45 Questions About Hairdressing for an Interview (With Sample Answers)
You can show a potential employer that you are qualified for the job during an interview. If you want to be a hairdresser, it might help to know what to say when you are being interviewed. Reading examples of questions and answers can help you explain how qualified you are in a better way. This article will help you prepare for your hairdressing interview by giving you 45 questions and some sample answers.
General questions about hairdressing for an interview
Here are some examples of the types of general interview questions that employers often ask:
- Why did you want to apply for the hairdresser job?
- What is the best thing you’ve done at work?
- When did you have to do more than one thing at work at the same time?
- How would your coworkers describe you in three words?
- What three of your clients would say about you?
- What do you do well?
- Where do you need to improve?
- Why do you want to work with hair?
- In the next five years, what do you want to get out of your job?
- What days and times during the week can you work at the salon?
- Do you have to work on weekends and holidays?
- Why are you quitting your current job?
Questions about work and history from the past
The person who is interviewing you might also ask about your education and jobs you’ve had in the past. Here are some examples:
- When did you start cutting hair?
- What kinds of hairstyles have you done for other people in the past?
- What kinds of legal nail services are there?
- Tell me about the work you’ve done with kids.
- How did you learn to do hair? What did you study and how did you train?
- How good are you at using hair coloring products?
- How many people did you help in a single shift?
- What is the most important thing you’ve learned since you started working?
- How do you choose when and where to meet with your clients?
- Tell me about a time when you sold things for hair and beauty.
Interview questions about hairdressing in depth
In-depth questions can show what you know about the business and how you work with clients. Examples include:
- What’s your favorite brand of hair care? Why?
- What’s your favorite way to do your hair? Why?
- Can you style different kinds of hair well?
- How well do you feel when you have to stand for a long time?
- Tell me about a time you fixed a customer’s damaged hair.
- Tell me how you clean and organize your work area.
- What do you know about our beauty shop?
- Think of a time when you and a coworker didn’t agree on something. How did you figure out what was wrong?
- How do you decide how much to charge for what you do?
- What do you want to know about how to cut hair?
- How do you style your hair in unique ways that set you apart from other pros?
- How do you get in touch with clients who haven’t been to the salon in a while?
- How do you make people want to come back?
Questions and answers about hairdressing for an interview
Here are some examples of hairdresser interview questions and how to answer them to help you get ready for your interview:
How can more people be gotten to go to the salon?
As a hairstylist, you might have to build a client base that brings in money for the salon and helps you make more money. Use your marketing skills in your answer to show the employer that you can connect with possible clients. It might help to show how one of your marketing plans worked.
“I post pictures and videos of hairstyles I’ve done on social media, and I also tell people where I work and how much my services cost. About 70% of the new clients I’ve gotten in the last two years got in touch with me after seeing something I posted on social media. The word-of-mouth method brings in the other 30%. I try to get to know my clients well so I can find out if they have family or friends who might be interested in coming to the salon. I give out business cards and brochures about my work, which convinces new clients to make appointments.
How do you keep working when you don’t have a client meeting?
The point of this question could be to see how good you are at running a salon or how much you know about jobs other than hairdressing. Think about what you can do while you wait for your next client. In your answer, give examples of what you can do to help the employer and put your clients at ease.
“As soon as the client leaves, I clean up my workspace and put the things I used back where they belong. During the day, I check my schedule to make sure I’m using my time well. If my coworkers are busy, I offer to shampoo one of their clients’ hair so that they don’t have to wait as long. I also work at the front desk, where I answer the phone and set up meetings.”
Tell me about a time when a client wasn’t happy with a service you did for them. What did you answer?
Show how well you can solve problems in your answer to this question. First, you might want to explain what’s going on and make sure you know why the client is upset. Next, tell them how you listened to what the client said and won back their trust. You can also show that good customer service is important to you.
“I saw that a client’s hair had split ends, so I offered to cut them off to stop her hair from falling out too much, and she agreed.” When I was done straightening her hair, she looked in the mirror and told me I had cut too much off. She said she thought I would cut off the split ends, but I had already styled her hair so that it was even on all sides. Before I started styling her hair, I should have told her how much I was going to cut off. I said I was sorry and suggested a new time to meet and a discount on that service.
