* ItaliaHairColor * --- Help?!

[Sparkalicious]

Hi Italia!

Quick question, if you would be so kind as to assist. If not, no worries.

After having been laid off from the banking industry, I am in the midst of job hunting right now. I came across an interesting position as Salon Supervisor for a high-end salon and just received a call requesting a preliminary interview tomorrow morning at 9 AM.

I thought of you immediately and figured that you might be a great resource.

Do you have any tips that you might be able to share as to what types of questions they might ask in their screening interview? I find myself completely nervous as I am not that familiar with the business side of this industry having been in banking for so long.

Thanks in advance for any assistance you are able to provide. Very much appreciated.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Oh, also - any particular questions that, based on your experience, I should be sure to ask?

 

[Sparkalicious]

If anyone else has expertise or can offer advice, it is very much welcome!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Okay, as a salon supervisor you can expect responsibilities similar to that of a salon manager....hiring, firing, salon promotions, client retention, products and more of the daily grind. These jobs will also vary depending on weither the salon is privately owned or is a corporate salon. Finding a way to highlight your past experience as it would pretain to these jobs that would be a great thing.

Salons can be very intimidating. They can be incredibly catty, clique-y, and fitting in can be a challange. Differing from other fields, stylists (the employees) hold all the cards...they are the talent and the business survives on them, they aren''t easily replacable so you will have divas or divos on staff that are totally aware of their worth. So while a "salon manager" is a position of authority, don''t expect it to hold the same amount of respect as a it would in the banking field. You have to be able to take your lumps. It can also be challanging entering the salon as an "outsider"--someone not trained in cosmetology...telling a stylist how to do her job can be like going against a brick wall...and if you get the job, I''ll always be able to "feed" you inside information in tech-talk to help you gain a leg up.

As far as making a dynamic first impression....salons aren''t corporate USA where we want business 24/7. We like bubbly, and smiley and outgoing. As a whole, the industry appreciates people who are fun, up beat, and yet totally business savvy. Personable people do better. Make sure your hair is cute--we''re not afraid of color. Nails well maintained. Makeup neatly applied. Wearing black, white or grey is probably required by the salon...so doing so to the interview isn''t a bad thing.

Questions...ask about their product lines, if they offer "young talent" training, if you''re involved in cosmetology school recruitment, do they have any team building exercises, are they departmentalized, and if they don''t cover it during the interview ask if are you responsible for ordering product and supplies, ask them about specific job responsibilities as it pretains to the different salon departments...thats'' all I can think of now, I will post again if I can think of anything else....

 

[Sparkalicious]

Amazingly helpful given your "insider" status.

THANK YOU for taking the time to share. Truly appreciated.

Thankfully, I tend to be a bubbly, outgoing person so this will not be a problem and I will be wearing black ... great tip, though, if I didn''t almost live in black, that would be a great way to try to assimilate, for lack of a better word.

I''m so worried about my hair. It''s naturally curly and usually looks good as I take good care of it. Right now, unfortunately, I totally need a hair cut and color. Ugh. I''ve been avoiding it b/c $$ is tight and I''m planning our wedding .. I''ll have to whip up something magical. I''ll make it work but it sure would be nice ... and would do miracles for my confidence level to be able to get my hair cut and colored tonight! Ugh.

I anticipate that the politics will be plentiful being an outsider. First step ... getting my foot in the door. Next step, asking Italia how to avoid the wrath of the salon''s resident diva.

Thank you, kindly! I''ll let you know how the prelim interview goes. Any dust you have to share is welcome!

 

[iheartscience]

I''m not Italia but I wanted to say good luck! This sounds like a job you''ll be awesome at! TONS of dust headed your way! Here it comes!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Date: 4/13/2009 7:41:54 PM
Author: Sparkalicious
Amazingly helpful given your ''insider'' status.

THANK YOU for taking the time to share. Truly appreciated.

Thankfully, I tend to be a bubbly, outgoing person so this will not be a problem and I will be wearing black ... great tip, though, if I didn''t almost live in black, that would be a great way to try to assimilate, for lack of a better word.

I''m so worried about my hair. It''s naturally curly and usually looks good as I take good care of it. Right now, unfortunately, I totally need a hair cut and color. Ugh. I''ve been avoiding it b/c $$ is tight and I''m planning our wedding .. I''ll have to whip up something magical. I''ll make it work but it sure would be nice ... and would do miracles for my confidence level to be able to get my hair cut and colored tonight! Ugh.

I anticipate that the politics will be plentiful being an outsider. First step ... getting my foot in the door. Next step, asking Italia how to avoid the wrath of the salon''s resident diva.

Thank you, kindly! I''ll let you know how the prelim interview goes. Any dust you have to share is welcome!

Curly is in, don''t fight the curl. Curly hair also hides outgrowth, so you should be a-ok!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Oh thing! You're so sweet!! Thanks, hon! I appreciate it!!
You guys have made my day!

eta - that's some super duper sparkly salon supervisor dust too! It has to work!! You rock, Thing!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 4/13/2009 7:47:49 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor
Curly is in, don''t fight the curl. Curly hair also hides outgrowth, so you should be a-ok!

Love it!

 

[kama_s]

Goooooooood luckkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Loves Vintage]

Good Luck, Sparkalicious!!! Sounds like this could be a great change for you!!!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Thanks so much, kama!!

LV - Long time no talk! Thanks for the luck! I am certain that I will put it to good use!! How are you doing?

 

[lliang_chi]

Good luck Spark

 

[Sparkalicious]

Oh thanks so much, lliang_chi!!

Update - Had the "pre-interview" this morning and it went fabulously, says I! I have a really good feeling about it. The interviewer was personable and I think that my answers were right on target. A really positive experience. I learned quite a few interesting things about the company and am even more excited about this opportunity now.

