can't get the staff!!...

[swilks12]

Hi there,

i am trying to find a junior who wants a days worth of work experience a week whilst still at college (pref already completed level 2) with a view to me offering them a part time position in sep as i am going to uni. After e-mailing my local colleges, putting a notice on here and the guild someone got in touch from my local college..

I thought i had found a girl and she completed 2 weeks worth of work exp - being fully aware of the situation re the terms etc - however she has just handed in her resignation stating that she felt she wasn't maximising her potential as a beauty therapist..

So now i am back at square one and wondered if anyone could recommend where to go next to try and get a suitable candidate as the colleges etc were like getting blood from a stone there is just no-one wanting the opportunity of gaining some salon experience!

Any advice gratefully received!

 

[Serenity Beauty]

The problem is no one wants to work for nothing just for experience these days! I did it, and 15 years ago it was the thing to do! But now all the students are making an income with spray tans and nails whilst training at college, so their days off are spent earning cold hard cash! I may be wrong but I'm pretty sure that's what's happening! Good luck x

 

[Vanessa]

What a pity you can't get someone. Most of the colleges near my salon send the girls out on work experience one day a week. I usually have 1 student each day I'm open, from 4 different colleges. The course tutors phone every week to make sure the girls come in and call to the salon to check how they are getting on.

This has been a good way for me to see how they get on and if I think they have potential, so far I have taken on 3 students with another one starting when her course finishes in a few months.

 

[Lou x]

I would work for just the experience one day a week!!
As long as I felt I genuinely was learning and not just being told to get on with jobs as I went along- for example I need help with my nails but am great at lashes so if I went and was expected to do lashes all day then I wouldn't see the point but if I could learn more on nails I would love it!! x


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[vitality]

I agree with Lou with people management in order to improve staff morale- especially volunteers, you will need to offer them an incentive. If they work for free for you now they might end up getting a job somewhere else before September. What about offering free coaching e.g perfecting smile lines, speeding up waxing etc. if she has just qualified she will have plenty to learn. If you are not paying her a salary maybe you could Coach her on retailing products and then offer her a % commission. She will be learning whilst making a bit of money and increasing your revenue.

 

[swilks12]

hi geeks,

thanks for all your comments.

I had already allowed her to sit in on/participate in a HD brows training session and had her bkd on dermalogica, bare minerals and MD formulations training courses, so i feel that was more than enough of an incentive tbh!

I was also going to discuss with her this week setting up a little offer/promo to get her some clients going, but unfortunately she jumped ship and wants to run before she can walk and has shot herself in the foot i think. i am more than willing to give someone an opportunity to shine if they show me they are worth it and am abig believer in giving someone an opportunity.

Back to the drawing board i think!

 

[vitality]

It could have just been it didn't suit the girl which could go back to people management. Just ensure when you are interviewing potential juniors that you communicate. Ask the right interview questions to find out if she is the right person for the job and articulate the job description the best you can. I have found in the past with jobs that I have been unhappy due to unclear terms and conditions. If its not working reassess what you are already doing and try a different approach. Did you ask the other girl when she left what she meant about not maximising her potential as a beauty therapist? That would be a good starting point.

 

[Serenity Beauty]

Swilks, I had no idea u had offered her that kind of package! I'd have bitten someones arm off to have product training during work experience! I was expected to clean hairspray off chairs with mentholated spirit I'n a non ventilated room, resulting I'n months of breathing/ chest problems! I wasn't even studying hair!!! It was horrendous! :-(

 

[Lou x]

Swilks, I had no idea u had offered her that kind of package! I'd have bitten someones arm off to have product training during work experience! I was expected to clean hairspray off chairs with mentholated spirit I'n a non ventilated room, resulting I'n months of breathing/ chest problems! I wasn't even studying hair!!! It was horrendous! :-(

Oh my god? :/ i cant believe that!
How long did you put up with that for!? x

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[MissConfused]

