Work Experience - do I pay her?

[SpaAngel]

Hi, have any of you taken on any beauty therapy students for their work experience? If so, did you pay them? I have a girl that is just about to start her second year at college and she does a few hours a week for me, mostly spray tanning but also easier treatments such as callus peel, express manis and pedis etc. I pay her an hourly rate when she works but as she is about to start her second year at college, she will be able to come to me for work experience. My question is do I pay her or not? Any advice/suggestions/comments would be gladly received! Thank you.

PS. I have a small but busy salon and don't employ anyone else but have found the 9 am til 9 pm i seem to be working most nights too much! I don't get to see my family and my work/home life balance is definately out of balance hence the reason for taking someone on, albeit on a very part time, "as and when she's needed" basis.

 

[Debs001]

I am sure she appreciates the job she already has with you and the experience you are giving her. Maybe just give her a few extra quid at the end of the week as a nice gesture.

 

[Elaine143a]

How about paying her for her "normal" hours and any additional hours she does as unpaid work experience? I have lots of students come to me for work experience and I am told by the colleges I am not allowed to pay them, but, if they are good, hard working, willing (which most, I must say are not!) and eager to please and keen to learn, I at least buy them lunch every day and let them have some free treatments. hth

 

[Essential Bliss]

That's how I started at my salon my boss payed me my usual hours and a little extra for my work experience, as well as treatments when possible etc, only little things like a bit of waxing or file and paint etc. I wasn't expecting to be paid or anything as it was my work experience but was a lovely gesture that she did that

Kayleigh xx

Essential Bliss Beauty Therapy

 

[olabecee]

Hi spa angel, sorry I can't contribute much to your question as I'm also at that stage of getting someone in to help. The only thing is there is not enough room. How do you manage to fit yours? Do you have a big salon with lots of treatment rooms? I'm not sure clients will be comfortable with having 2 therapists working on different people in a small space like mine. Any advise will be greatly appreciated.

Sent from my Desire HD using SalonGeek

 

[jacquelineanna]

If she's worth it! Is on time, has a good attitude, reliable, good with clients, and wants to learn.

I think perhaps instead of paying her regularly for the work experience part maybe you could give her a monthly bonus .. or would it work out cheaper to pay her something? .. either way I think it would be appreciated.

Jacqui xx

 

[SpaAngel]

Thank you very much for your input which has confirmed exactly what I had in my mind! My studio is 12 x 18' with the far left hand corner (6 x 6) made into a completely separate room (with window) which is generally used for spray tanning. I can just fit a couch in there but the couch is the same length as the wall so no eyebrow waxing/facials etc!! My "regular" couch is on along the right hand wall opposite the tanning room at the back, nail station at the front on the right hand side and as you go in on the left hand side, I have my retail display and a comfy waiting chair (I'll try and upload some photos!). It has worked brilliantly with just me working in there. Plenty of room if the next client turns up slightly early and i have two lovely screens that i put across the end of the couch which blocks it off from main area so the next client can sit and wait whilst the client on the couch feels very secure behind the screens etc etc. I've done spray tanning evenings and had about 10 clients in and out - it was great fun, very sociable and being a summery evening they spilled out onto the garden, some were sat in the studio, some on the steps leading up to the studio - it worked really well! As for two of us working in there at the same time...... it will work but with planning!! For example i won't be able to book a waxing session in at the same time as a tan because once the screens block off the couch, that means the door to the tanning room is blocked off too! My plan is to offer discounted treatments with her on a friday... next friday i've posted on my fb page that a set of minx on toes will be £18 .... had three responses so far which is great. She has done minx for me and my daughter with great results so she can get on with those whilst i do any other treatments. My plan is to get her fully up to speed and feeling confident with all the treatments i offer then i will be able to let her do evenings down there without me needing to be working too. My husband and I talked about maybe extending the size of the studio to accommodate the two of us together but that really isn't what i'm aiming for. I want to just work during the days and do one evening but would like her to work the other three evenings (closed friday eves!). Can i ask those who have taken this "next step" themselves or those who were in this situation whilst doing their work experience - did you have regular "reviews" with your student/employee? There are just a few little things i feel i have to keep reminding her about but i really don't want to go on at her! a good idea to note things down for discussion at the end of the week and chat in a positive way praising her for good treatments she has done and meanwhile being able to point out (for example), "you must remember to shut the door of the tanning room after each tan" etc etc ??? any advice here would be great too.
Thanks very much! I think this "next step" of having someone else in there is scary!!

 

[***juice***]

Could it not be set up as an apprenticeship? Where she gets paid like £80 a week or something? Not sure how that will work on an "as needed" basis though.