If I''m going forward, I should know by the end of the week and there will be 1 or 2 more interviews.
Thanks for the information, Italia ... definitely helped me from a confidence standpoint and thanks for the dust and well wishes, ladies. I think that they very well may have worked so far!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Update: Just found out that they would like to see me for a second interview next week! YAY! I''m SO super excited about this opportunity.

Thanks for the well wishes and dust, ladies!!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Any more tips for the next round of interviews are more than welcome ... muchly appreciated!!

 

[joflier]

Hey, that''s good news! And imho, salon manager sounds like LOTS more fun than the banking industry!

Good luck!

 

[KatyWI]

Yayyyyy! Congrats! I was positive you were going to do great!

Good luck next week.. and definitely keep us updated!!

*more dust*

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

Hooooray!! Congrats on interview #2!!!

Perhaps do a search online? There are forums for EVERYTHING these days (erm, diamonds and Brides-in-Waiting, to name a few

) I''m certain there''s some salon-industry website/message board/etc... Just reading posts from people in the field may give some insight into the daily grind at a salon?

A lot also depends on the questions they asked in the prelim interview. Was it pretty superficial, or did they ask you ''tough'' things... like, "why do you want this job?" "how would you handle X, Y, Z dispute/problem in the workplace?" etc...

Good luck & keep us updated!!! Tons of dust!

 

[iheartscience]

Yay! I''m sorry I missed your first update! Congratulations on the second interview! More dust headed your way! (Except I couldn''t find another cool picture of it to post!

)

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 4/17/2009 4:26:22 PM
Author: joflier
Hey, that''s good news! And imho, salon manager sounds like LOTS more fun than the banking industry!

Good luck!

You''re telling me, Jo! Seriously! MUCH more fun. Additionally, based on the job description, with many parallel duties, it seems like a job that I''ve done before, just in a totally different setting ... A cooler, swankier, way more fun one!

Thanks for the luck. NOW I''m starting to get nervous. I just want to knock their socks off!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 4/17/2009 4:27:38 PM
Author: KatyWI
Yayyyyy! Congrats! I was positive you were going to do great!

Good luck next week.. and definitely keep us updated!!

*more dust*

Oh Katy, thanks so much! That is so sweet. It''s nice to know that others have confidence in us, isn''t it?!! All of your positivity and confidence MUST have rubbed off on me. THANK YOU!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 4/17/2009 4:36:26 PM
Author: PilsnPinkysMom
Hooooray!! Congrats on interview #2!!!

Perhaps do a search online? There are forums for EVERYTHING these days (erm, diamonds and Brides-in-Waiting, to name a few

) I''m certain there''s some salon-industry website/message board/etc... Just reading posts from people in the field may give some insight into the daily grind at a salon?

A lot also depends on the questions they asked in the prelim interview. Was it pretty superficial, or did they ask you ''tough'' things... like, ''why do you want this job?'' ''how would you handle X, Y, Z dispute/problem in the workplace?'' etc...

Good luck & keep us updated!!! Tons of dust!

PPM - What a great idea! I will do that.

I thought that the prelim interview would be equivalent to a phone interview, in that it would just weed out the weaker candidates but they actually did go more in depth and did ask some of the tougher questions - not ''why do you want this job'', in particular, but more of the behavioural type questions about how I have handled certain scenarios in the past etc. This makes me nervous for the next round. I know that I was "on" for this interview and my answers were sharp. I just want to make the same impression next time.

Since they already asked some of these questions, I''m thinking that maybe it will be a total breeze next round and they will just want to ask some superficial type questions OR they will go in for the kill and ask all the worst questions! Yikes!

I''m being interviewed by a totally different person for the next round. I am hoping that he is as affable as the first interviewer. He had a great style that made it quite easy to just converse and relay my experiences.

Thanks for the tons of dust ... I can most certainly use it!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 4/17/2009 6:06:04 PM
Author: thing2of2
Yay! I''m sorry I missed your first update! Congratulations on the second interview! More dust headed your way! (Except I couldn''t find another cool picture of it to post!

)

No worries, Thing! Thanks for the congrats! I''m super excited and can''t wait! I think that I really would like this job. (ya think??!)

I found a picture for you ... will this dust suffice?

It''s not as special as your first round dust but it still looks pretty special.

 

[joflier]

Date: 4/17/2009 6:23:28 PM
Author: Sparkalicious

You''re telling me, Jo! Seriously! MUCH more fun. Additionally, based on the job description, with many parallel duties, it seems like a job that I''ve done before, just in a totally different setting ... A cooler, swankier, way more fun one!

Thanks for the luck. NOW I''m starting to get nervous. I just want to knock their socks off!

Oh, don''t be nervous. Hello? They want a 2nd interview!!!!! That means they like you, babe!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 4/17/2009 6:48:21 PM
Author: joflier
Oh, don''t be nervous. Hello? They want a 2nd interview!!!!! That means they like you, babe!

Oh, Jo ... that is so incredibly reassuring! Thank you. Truly.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Hi ladies - Thanks so much for your help and for your dust, unfortunately - I was not the successful candidate for this position.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Date: 4/27/2009 7:12:14 PM
Author: Sparkalicious
Hi ladies - Thanks so much for your help and for your dust, unfortunately - I was not the successful candidate for this position.

Oh, Sparkalicious, I am so sorry. But, you''ll find something...I really believe that.

And don''t be hard on yourself over this. The salon industry is kind of like a tight little knot of people. Most everyone starts out "behind the chair" but many, many stylists dream of bigger roles in management, direction, ownership and so on. The industry it''s self is huge with talent, but small with golden opportunities. Management roles are like Mecca for a stylist who wants off the floor and into corporate.

Big hugs! Keep looking, it''s out there somewhere!