Are my standards too high?

[sa.davis]

Hi all,
Just wanted some advise, regarding our new apprentice.
So for just over two years my salon has run with myself and my full time member of staff. We have built the salon up really and have a good vibe in the salon, good team work and clients always comment about how Nice the feel is in the salon.
We have started to struggle and needed an extra pair of hands to help out. We have been looking since May but no one has come up to what I am looking for, we have had a lot of trials and they just seem lazy and not interested in beauty at all. About four weeks ago a college sent me a young girl , she had just turned 16 she seemed sweet and ready to learn. I have given her a three month contract to see how we go and a list of what is expected of her and how she is meant to behave, she has signed it and agreed. The college tutor came to the salon and said she felt that the salon was too fast paced for her and that she would struggle. The girl also told me at the interview that she wanted to go on to level three and do massage the other day she said she wants to do make up and work up London, in two years time. The whole point of me doing this job role was to train someone up so they can start full time with us when they qualify! I said to the tutor I would give her a go anyway. I have shown her the reception and her cleaning is very good, she does it now without me asking her. It's just the little things that are annoying me already, my therapist was away so it was just me and her. She swears a lot not in front of clients but it's every other word to me. Her topic of conversation are a bit out that really personal stuff about herself, and sometimes it makes me feel uncomfortable at times. When clients leave she starts saying she don't like them because things they talk about she don't agree with and she is finding it hard to keep quite. I was busy with clients the other day back to back and when I came out her jobs weren't done but she had taken it upon herself to get gel polishes and practice on herself! I said to her this is unacceptable one she needs to ask me and two she needs to not do any treatments when we have clients in the salon! Three she needs to do her tasks first! She just looked at me no sorry nothing she just said ok. She booked a client in after we close and we ended up staying behind 50 mins. She knows what time we close! I have spoke with my other half and he says it's because she is young and learning.
What I am asking do you think im going over the top I think her behaviour is bad, I would never act in this way, she has only been here two weeks? Should I stick the three months out and review it give her a chance or contact her college and say it's not working out? I don't think talking with her will work, I spoke to her a week ago she sorted herself out for one day then it's started to come back again! She is a nice girl and has been though a lot at such a young age.
Am I going to find this with all apprentices ? Or should I keep looking for someone that is more suited to the salon and my team.
Thanks In advance. x

 

[Cesar]

Absolutely not, your standards are completely acceptable.
Her personal matters (outside of her health) should play no role in the work environment. If she had been through "a lot at such a young age", she should leave that at home. She works for you and she should abide by your rules. I know it might be dificult, but have a brief chat with her after work, and give her a stern talk that there are certain rules she should follow, but also try not to scare her. Let her know that you mean business, but also be less strict if and when she begins to be more respectful by, for example, allowing her to practice on herself.

 

[daydreams01]

Oh it's such a struggle trying to get decent people. I wish I Could clone my current stylist as she is fantastic but she was one of my previous students from when I used to teach in FE college so I handpicked her!
Had a young girl come in on sat afternoon with a parent or relative who did all the talking and asked if I can take her for a 1 day college placement. I could do with the help but I was really busy and having learnt from previous errors of judgement where I say yes to everyone to try and help them out and it backfires on me, I now want to be choosy about who I have so I asked them for a c.v/cover letter and I would get back to them as I was too busy to stop working and do an interview on the spot! They didn't have anything at all with them so I Said they could email it or drop it in, 3 days later, nothing so I guess she doesn't really want the placement that badly or do they just expect to ask for a job and be given it without giving me any information about themselves! I wouldn't dream of going job hunting without taking a batch of c.v's and cover letters with me, let alone getting the other adult to do all the talking. I despair of ever finding anyone! I would not lower your standards for anyone, it's your salon and you know how you want it to operate. Are you able to write up a basic salon policy of how you like things done. I had one I did this year I Would have attached it for you to tweak but my iPad has mysteriously lost all my notes and it was in there and I stupidly didn't print out a spare one or save it anywhere else so now I Need to do a new one or hope that the last one I gave out is still lying around in the staff room somewhere!

