When Seek Isn’t Working For You

We’ve spoken to a surprising number of business owners and clinic managers that struggle to find good staff, and it may be that the recruiting process is just not what it used to be. It seems that, for whatever reason, many are finding it difficult to source quality candidates from traditional platforms like Seek, and are looking for alternate solutions.

In fact, these sentiments were echoed at SPA+CLINIC’s recent inaugural B2B summit, BEAUTY & SPA Insiders, where Natalie Papadopoulos (The Parlour Room) and Tamara Shaw (Beaute Industrie) discussed during their panel discussion their tips on ‘How I Found My Dream Team.’

Currently the largest problems experienced by spa, salon and clinic managers using standard online recruitment platforms are high volumes of temporary visa/non-permanent candidates, as well as those who simply aren’t committed to the role (or the clinic) they are applying for.

While there is no immediate solution to the temporary visa issue, Tamara and Natalie’s suggestions on weeding out non-committed applicants included several questions to ask throughout the interview process:

Ask about their hobbies – find out what they do outside of work, who they really are as a person. Since they are going to be, ideally, an intrinsic part of your team, you need to know that they are the right cultural fit – no matter how gifted they are at treatments. Distracting candidates with more personal questions will get them out of their comfort zones and away from their often flawlessly pre-prepared interview spiels.

Ask them what their plans are if they don’t land this position – responses will tell you how committed they are. For instance, you may receive responses like “I’ve got a few more interviews teed up” vs others like “I haven’t thought about any other jobs but this one” are fairly indicative of their passion for the position you’re offering!

If you’re convinced online platforms like Seek simply aren’t working for you anymore, what are some other ways of finding the perfect team member?

Word of mouth – never underestimate that power of word of mouth! Talk to your friends and fellow colleagues and practice owners. Perhaps they’ve come across someone that wasn’t appropriate for them, or the right ‘time or place’, but may just be the one you’re looking for.

Beauty colleges – let your favourite college/s know about your job opening. They can then share this with their own databases. Not just for newbies either – often colleges will post about positions on their social media, which are generally followed by their graduates, who may be highly experienced and on the lookout for a new position.

Instagram – not only is this free, but a truly modern, popular and effective way to recruit in 2019. Chances are that you are currently being followed by other therapists and practitioners, and ones that are real fans of your brand. And even if they’re not, it’s easy for them to share with their friends, and tag others they know that might be appropriate. Simply post a nice visual with some concise info on the position and a contact email and you’re on your way!