Your opinions please, if you don't mind

[Sapphire nails]

Hi

I'm trying to gather some info from salon owners, would you use a beauty recruitment agency to find staff? Key points to this agency are that all therapists are trade tested to high standards and references have been gathered and more!

Please could you give me your opinions weather you would or not and factors why, if you don't mind that is and have the time.

Many thanks
Gem

 

[jojo@tranquil]

Personally I would always trade test a potential employee, not everyone's 'high standards' are the same.
I recently employed someone via the job centre which was free, yes I had to interview a lot of girls but finally found the perfect candidate.
Not sure if that's helpful to you or not !

 

[Verve Designs]

I've had some appalling experiences with recuitment companies in the past. I find them incredibly self-serving and "salesy".

I once sat in a meeting (as a marketing exec in my early career) between board members at a pretty large recruitment company and was literally laughed at when I suggested that it must be quite satisfying to a Recruitment Consultant to place someone in a job. They basically intimated that they don't give a monkeys as long as they hit targets.

To them (and this is perhaps a generalisation based on my pretty biased experiences!) it's about making money and placing people wherever they like. Not about giving a helpful service to people who need a living.

Many recruiment companies are totally skewed (as it's a massively competitive market place) towards the company as opposed to the poor bugger who is looking for a job!

I'd never use one to find staff personally. Though I can see why some larger companies (who have less time to micro-manage) would.

My own opinion is that a salon owner should be a little more "hands-on" than that- and save themselves some money too.

 

[Beansy]

I think like most things there are differences between sectors and that people will always have varying experiences, some good some not so good.

I've used social work recruitment agencies in the past, usually when I'm in desperate need, not because i am concerned about the quality but as its usually a very expensive option (generally working out to be double).

Most companies are focused on outputs and meeting targets but ultimately it's in the best interest of the recruitment agency to refer high quality staff as then you'll be happier about using them again. I always build in my own interviews where possible so that I can see/speak to people before. If its not possible then I have to manage / mitigate the risks.

I use Environ and very few therapists are trained in it and so I will be using the iiaa recruitment agency if and when I need it as I'll have the assurance of knowing everyone has completed that training.

 

[Sapphire nails]

Thank you for your opinions,

extensionize I do agree with what your saying, that's one of the reasons I'm asking as I'm trying to change that concept. By being there for the indavidual and the salon as I have worked with temps and some have been shocking also wanting to try and change the fact that they don't care about the people the find jobs for and making sure that both candidate and employer are perfect for each other.

Many thanks