How to Hire an Esthetician

Why hire an esthetician?

Choosing the best esthetician for your health clinic or spa is significant in giving customers with skin care issues the highest quality treatments. They also help foster long-term customer relationships and assist with existing and prospective clinic goals. 

A great esthetician:

• Provides informative consultation to customers concerning their skin care issues
• Delivers appropriate skin care services, such as facials based on a customer’s skin type and requirements
• Helps upsell products and higher-end services in the spa or health clinic

Deciding between a full-time vs freelance esthetician

A health clinic or spa with a large client base can benefit from a full-time esthetician. It allows you to expand the services offered and gives you control over compensation, benefits, hours and terms and conditions. A full-time esthetician also establishes relationships with clients, which keep them coming back, building your client base.

In a salon setting, another option is to use the booth or chair rental model. This allows hairstylists and estheticians to run their own businesses as independent contractors within your salon. An esthetician can pay you a monthly fee for space and book clients, offer services and establish policies as they see fit. This option gives you a steady income, but you don’t have control over what the esthetician does.

What are the types of estheticians?

Estheticians offer all types of skin and beauty services, but some specialize in a certain type of treatment. The types of treatments an esthetician can perform sometimes vary by state. Whether you hire a general or specialized esthetician depends on the spa services you want to offer your clients. Some of the types of estheticians include:

• Facial estheticians: A facial esthetician focuses on performing facials on clients with advanced facial techniques that cater to an individual client’s skin care needs. 
• Medical estheticians: A medical esthetician works in a medical setting, such as a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon’s office, to teach patients proper skin care and perform certain skin treatments.
• Hair removal estheticians: Some estheticians focus on hair removal techniques, such as waxing or laser hair removal.
• Eyelash and brow specialists: Another option for estheticians is to specialize in shaping and tinting brows or doing eyelash extensions.
• Spa therapists: Licensed estheticians can work as spa therapists, performing a variety of spa treatments such as facials, aromatherapy and body treatments.

Where to find estheticians

To find the right esthetician for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Partner with schools: Look for local cosmetology schools that offer esthetician programs. Offer internships at your business, serve as a guest speaker or sponsor activities at the school to encourage newly licensed estheticians to apply.
• Network in the field: Talk to your suppliers and other contacts in the beauty field to find recommendations for estheticians.
• Ask for employee referrals: Offer a referral bonus to current employees who might know estheticians or still be in contact with classmates from cosmetology school. 
• Promote internally: If any of your assistants or other staff members have an esthetician license, offer them a promotion to an esthetician position.  
• Post your job online: Try posting esthetician job on Indeed to find and attract quality esthetician candidates.

What are the types of estheticians?

Estheticians offer all types of skin and beauty services, but some specialize in a certain type of treatment. The types of treatments an esthetician can perform sometimes vary by state. Whether you hire a general or specialized esthetician depends on the spa services you want to offer your clients. Some of the types of estheticians include:

• Facial estheticians: A facial esthetician focuses on performing facials on clients with advanced facial techniques that cater to an individual client’s skin care needs. 
• Medical estheticians: A medical esthetician works in a medical setting, such as a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon’s office, to teach patients proper skin care and perform certain skin treatments.
• Hair removal estheticians: Some estheticians focus on hair removal techniques, such as waxing or laser hair removal.
• Eyelash and brow specialists: Another option for estheticians is to specialize in shaping and tinting brows or doing eyelash extensions.
• Spa therapists: Licensed estheticians can work as spa therapists, performing a variety of spa treatments such as facials, aromatherapy and body treatments.

Writing an esthetician job description

It’s vital to create a detailed job description with a list of duties, responsibilities and the required skill set to find suitable esthetician candidates.

When writing your esthetician job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on esthetician jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Esthetician
• Aesthetician
• Spa
• Licensed esthetician
• Beauty
• Medical esthetician
• Skin care
• Cosmetology
• Medical spa
• Master esthetician

Interviewing esthetician candidates

In the interview process, it’s essential to check the skills and qualifications of all potential candidates, including:

• Proficiency in the field of esthetics, skin care and associated areas
• Knowledge and experience in delivering skin care treatments and suggesting preventive steps for avoiding future problems
• How they excel at improving customers’ skin issues and working towards achieving a health clinic or spa’s current and future goals

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of esthetician interview questions for examples (with sample answers).