior education with ease, but getting people to come to work was the hardest part.

Another surprise was that their second most common need was not technical either. Instead, they want their stylist and nail technicians to be hospitable and to treat guests with excellent customer service. Owners want their guests to feel not only welcome in the salon, but to feel as though their needs are being met technically and emotionally. People want to relate to their stylist-to build a relationship. If you aren’t wiling to engage your client with conversation about the client’s life and their items of importance, then you are not just failing the client, but the entire salon.

The third most important aspect of having a successful career in a salon is being coachable or open to new learning opportunities. Salon owners and managers will often times assist you in gaining new knowledge from classes or guest artists and educators. They want you to adapt your skills to keep the salon on the cutting edge of industry gains. Be open to trying new things, getting new results and expanding your abilities. This helps the salon, but it also allows you to carve a niche in a very competitive industry.

These three needs from area salon owners and managers are great to include on your resume or to disclose in a cover letter so long as it fits your persona. Having these listed will set you apart from the competition because you are expressing that you have the skills that employers need to maintain and expand their clientele. Encourage your references to highlight this as well. Having your cosmetology school instructors or staff members tell the salon owner or manager these skills belong to you solidifies that you can be trusted to be on their staff.

Hays Academy of Hair Design goes to great lengths to provide this education as a foundation of student learning by utilizing the Nuts and Bolts Business Training program at both the Salina and Hays campuses. The graduates of this program have established themselves as industry professionals and have the tools available to equip them for lifelong success in the salon and spa.

If you have questions about what the Nuts and Bolts Business Training Program consists of, feel free to contact Tyler by calling (785) 833-2280 or by emailing him at [email protected] We would love the opportunity to discuss your future plans and how we can assist you in achieving your goals.