You successfully completed your esthetician training, spending several thousand dollars along the way. Trying everything from waxing to facial hair removal, you feel perfectly ready to start the job. Just one hurdle remains–a job interview. A hurdle I will help you overcome.
Your biggest problem is actually the competition. Vacancies for estheticians are sparse, training doesn’t take very long (and is comparatively inexpensive), and women love this career.
Such conditions can lead only to one situation in a spa resort, or a beauty center–they advertise one vacancy, but five or even ten candidates compete for it in an interview. All of them having the same education, and likely no previous experience in the field (or just a short one).
In similar scenarios, interview answers of job candidates, and their ability to connect with the interviewers, will decide the winner.
Let’s have a look at the questions you will likely face, and what you should answer to maximize your chances of standing out, and winning a new job contract…
Table of Contents
Why do you want to work here as an esthetician?
Most people start talking about how they completed their training recently, and are finally looking for a job. You cannot afford such a mediocre answer–not when seven other women compete with you for the job…
Start with praising their spa (or beauty center, salon). Tell them that you always loved the place, that their massage therapists and estheticians have a great reputation in the city, that their facilities are modern and that their place simply has a fantastic vibe, and you’d be proud to work there.
Remember that your goal is to connect with the interviewers. Recognizing their qualities (or the uniqueness of their workplace) is an excellent way of doing so.
Then you can say that you were doing really good in your training, and believe that you can bring a lot onboard, and would love to join their team.
Can you please tell us something about yourself?
Your energy and enthusiasm is much more important than the words you choose for your answer. They should feel your passion for this work, your optimism for the future.
Your meeting with the employer isn’t some form of a necessary evil, something you cannot avoid (and if it is, they should not get such an impression). You are actually pumped to interview for the position, and can’t wait to start working as an esthetician.
I suggest you to mix work-related stuff and personal hobbies in your answer. You can say them something about your training, and the life you have outside of work. Try to articulate clearly and keep an eye contact. Communication is very important for a good beauty worker. They should feel that their clients will enjoy talking to you during the procedures.
In your opinion, what characterizes a good esthetician?
You have a few options at this point. One is listing characteristics, such as precision, attention to detail, familiarity with a wide range of procedures and services, excellent communication skills, empathy, creativity. You can also add that you believe to have these skills (or at least you are aware of them, and work on improving yourself).
Another option (a creative one, and it will certainly help you stand out) consists in focusing on results of your work.
When clients return to the spa again and again, when they recommend the place or the particular esthetician to their friends and colleagues, we can certainly say they were satisfied. Returning clients and positive references characterize a good esthetician…
What services can you provide to our clients?
You should do your research before the start of your interview. Try to find out the list of services they offer to the clients. It should be published on their website or their FaceBook profile. Then you can repeat the list, and add one or two services/procedures you are experienced with. A small sample:
- pore cleansing
- waxing
- face and body masks
- acne treatment
- laser skin rejuvenation
- scalp message
- moisturizing treatments
- manual or mechanical hair extraction
However, you should always remember the limitations of your profession. You are not a dermatologist and should not venture into diagnosing of any skin diseases or conditions…
Imagine that a client experiences an adverse reaction to your treatment (rash, allergic reaction, swelling, etc). What will you do?
The key is to ensure the hiring managers that you won’t take the situation lightly, but also that you won’t panic. You can emphasize individual approach to each client. You will question them and try to assess the seriousness of the adverse reaction.
If it was something minor, you will help them calm down, and suggest an appropriate treatment. If it was something major, you will call a dermatologist or skin care specialist and consult them, or in the most extreme cases, you will call the ambulance. One way or another, you won’t panic, because you know such things can happen, and they belong to the job.
What does an excellent customer service mean to you?
Let’s make it clear: esthetics is a business. Daily spas and salons compete against each other, and unless customers get an excellent service, they will simply change their provider. You should ensure your interviewers that you understand the importance of an excellent service, and will always try to deliver it to your clients.
Now, how can we characterize such a service? Again you have two good options.
One consists in focusing on the feelings of the customer. Excellent customer service means that a customer feels welcome, heard out, and cared for, from the moment they enter the spa until the moment they leave the building. When they feel important, they will be happy about the service.
Another option is listing particular perks and tasks that turn an average visit of a salon into an almost unforgettable experience. If you visited some of the best spas in your country, you certainly know what I am talking about: super clean and modern environment, free drinks and healthy snacks, calming music, free slippers, an esthetician or massage therapist who is genuinely interested in whatever you want to say, and so on…
Other questions you may get in your esthetician job interview
- What do you consider the toughest aspect of this job?
- How would you help us promote our daily spa?
- What do you do to keep your knowledge of latest trends in esthetics and skin care up to date?
- Why employment instead of freelancing? Didn’t you think about starting your own salon?
- How would you deal with an angry client, someone clearly unsatisfied with your service?
- Where do you see yourself in five years from now? (How long you’d like to have this job, if we hire you?)
- Do you have any questions?
* You can also download the list of questions in a one page long PDF, and practice your interview answers anytime later:
Conclusion and next steps
While you won’t face any particularly difficult questions in your esthetician interview, you can’t expect an easy ride. Many people will typically compete with you for the job, and your ability to stand out (with logical and genuine interview answers) and to connect with the interviewers, on a rather personal level, will decide about the outcome of your interview.
Try to learn as much as you can about their spa or beauty salon. Read the questions from our article once again, and prepare at least a short answer (or hint) for each one. Practice with a friend (if you still have some time), and do not forget to read the following articles, to not underestimate anything in your interview preparation:
- Massage Therapist interview questions.
- Yoga Instructor interview questions.
- Dietitian interview questions.
