I speak to salon owners everywhere who want to know how to find good help. Many of them feel the need to expand, while others just want a break. Whatever the reason, they tell me how much they struggle to find good help.
Some of them think that there is a perfect groomer out there who wants to work for them, while many understand all too well that crackerjack groomers don’t just walk in the door. And even if a superstar DOES appear on their doorstep, they most likely bring a long list of conditions and a prima donna attitude. Or worse, they are great groomers with no true work ethic, bringing drama to the shop and affecting everyone around them.
And while I sympathize with these shop owners, I have never had a problem finding the help I need for my grooming salon. Brushers, bathers, trimmers, receptionists, and assistants by the score are available to me and they all have some level of skill that makes them part of our grooming team.
They have all been properly trained and work together, with each knowing what has to be done if someone is absent, and how to keep the work day flowing. They know the ropes and because we run a busy shop, they are not strangers to hard work. Our lead stylists are top-notch and know everything about grooming a dog from start to finish, because they began as bathers. They learned how we wanted them to groom, and now they are passing that knowledge on to new employees.
Many of them gladly work on a part-time schedule, allowing us to properly assess their work habits before we offer full-time status. All of our stylists receive regular pay raises based on their employment history, so we offer all our new employees the same chance to earn more after a probation period.
Before they ever pick up a clipper, they learn our procedures and fill shampoo bottles and wipe down kennels and clean up dog poop – all the little things that have to be dealt with every day no matter whether you are the bather or the shop owner. We get to know them, train them, and make them part of the team. We reward them and teach them how to be groomers. As a result, we have many loyal employees who have been with our shop for years whether it is on a full-time, part-time, on-call or summer-employment only status.
So while you may not find a grooming goddess the next time you run a Help Wanted ad, consider that there are plenty of hardworking people who can be properly trained and can help you to grow your business.
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