Kirstie McDermott examines the interview process and wonders whether more is really more.
Looking for great talent to work in your business is no easy thing. It is no surprise that entire careers and departments are dedicated to it at large beauty companies and corporations where teams of professionals take care of hiring and nurturing talent.
With careful preparation and some thought, you can get an equally great result from your talent search. We’ve already looked at how to write a really good job description (hint: it is a bit of alchemy mixed with secret sauce) and we’ve also looked at the steps to take to make sure that an interview will go as smoothly as possible.
But how many interviews should employers actually do? We often hear these days of companies having multiple rounds of interviews in order to select a candidate. Not only is that exhausting for you, it’s equally tiring for someone who may be applying for roles at multiple beauty businesses.
Below, we’re taking a look at some of the typical interview rounds and what is involved in each.
Round 1: Initial call
Once you’ve got a bunch of shortlisted candidates, you’ll want to narrow down your shortlist. Depending on the type of job you’re hiring for and the number and quality of the applications you get for it, around 10-15% of applicants will likely make it to your shortlist. Giving each of these a quick ‘screening’ call to ask a few questions will help you to determine whether they are a qualified applicant. Do they match the job requirements for the position, and are their credentials a fit for the role? You could also check salary expectations at this point too.
Round 2: First interview
Hiring is about elimination: Your initial screening calls will probably have washed a few candidates off your list and you will now have a couple less people you’d like to meet for a first interview. Ideally you should do this call or meeting with one or more other people within the business: someone the person will be working directly with (a manager for example) should definitely be involved. You want a wider perspective on why the person is a good fit (or not). From information around their certifications, skills and training to their interest in beauty trends and their general demeanour, this is your chance to really get to know your candidates.
Round 3: Skills test
Many beauty jobs require great interpersonal skills as well as excellent technical skills. Following the initial interview, depending on the role you’re hiring for, you’ll probably want to ask candidates to do a skills test or assessment in-salon or clinic so you can see how they handle a variety of scenarios related to the day-to-day role.
Round 4: Final interview
At this point, you may be thinking that you’ve done more than enough interviews – and you would likely be right for many roles you hire for.
L’Oréal Australia and New Zealand requires a seven-step interview process for graduates, which is a long process, and there is a point where interview fatigue sets in, both for interviewers and interviewees. You can run the risk of great candidates either dropping out altogether due to exhaustion, or due to getting another offer from a more agile employer.
Or you could take a leaf out of the book of one of the biggest companies in the world: Google has assessed past interview data and decided that four interviews is enough to make a hiring decision with 86% confidence, even for highly technical and senior roles.
If you are happy with what you’ve heard across your call, interview and skills test rounds, it may often be enough, depending on the seniority of the role you are hiring for. For other roles with more weight attached, you may need to build in another round with the company CEO or management team.
If you want to post your job to our Professional Beauty Job Board, get in touch today.
And if you’re more interested in exploring your career potential, browse all the open positions waiting for your application.
This article was produced in partnership with Jobbio.
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