Alan Conover and Cion Ortego, owners of Hue Salon in Houston, Texas, feel they’ve cracked the code on for hiring great talent. “It has taken us three years, but we have nailed a formula that helps us hire and retain fantastic, brilliant, easy-to-work with people,” Conover says.
It starts with the practical interview. While lots of salons ask potential new stylists to demonstrate a haircut, Hue goes a step beyond by testing their skills and their attitudes.
“We make a special point to stop the candidate mid-cut, asking questions and giving feedback and instructions,” Ortego says. “Let’s face it, a job interview is a stressful situation. An individual’s response to our feedback tells us a lot about their attitude under pressure. If they can’t stay calm, positive and open-minded during an interview, how will they handle the day-to-day stresses of a busy salon?”
By hiring people who have great skills, great attitudes and great coach-ability, Hue has found a winning formula.
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