The Do's, The Don'ts, and The Tips You Need
Maybe you’re fresh out of beauty school and about to tackle your first interview ever in the beauty biz. Maybe you’ve interviewed for beauty positions several times, but you’re lookin’ for a little interview glow-up.
No matter why you’re here, what matters is that you’re here and you’re ready to learn a little something extra to help take your interview skills from drab to fab.
Before we dive into the point of the article—to give you the must-know tips for beauty interview success—we want to make one thing clear: you are TOTALLY capable of being a bad-ass interviewee, even if interviews make you insanely nervous.
It’s only natural to be anxious about an interview (even if you’re an out-of-this-world stylist or artist, you’re still a human, right?)—the biggest piece of advice we can give you is to not let your nerves take something away from you that you absolutely deserve.
Read up on some our beauty interview advice to help prepare, do your research, and before the interview, take a big, deep breath—then, get in there and kick ass. You got this!
DO: Practice, Practice, Practice—Even if You’re Confident
They wouldn’t say practice makes perfect if it wasn’t helpful, right?
Sure, you can argue that no ones perfect, but you can’t argue that taking the time to practice isn’t going to benefit you in the long run. We suggest this tip to everyone who’s interviewing—even those people out there who don’t get nervous during interviews (they exist, right?).
No matter how you feel about your upcoming interview—nervous and scared or confident and ready) take the time to practice a few mock-interviews with some friends. Ask them to find some unexpected questions to ask you so you can practice being on your toes, answering honestly, and curtailing any surprise anxieties.
If you have friends in the industry (which, you probably do!) ask them to give you a mock interview—no one knows the industry better than someone already in it, right?
DO: Talk the Talk, but Walk the Walk, too
You might know everything there is to know about the beauty industry—maybe you’re read up on all the latest trends, know all about the top stylists and influencers in the game, and can spout off tons of knowledge, but talking the talk isn’t enough—you’ve got to be ready to explain how all of that knowledge is applicable to your skill as a stylist.
Sure, it’s wonderful to know everything there is to know about the industry, but are you able to talk about your skills, your accomplishments, and your goals? Walk the walk and know that you rule—don’t just talk yourself silly about the industry. Be confident, be calm, and be collected!
DO: Be Ready for a Demo
Don’t be surprised if, during an interview, your potential employer asks you for a demo. It’s not entirely unheard of, and it’s certainly not something you need to panic about.
Our best advice?
Don’t plan for a specific type of demo, rather be ready to show off some of your skills—practice, prepare, and be creative. At the end of the day, your interviewee is going to care most about who you are, what you’re good at, and how you work with clients—if there’s something you don’t know (a certain type of up-do, a hot new makeup look, etc.) make sure you specify that you’re adaptable, eager to learn, and willing to continue your education as you work.
DO: Spend Time Researching Before You Interview
We don’t say this to make you feel even more nervous by diving deep into your potential employer, but we do think it’s vital to spend time and research before your interview so you can be in the loop. Understand who your interviewer is, what the company is all about, and how you could fit into their business.
We’re not saying that you need to study up and memorize like it’s a test (because goodness knows you’re probably sick of taking those), but we do think it’s crucial to have a firm grasp on who you’re talking to, what they’re all about, and how you could enhance their business.
Plus, it never hurts to do a ton of extra research so you can talk about the industry in general—know what’s hot, what’s last season, and don’t be afraid to talk about the styles and trends you love, too.
DO: Come Prepared, With a Resume in Hand
This is another common mistake that stylists and artists make right out of beauty school—they forget that resumes matter. Maybe you think bringing in slips of paper touting your accomplishments is an antiquated practice—that’s fine.
But, that doesn’t change the fact that your potential employer is absolutely expecting some sort of copy of your qualifications and accomplishments. Our best advice is to take the time to create an amazing resume and then be sure to bring it along with you to your interview. Even if you’re already emailed a copy over.
Trust us, the worst feeling in the world is being asked for a resume that you don’t have on you.
DON'T: Panic
Listen, we’re not saying you can’t be nervous or anxious—it’s a job interview, and that can be an anxiety-inducing thing. It’s natural, right?
But, the important distinction is separating your anxiety from panic. Anxiety looks different for everyone, so we totally understand there’s no one-size-fits-all-treatment for it. But, if you have things that you know work for you to curb your anxiety and panic, make sure you’re doing them before your interview.
Take a deep breathe, embrace your nervousness, and get ready to knock your interviewers socks off.
DON'T: Be Afraid to Be Passionate and Be Yourself
You might read different advice out there on this, but at Elite Beauty Society, we fully support the idea that you’re an artist and you deserve to be excited about your passion.
Don’t curb that for anyone! And listen, don’t get us wrong, we’re not saying you should jump on your interviewer’s couch screaming “I love the beauty industry!” a-la-Tom-Cruise-on-the-Oprah-Show, but we do think it’s important to let your passion be known.
Don’t dim yourself or undersell your creativity—if you love what you do, make it known. It’s important for employers to know they’re hiring someone who’s passionate about the trade, but also isn’t just in it for a check every week—creative artists are vital in the industry.
DON'T: Beat Yourself Up, If One Interview Doesn't Go the Way You Wanted
Sometimes, we have interviews that don’t go the way we planned. Maybe you were off that day, maybe you and the employer didn’t click, maybe you were just too nervous.
Listen closely. There are going to be other interviews. This doesn’t have to be the defining interview for you. Don’t try to shove this interview under the rug—take it out, look at it, examine it, analyze it. Try to figure out what wrong and learn from it. That way, your next interview will be a guaranteed success.
