Becoming a salon receptionist requires good customer service skills and experience with administrative tasks. Job postings can be found on job sites and employment offices. Discretion is important when dealing with clients, especially in luxury salons. Some chain and franchise salons require cosmetology courses for front desk personnel.
Many beauty salons hire staff to handle the front desk, greet customers and make appointments. If you enjoy working with the public and are interested in the industry, you could become a salon receptionist. You won’t necessarily need cosmetology or aesthetic training, but you should have many of the same skills as other office support positions.
Most employers looking for a receptionist will post jobs on aggregate job sites where a job seeker can search by geographic area or sometimes in free listings. Employment offices are also a good place to start looking for local jobs. You’ll likely encounter positions that require weekend work, as many salons are open on Saturday to accommodate clients who can’t schedule appointments during the work week.
Administrative assistant and office support job skills you already transfer easily when you become a salon receptionist. Some of the things you can look forward to are answering phones, using a computer to book appointments, and keeping track of regular customers and grading them when they arrive. Experience handling credit cards or cash is a plus, as is sales or retail experience, as you may be able to ask questions about products the salon has for sale. You are the first impression many customers have of the business; therefore, your personal demeanor and appearance should be as professional as possible.
Once you become a salon receptionist, your main duties usually take place in the lobby or waiting area of the salon. You’ll distribute the mail, handle deliveries, and even order supplies for the company. Some lounges offer guest amenities like hot or cold drinks, and you’ll want to stick to coffee or tea stations and keep soft drinks and bottled water in stock.
Many salons perform very personal services for their clients, including waxing, tanning, and various other beauty tasks. Luxury salons, especially those that wax intimate areas or include spa facilities, will have private areas for technicians and clients. Those aspiring to become salon receptionists should be discreet when dealing with clients, as many clients don’t want anyone to know what kind of service they are receiving. Any experience you have dealing with confidential information is worth mentioning in your interview.
Chain and franchise salons sometimes require their front desk personnel to be enrolled in cosmetology courses. This gives candidates interested in the beauty field a chance to learn on the job. If you want to become a salon receptionist without these qualifications, then you may need to look elsewhere. It’s worth checking, however, as a smaller establishment may just need someone with general customer service experience at the front desk.
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