URL: https://www.mangomint.com/blog/salon-hiring-are-you-doing-it-all-wrong/ [All blog articles](/blog/) # Salon hiring: Are you doing it all wrong? How to hire for your salon, including 7 red flags to avoid, from a globally recognized salon business coach with nearly 30 years of experience. **By **[**Nina Tulio**](/blog/author/nina-tulio/) Salon Business Coach [INDUSTRY](/blog/c/industry/) October 29, 2026 Let's talk about hiring. But first, a number that stopped me in my tracks. CareerBuilder found that [74% of employers](https://stealthagents.com/research/cost-of-hiring-employee-2026) say they've hired the wrong person, and the average bad hire costs around $17,000. The [Department of Labor](https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/cost-of-bad-hire/) puts it at roughly 30% of that person's first-year earnings. WHAT! In a salon, that cost shows up in more than [your P\&L](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOvEKoREGms). It shows up in client retention, team morale, and your own energy. Below you’ll find 7 red flags to avoid when hiring for your salon, and what you should do instead. ## **Red Flag #1: You're Hiring Under Stress** Someone gives notice, their book is full, and suddenly you're ready to hire the first person who can hold a pair of shears. I've been there. In a [CareerBuilder survey](https://shrm.org/topics-tools/news/employee-relations/cost-bad-hire-can-astronomical), 43% of employers who made a bad hire said it happened because they felt they had to hire quickly. Early on, I hired fast to fill a spot. Within a month or so, my stylists were picking up the slack and walking on eggshells, and I was managing a problem instead of leading my team. That hire cost me money, but it cost my team their peace. **Do this instead:** Always be recruiting. Keep a warm list of stylists you'd love to work with someday. Keep a listing up on [SalonJobs](https://www.salonjobs.com/) even when you're fully staffed, so when a chair opens up, you're choosing. Not scrambling. ### Find your dream team Hire the way you want to with SalonJobs, the free job platform built for the beauty industry. [Learn more](https://www.salonjobs.com/hire-with-us) ## **Red Flag #2: Filling the Chair Just to Fill the Chair** An empty chair feels like lost money. Trust me, I know. But the **wrong person in that chair costs you more than an empty one ever will**. Ask yourself one question before every offer: _Would I hire this person if I had three other great candidates in front of me?_ If the answer is no, keep looking. Your team, your clients, and your culture are worth the wait. ## **Red Flag #3: You Show Up Unprepared** Before you sit down with a single candidate, you need your house in order: - A clear job description - Your pay scale, written down - A growth plan that shows exactly how someone moves up - Your education plan - Your culture expectations and core values Why does this matter so much? [Jobvite found](https://www.themuse.com/advice/improve-employee-retention-through-employer-branding) that 43% of people who left a job within the first 90 days said the day-to-day role wasn't what they expected. ### Trying to hire but getting ghosted? Keep stylists engaged in the hiring process with these 5 insider tips, from an industry-leading salon business coach. [Get tips](/blog/why-stylists-are-ghosting-your-interviews/) Clarity up front is one of the best retention tools you have. When a candidate asks, "How do I grow here?" you want to slide a plan across the table, not make one up on the spot. That's what tells a great stylist you're serious about them. **Make day one easy.** Before your new hire walks in, get them set up in Mangomint: their profile, schedule, services, and permissions, so they see exactly what their role needs. It takes a few minutes, and it tells them you were ready for them. ### Try Mangomint for free See Mangomint in action **instantly** with pre-populated sample data. No credit card required. [Try it now](/trial/) ## **Red Flag #4: The Quick 20-Minute Interview** A quick chat, some good vibes, "When can you start?" We've all done it. But here's the thing: anyone can be amazing for 20 minutes. An interview shows you someone on their best behavior. It doesn't show you how they handle a packed Saturday, an unhappy client, or a teammate who needs help. When the fit is wrong, you pay for it in training time, lost clients, and team culture. Better interview questions help. Try: - "Tell me about a time a client wasn't happy with their service. What did you do?" - "What do you need from a leader to help you reach your desired level of success?" ### Call and text from Mangomint Desktop calling, client profile sync, spam call screening, and 5 other reasons to choose our integrated phone system. [Show me the