Hair Stylist: What is the cost of hiring?

Why hire a hair stylist?

The need for new staff can affect both your existing team and your bottom line. A great hair stylist can help you by:

• Warmly welcoming customers and discussing and understanding their choices and preferences
• Suggesting haircuts and styles, keeping in view the customer’s hair quality and face shapes
• Clean, wash, rinse and dry customers’ hair based on the nature of their scalp

Deciding between a full-time vs freelance hair stylist

Some salons hire full-time hair stylists who are paid a salary plus tips and work a regular schedule. The salon sets the policies and procedures, including pricing, hours, discounts and preferred products. Hiring full-time hair stylists gives you more control over what the stylists do, ensures you have appropriate coverage and provides a consistent experience for clients. 

Another salon model consists of individual booths or chairs that stylists rent. Each stylist is an independent contractor and makes decisions on things like pricing, services offered and hours of operation. This model is less work for the owner. Each independent stylist is responsible for their own taxes and other basic operational tasks. It also offers consistent income since booth renters pay their set rent every month no matter how much business they do.

What are the ranks of hair stylists?

Hair stylists typically perform the same types of services, but some salons assign varying levels for stylists. The ranks often indicate the stylists’ experience and training. Services usually cost more when performed by higher-ranking stylists. Those stylists might also earn more for their work. Some of the stylist ranks include:

• Junior hair stylist: An entry-level stylist is licensed but typically has little experience. They might only handle basic hair styling services or work under supervision from more experienced stylists.
• Hair stylist: Some salons call all their employees hair stylists without associating any rank with it. Other salons use the hair stylist designation as a middle level to indicate some experience.
• Senior hair stylist: Senior stylists typically have years of experience, work independently and do all types of services.
• Principal hair stylist: Principal stylist is a designation used for the most experienced employees. They might have advanced training in addition to years of experience. Principal stylists sometimes train or mentor junior stylists.
• Owner/stylist: Many salons are owned by hair stylists. They might still style hair in addition to owning and running the salon.

Where to find hair stylists

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

• Promote internally: Some salons hire stylist assistants or shampooists who assist other stylists. If you have assistants who are licensed cosmetologists, consider promoting them.
• Partner with cosmetology schools: Work with local cosmetology schools to recruit new hair stylists. Volunteer as a guest speaker or mentor for the students.
• Attend cosmetology events: Network at cosmetology conferences to meet new stylists. Take speaking opportunities at cosmetology events to gain exposure for your salon.
• Network in the beauty community: Alert your suppliers and other contacts in the beauty industry that you’re looking for hair stylists.
• Ask your staff: Your current stylists likely have friends from cosmetology school who might be interested in new opportunities.
• Post your job online: Try posting your hair stylist job on Indeed to find and attract quality hair stylist candidates.

Skills to look for in a great Hair Stylist

Hair Stylists are a critical part of any salon. It is essential to note which qualifications and skills are vital for hiring a suitable Hair Stylist.

• High School diploma or GED needed
• Valid license for hair styling
• Experience of more than 2+ years’ cutting and styling hair
• Good communication and customer service skills
• Professional demeanor with a friendly approach
• Ability to work in flexible schedules

Writing a hair stylist job description

A thoughtful description can help find qualified hair stylist candidates. A hair stylist job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities, and the required and preferred skills for the position.

When writing your hair stylist 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 hair stylist jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Hair stylist
• Salon
• Cosmetology
• Hair salon
• Stylist
• Barber
• Hairstylist
• Hair
• Cosmetologist
• Beauty

Interviewing hair stylist candidates

To hire a suitable hair stylist, take the time to vet candidates and ask detailed interview questions to understand their knowledge and skills.

• Expertise in interacting with and discussing hair and skin issues with customers
• Proficiency in creatively making different hairstyles according to face shapes
• Ability to develop a loyal customer base for the salon by efficiently providing their hair styling and hair cutting services

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