5 Questions You Are Sure to Hear on Your Barbering Interview

To be great at “the interview” is truly an art form. Are you an artist? If you’ve landed a Barbering interview, make sure to put your best foot forward from the start. Do your research, prepare your portfolio, and get plenty of rest the night before. And get ready for the 5 questions you’re sure to hear on that very important interview and the kinds of answers you’ll want to consider:

1) Are You Licensed?

Chances are you won’t make it to the interview stage without your barbering license. But this is still an important first question you might hear. After you graduate from barbering school, you’ll need to pass the State board exam to become a licensed barber. You need an up-to-date barbering license to work in California as a barber. If you’re still in school or completing your externship, you might be able to get a job as an assistant in a barber shop. But you’ll still want to talk about your plans to get a license.

2) Do you Have Experience Working in a Barbershop?

Many cosmetology and barbering schools offer hands-on instruction in the latest cutting, shaving and grooming techniques. You should get firsthand experience and plenty of practice polishing your skills on real clients while you’re still at Barbering School. But if you’ve had an apprenticeship in an actual barbershop, that’s even better. Talk about the experience and explain how you got to fine tune your skills and learn tips and tricks in a real world setting. Make sure to let them know that you learned a lot, but that you’re always eager to learn more

3) What Separates You from Everyone Else?

Think of a story related to the field that sets you apart. Did you win a barbering competition, receive rave reviews from clients? Do you have your best work featured on an Instagram channel they can check out? Share it! Even if it’s only your preparedness and great work ethic, explain how hard you’ll work for them. Remember, as important as the interview is to you, it’s important to the barbershop too. What are you going to do to make their place even better than it already is?

4) If A Client was Unsatisfied What Would You Do?

Let’s face it. Not every single customer is going to be satisfied. When you’re asked how you’d handle a dissatisfied customer, it’s to gauge your attitude and temperament. Customer service is about listening to your clients to get it right the first time, but sometimes things go wrong. Or your client changes his mind. If your customer is unhappy, it’s up to you to fix the problem. What have you done in the past? Pulling from an actual experience is the best, but it’s okay to pretend. What would you do? If you can’t fix the haircut—they wanted long and you gave them short—find out if there’s a money back policy. Or you can offer a discount or free future service. Demonstrate to the interviewer that you know not everyone’s perfect but you’re always trying to learn about how you can do things better.

5) Where Did You Receive Your Training?

Want to know what a great answer for barbering training in California is? Salon Success Academy!

At Salon Success Academy, we can help you achieve success during school and even after you graduate. Our barbering program will give you the hands-on training you need along with superb customer satisfaction skills that could set you apart. We offer our Barbering Program at our Riverside and Upland campuses.