How can you find out what popular hairstyles are?
What’s popular in the beauty and fashion industries can affect what hairstyles people ask for. Talk about how you learn new things in your answer to show that you know what your customers want. You can also talk about how eager you are to learn new skills.
“Most of my clients are teenagers and young adults, so I watch the tutorials of well-known influencers who are geared toward that age group.” If I see a lot of bloggers using the same methods, I try them out myself so I’m ready for a flood of requests. I also read fashion magazines to find out what celebrities are doing that my clients want to copy. By clicking on popular hashtags on social media, I can also find out what’s popular and learn how to style my hair.
Tell what you did to learn how to change your hairstyle.
Let’s say the salon buys new equipment that changes the way you have to style hair. Assure your boss that you can deal with changes at work and still do a good job cutting hair. Give an example in your answer that shows how much you want to learn.
“I’m a visual learner, so seeing how stylists use a technique or piece of equipment on video tutorials helps me. Then I try the style out on a head mannequin. I try out different products to find a mix that gives my hair shape, volume, and lasts a long time. For instance, I taught myself how to use flexible rods to make tight curls. I learned that putting the rods into damp hair worked better than trying to style hair that was dripping wet, and that’s how I still do it.
What does a hairdresser do that is the most important thing?
Compare how important things like customer service, hair treatments, and salon income are to a professional stylist. Choose the area you think is more important and be ready to explain why.
“The most important part of my job is making sure that the customer is happy with the service. Even if I can make a hairstyle that looks good, my main concern is how the client likes it when they look in the mirror. I want them to like themselves and think that their time and money were well spent. The best thing about my job is seeing their smiles when I’m done.”
How do you get your clients to trust you?
Between a client and a hairdresser, trust is a big part of the relationship. In your answer, show how well you get along with other people when you work in a salon. Show that you can give customers a good experience that will make them want to keep doing business with you.
“When we meet for the first time, I try to figure out who they are. Every client talks differently, so I try to talk to them in a way that makes them feel comfortable. Before we start, I tell them how my routine works, and as we go, I keep them up to date on how I’m doing. If I want to use a certain treatment, I tell them how it will help their hair. I’m also honest when I don’t know how to do something.”
Tell me about a customer who insisted on getting a bad haircut, even though you knew it would hurt their hair.
You may have been a stylist and had a client who didn’t want to listen to your advice. Tell the employer how you met their needs without hurting your relationship with them. Talk about what you’ve learned from it as well.
“I had a client whose hair was damaged by heat, but every time she came to the salon, she asked me to straighten it. I was worried that the extra heat would ruin her natural curls for good, but she insisted that I use the flat-iron. To find a middle ground, I suggested that I put straight hair extensions in her hair so she could get the style she wanted without doing more damage to her natural hair.
“She agreed to the deal, and for the next few months she wore straight hair extensions. By then, her hair had grown a lot, so I cut off the parts that had been damaged by heat, leaving only healthy hair. I try to find a middle ground with my clients so I can meet their needs and carry out my treatment plans.
How do you evaluate client satisfaction?
How often clients keep making appointments and paying for your services is a direct measure of how happy they are. During the interview, the employer may ask you this question to see how important customer service is to you. Think about how you keep your clients happy and look for ways to improve your relationship with them.
“Every time a client comes to my salon, I ask them to fill out a survey about their visit. The questions ask them to rate how long they had to wait for help, how well I did my job, and how likely they are to choose me again as their hairdresser. I also ask them how they feel and think the salon looks. I look at the answers every week and try to find patterns. This way, I can use the comments I get.”
What techniques do you use to convince clients to invest in your services?
In your answer, show the employer how you use your ability to get along with people and your knowledge of how to style hair to get a client. Think about a time when a client didn’t know what style to ask for. Think about how you got to know the client so they would choose your service.
“I ask the customer why they chose to get their hair cut. Usually, it’s because of something special. Next, I ask them what they’re going to wear and suggest a hairstyle that would look good with what they’re wearing. I also think about what styles would look good on their faces. Then I try to get them to buy hair products that will help them keep their style until their next salon appointment. With my method, I can get paid to do hair styling, and when I sell hair products, I get a commission.
