Career · 6 min

Interviewing a salon or barbershop

You are interviewing them too. Here is the list of questions most people forget.

1
Ask exactly how you get paid
Commission percentage, whether it's on gross or after product deduction, when the split changes, retail commission, and the pay schedule. Get the number in writing.
2
Ask about product and backbar charges
A 50% split with a 10% product charge is really 45%. Ask for a recent stylist's pay stub example with the deductions shown.
3
Ask who owns the client
Who holds the booking data, whether you can text your clients, and what happens to that list if you leave.
4
Ask about the schedule and the front desk
Who fills your column, how new clients are distributed, minimum hours, and whether you're required to work certain shifts.
5
Ask about education and growth
Paid or unpaid education, class costs, whether you're required to attend, and what the path from assistant to full column looks like with timelines.
6
Read the contract before the trial day
Non-competes, notice periods, and social media clauses matter more than the vibe of the room.

Watch out for

"We're like a family here" is not a compensation structure.
If they can't show you the math on a real pay period, that's your answer.
Classify yourself correctly — a true commission employee gets a W-2, not a 1099.

Ask exactly how you get paid