Swilks, I had no idea u had offered her that kind of package! I'd have bitten someones arm off to have product training during work experience! I was expected to clean hairspray off chairs with mentholated spirit I'n a non ventilated room, resulting I'n months of breathing/ chest problems! I wasn't even studying hair!!! It was horrendous! :-(

you're not the only one who has had a rough time when it comes to placements, back when i was in high school like forever ago haha i went on a placement to a local salon and i was told to clean the toilet/shower room floor on my hands and knees and to clean behind sunbeds (believe me it wasn't a job that usually got done in the salon!) i got no insight into the beauty world at all and it really did put me off not just working in the beauty world but working for other people fullstop. the teacher at school who arranged it said that alot of hair and beauty places did exactly the same thing as it was just a free person to clean up. the salon i was at also had a college beauty student there on a placement and she wasn't happy with what she was doing either, she was learning nothing just turning up, sitting behind the reception desk and cleaning and she had been there for months she said... so it's no wonder that students don't want to turn up for free placements with the amount of salon owners who use students to clean their salon.

when i was in college as soon as placements were mentioned the girls on my course all had the same impression that they were just going to get used for cleaning duties and a few of them actually said point blank they wasn't doing placements for nothing. it's sad that some owners have left such a bad impression on students that owners who genuinely don't just want a free cleaner are struggling.

could you not sort out some kind of plan eg. if you're here for such and such an amount of time (providing student obviously pulls her weight, makes the effort and follows salon rules etc etc) then you will show her such and such a thing and then after so long you will introduce her to something else etc so that the student knows there is actually a set plan and a goal and it's not just a come and do whatever i tell you and if i can be bothered/have 5minutes spare i'll let you paint a nail tip kwim? i don't know if that would work or be allowed but i think we all do better if we know we are aiming/heading towards something kwim?x

 

[Vanessa]

As a salon owner who has students on work placement, I can explain the restrictions put on me.

If the students are level 2 they are not qualified until later in the college year so can only observe and shadow therapists for some time, this includes cleaning, getting rooms ready, looking after clients in reception (tea/coffee etc). The college lists all the prohibitions. When they have been assessed at college and I am happy with them I can lift the prohibition and let them work on clients.

I have had many sullen faced girls who only want to sit in reception and use their mobiles - surprise surprise they often don't complete the course.

Level three girls can work on clients if and when I'm happy with them, again it's also down to the college. I give all the work experience girls plenty of opportunities to observe, learn, practice treatments together with my therapists and join in with salon life and as I said in my earlier post have taken on 3 therapists.

It is very time consuming having students but worth it when you see them develop and gain in confidence.

You have to make sure your insurance company will insure students as when they are with you, even though you are not paying them they are classed as employees. Your salon will be inspected by the Health and Safety officer for each college.

As salon owners/managers we have to be prepared to give a lot of our time to the girls on work placement, the easy way is to give them cleaning duties.

 

[Serenity Beauty]

Lou, I put up with it for far too long! I gave it up I'n the end and applied for a part time job as a receptionist/ toning table (they were the craze back then) assistant! They I'n turn were happy with me and gave me 2 full weeks work experience, it was 100% better than the previous salon and actually helped me improve on my weaknesses! I practiced on the therapists, was given product knowledge, was observing treatments, obviously only some clients are happy with this! And yes I did my fair share of cleaning, fetching lunch and tea, because that's what u are happy to do when u are being given the experience and help I eventually got! If u want a student to help out, u have to be prepared to give her some of ur time! Otherwise employ and pay someone to do all the jobs that need doing! Hope this helps x

 

[Lou x]

S-beauty good on you!! I can't believe some of these stories!!
I think it's bad on both sides after reading this thread-

Salon owners abusing the the fact they have a free maid.

Students abusing an "easy day out of college"

People like this give others a bad name! I'm 19 years old and hate the thought that people higher up in the industry than me might expect me to not be dedicated and sit on the phone or something all day!
I'd give my right arm for somebody to take me under their wing and show me tips and tricks of the trade!!
I'm sure one day those girls will regret not making the most out of that experience! x


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[Serenity Beauty]

And Lou that is what will make u more employable than the others! Good luck sweetie, with a positive attitude like that i am sure u will get far in this industry! X

 

[Lou x]

And Lou that is what will make u more employable than the others! Good luck sweetie, with a positive attitude like that i am sure u will get far in this industry! X

Thank you very much means alot x

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