Ace the interview process with Stefania Rossi
By Kat Hill | 22 May 2018 | Expert Advice, Feature
Time spent interviewing and assessing candidate is well spent in the long run, advises Stefania Rossi, owner of Utopia Beauty & Spa and Stefania Rossi Recruitment. Here, Stefania shares her current process…
“I always start with a telephone conversation with a candidate. Just having that conversation, gives me more of an idea about that person and gage their enthusiasm and energy level. Its ultimately a little test too; the amount of times I have left telephone messages that haven’t received a call back!
“If that telephone conversation goes well, I invite them in for a formal interview with me. The second interview is with two members of my team in a more informal environment, such as a relaxed coffee shop. We do two interviews to see the applicant again and to find out the answers match up from both interviews, as well as their punctuality, personal presentation and enthusiasm.
“After that, we carry out the trade test to test their skills. We usually do about two or three treatments. One will be a gel polish application on myself, and then a manicure or another nail treatment on another team members. I’ll be looking to see if the applicant tailors the treatment like they would with a client. As a candidate, the trade test is an important way to show off their skill, personality and creativity.
“It might seem a little over the top, but for me it’s important that the recruitment process is a two-way conversation. Each stage gives the applicant the opportunity for dialogue with the salon owner and team members. I recruit for personality and I train for skill.”