 

[Blush&Glow beauty bar]

I too have this problem i have a 1 treatment room salon and for the past year i have been working up to 6 days a week by myself with 4 kids at home i decided to hire someone finally after many interviews i took one girl on and she has proven to be a nightmare i get at least 1 phonecall everyweek to say she can't do this day because of so and so and she is constantly late, also her husband is way to controlling for my likening allways calling her telling her where is this, can you come home early cause so and so, her treatments are ok sometimes but she is very messy leaves wax all over the floor she just seems careless and not passionate about the industry All of this and she has only been with me for a month my family think that i have high standards and that i should keep her untill i find someone else but i feel like this is my livelihood and i need someone who has passion and drive for the industry and who is reliable.
I would say if you can manage on your own till you find someone else then let her go because you should not have to lower your standards for anyone especially when you have to pay them.

 

[laurakate]

She's young and inexperienced. She's also allowed to have lots of ideas about what she'd like to do in the future.

She feels that she can talk to you and although some things sound like you want them to be refined, it's important to communicate this to her in a way that doesn't alienate her, especially as it sounds like she means well and has ambition.

Everyone is a bit crap in their first job. There's going to be more mileage in it for you if you embrace what's good about this person and be positive about the stuff that you think should change.

 

[surf girl]

One thing to consider is she probably hasn't completed the work packs on how to behave in the salon yet, my old one diddnt know any health and safety whatsoever until after Xmas it was shocking, if I were you I'd have the same talk again, let her change for a day or two again then do it one more time as a final warning, they tend to pull their socks up then.

Booking appointments isn't addressed in their training until ages into it, so you have to show her yourself how it works, same for health and safety & salon reception skills, we think it's common knowledge but it's really not

 

[Lola91]

I can give you the perspective of an apprentice,although I was on the mature side while working as one(23/24). I started an apprenticeship over a year ago in a high profile salon,we had very upscale clients so it was very important to behave in an appropriate manner and I never would have sworn to my manager! But I can tell you,at college the girls that were around my age and doing an apprenticeship were very focused and wanted to learn while the younger girls(16 and fresh out of school)didn't seem interested and seemed bothered about having to work in their salon jobs. I am by no means saying all 16 year olds are like this but I do think many young girls think beauty is just an easy route and that they won't have to do much which as we all know is so far from the truth!

I was a bit lost when I first started my job as I felt like I was just drifting around trying to find things to do sometimes. Its tough to judge this girl,she is very young and this will be her first experience of the working world. She sounds like she's very open about her life but I think it's up to you to use your intuition. Do you think you can mould her into a good beauty therapist? If you feel like there's a chance,I think it might be worth trying to stick out the 3 month contract. But you will have to be very clear with her about what she can and cannot do,I wouldn't talk down to her but just try and get her to understand that certain behaviour isn't appropriate. Since she was painting her own nails,maybe that's something she's keen to learn? If you or your other therapist has some free time maybe you could teach her a file and polish and let her practice. Or she could have some family/friends come in for her to practice on.

At the end of the day it's your business and taking on an apprentice is hard work and isn't for everyone,you are responsible for her learning and development of her beauty skills. The college will be checking up with you both to see how she is progressing. If you stick it out a bit longer and see positive change,it may lead to something good but if you feel like it's not something you care to take further then that's okay,it's your decision x

 

[GoldCrest]

I understand that we all have standards and have to have them. But if you take on an apprentice just starting out then you can't expect to get a trained person. I understand she is in your salon to learn. Teach her. When young we all done the wrong stuff because we didn't think of it being wrong. I hope you can work it out with her. She is just 16. Xx

 

[Caroline_music_]

Give her a chance. She doesn't know how to behave until you train her. She may have not realised you wanted an apology. You said she'd been through a lot, sounds like she needs this more than anyone and you have said she is a grafter as she has proven she can do her work well.
You need a firm set of rules and procedures to follow that are clear, you can't expect her to know what you want. You need to take time out of your schedule to train her properly and spell it out simply and clearly. As well as rules and regs give her incentives and perks to encourage her to want to succeed. When I was that age I didn't know it was impolite to swear in the workplace. I assumed everyone did! Have patience and in kind words tell her what you do and don't want in the salon. Ask her if she knows the reasons why, get her thinking about services from a client's perspective, also from a business perspective. She is only as good as your training.....