reasons](/blog/8-reasons-to-choose-mangomints-in-app-phone-system/) But even great questions only get you so far. At some point you need to see people in action. That's exactly why I built my 30-day hiring system. Spreading the process out over a month shows you how someone communicates, interacts with your team, takes feedback, and shows up in week three, not just in the interview. ## **Red Flag #5: Skipping Your Due Diligence** Call past employers. Every. Time. (Just get the candidate's permission first.) Ask them questions like: - "Would you hire them again?" - "How did they handle feedback?" - "How did they get along with the rest of the team?" And yes, look at their social media. You need to know how this person talks about their clients. About past salons. About coworkers. And you want to know if their work is consistent. Social media is a public resume. It tells you a lot, so please use it. **Industry tip**: when you meet a talented stylist who doesn't have a resume (hello, new grads and longtime stylists who've never needed one), send them to the[ SalonJobs resume builder](https://www.salonjobs.com/resume-builder). They get a professional head start, and you get clear, organized information that makes comparing candidates so much easier. That's a win on both sides of the chair. ## **Red Flag #6: You're Hiring for Talent Over Values** Talent is exciting. A gorgeous portfolio, a big following, a full book ready to move with them. But you can teach a technique. It's much harder to teach kindness, coachability, and work ethic. Get clear on your salon's core values before you interview, then ask questions that show you how someone lives them. How did they handle a client who wasn't happy? What's the last thing they learned? A stylist who shares your values will grow with you. One who doesn't can pull your whole team off track, no matter how talented they are. ### How to create a modern assistant program for your salon And why they're one of the smartest investments you can make, from a 30+ year salon business coach. [Learn more](/blog/how-to-create-a-modern-assistant-program-for-your-salon/) ## **Red Flag #7: Your Team Never Meets Them** Your people live with this decision every day. Let them be part of it. Have candidates spend real time with your team, whether that's a shadow day, a lunch, or a model interview. Then ask your team for their input. I started doing this the last few years of ownership and it really made an impact in the team morale. Also, they'll notice things you won't, and they'll feel invested in that new hire's success because they had a voice in it. ## **Make It Easy for Great Stylists to Find You** The best way to hire for your salon is to have a strong pipeline of talent before you need it. That's why salon owners go to [SalonJobs](https://www.salonjobs.com/). It's built for our industry, so you're reaching beauty pros who are actually looking. ## **Hiring Is a People-First Decision** Every hire you make either strengthens your culture or chips away at it. When you slow down, prepare your systems, and do your homework, you're not just protecting your profit. You're protecting your people. That's what I'm all about: putting people first. And it starts with who you invite into your salon. You've got this. Now go hire on purpose. #### Join the club ✨ Mangomint is free until you launch! Our [onboarding process](https://www.mangomint.com/blog/switching-to-mangomint-without-any-downtime/) is: - Free - Easy - Hands-on - Takes less than 2 weeks - Includes free data transfer Start a trial and set up your entire account before paying us a dime. [Start a trial](/trial/) [**Nina Tulio**](/blog/author/nina-tulio/) is a globally recognized salon business coach and motivational speaker. As a former hairstylist of 20 years, commission salon owner for 11 years, and former chain salon executive, Nina brings not only extensive experience, but also deep empathy and a true passion for uplifting the beauty industry. ## Related articles [](/blog/salon-email-marketing-ideas/) ### [INDUSTRY](/blog/c/industry/) ## [26 seasonal salon email and text marketing templates](/blog/salon-email-marketing-ideas/) By [Emily Holzer](/blog/author/emily-holzer/)  |  Oct 25, 2026 [](/blog/stylist-retention-is-more-than-a-commission-percentage/) ### [INDUSTRY](/blog/c/industry/) ## [Stylist retention is more than a commission percentage](/blog/stylist-retention-is-more-than-a-commission-percentage/) By [Nina Tulio](/blog/author/nina-tulio/)  |  Oct 22, 2026 [](/blog/salon-package-examples/) ### [INDUSTRY](/blog/c/industry/) • [GUIDES](/blog/c/guides/) ## [Salon and spa packages: 6 ideas and examples](/blog/salon-package-examples/) By [Emily Holzer](/blog/author/emily-holzer/)  |  Oct 20, 2026 #### Get the latest stories straight to your inbox.