Employee Quandry - tanTALK

cutiepup · 08-02-2002, 04:30 PM

Okay need advice. I currently only have 2 part-time employees. One is leaving for college end of August. Other is not a sales performer. Basically I need to start interviews. I have a client who just in idle chit-chat I found out works at a salon. She's been coming in to tan w/us because the salon she works at doesn't maintain equipment and lamps so it's a waste for her to tan there because she doesn't get any color.

Anyway...

The salon is 30 minutes from mine. I can't afford to hire her because she works full-time there and I usually only have 20-25 hours available per week. I work the rest. We talked and complained about the same things, clients bringing in junk lotion, people peeing in trash cans all the things that bug us at the salons. She helps on lamp changes basically anything and everything you want in an employee.

My question is this. Would it be a bad idea to talk to her about working for me part-time? I'm up in the air about whether it would be a wise choice or not.

Want do you think?

Angie

njchica · 08-02-2002, 05:12 PM

Recruiting experienced staff members from other businesses is a very common and very SMART idea. You save yourself lots of training time and you already know that this person likes the job that they're in so it minimizes turnover.

The only problem with this scenario is that she is a full-time employee at the other salon. Usually you have to offer a higher pay rate and/or more hours in order to "lure" someone from a competitor. If you can't offer her full-time, you are going to have a difficult time convincing her to work for you for fewer hours. You could offer her work in addition to her hours at the other salon, but then she'd be working more than 40 hours and there are very few people who are willing to do that.

How much does she spend on tanning per month? Do your employees get free tanning? If she spends enough to offset her lost hours at the other salon, maybe you could present your offer to her in that way which would mean she'd still be "taking home" the same amount of money...

just throwing out ideas here.

cutiepup · 08-02-2002, 05:22 PM

I guess I should have made that a little more clear. I would be offering her part-time in addition to her current job. Mind you that she may not be working 40 hours. Sometimes 32 hours is enough to be considered full-time.

My concern would be rather it's too taboo to have an employee that works at another salon. We are not competing salons distance is too great for that. I just wondered if there are potential problems that I'm overlooking.

Angie

njchica · 08-02-2002, 05:40 PM

there was a thread about employees working in other salons and having to sign a "non-compete" form. I wouldn't allow my employees to work in another clothing store, no matter what the distance was, but that is a different animal. People will browse and shop in many different stores. Tanners are (and I say this cautiously) usually loyal to one salon. I don't think there are many who will drive 30 minutes away just to tan somewhere else on a whim.

I say offer it to her. It certainly can't hurt you. It's worth a shot.

cutiepup · 08-02-2002, 06:11 PM

Thanks Chica I just needed a reassurance before I called her up. I was seeing it as not really being a major problem but I needed someone else to double check me.

Angie

Bronze Star · 08-02-2002, 11:13 PM

Hmmm... to be honest, I would be cautious with this one. Even though you say you don't compete... you could be competitors on a level you aren't aware of. We have competitors here in NJ that we often aren't aware of. Our lunchtime tanners perhaps live near another salon and choose ours simply because we are superior in some way. Or our evening tanners work near another salon but tan with us for the same reason.

I am very apprehensive to advise you to hire this girl simply because she appears to have a lot to offer. I am not saying you can't trust her... but it is very difficult to maintain a completely unbiased position when working for two employers. And what happens when her primary employer finds out she's working for you part time. To be honest, it really sounds like it is more hassle than it is worth. Our policy is, we don't hire anyone who works in any other salon... period. Some of us have second jobs, but none are salon or beauty related. There is just too much conflict of interest. I'd hate to think of what kind of pressure her first employer might place on her in that kind of position.

My honest opinion is to find someone you can really train and mold into the kind of employee you need. We also don't hire young girls either. Most of us are over the age of 25... even possibly 30! I, myself, am 35. If you need any help recruiting and hiring I'd be more than glad to help in any way!

neon · 08-03-2002, 08:37 PM

You said that the other salon is not competition, but apparently they are. You are close enough together that an employee comes to tan with you. I'll have to agree with Bronze on this one, it seems strange for an employee to tan somewhere other than where they work.

fungirlz · 08-04-2002, 08:39 AM

Hmmm... to be honest, I would be cautious with this one. Even though you say you don't compete... you could be competitors on a level you aren't aware of. Bronze Star

...... be very very careful...
Once she's in...ummmmmmmm lots of "information" is given to her.. computer...product knowledge..vendors... hummmmmmm think long and hard here..

Could you offer her more $$ with benefits???? and move her soon to full time when season comes?????

I say be very careful....
C

pam · 08-04-2002, 09:52 AM

Bronze , I really stink at hiring. Since I have always been self employed I have never been interviewed and really don't know how to do it. Most of my hiring has been done on a 'gut' level. So far this has worked out all but a couple of times but I know there is a better way to do it. I just don't know what it is. I am in a postion of needing to hire soon due to college starting and losing some girls. I am really ready to hire 'grown-ups' but am not sure how to do it. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Pam

cutiepup · 08-04-2002, 01:17 PM

Okay more background on potential employee.

She takes classes near this salon and that's how or why she works there.

She tans with me because I'm right down the street from where she lives. Her mother & brother also tan with us.

The other salon and I are not competition for the same business. It's 30 minutes and 2 towns away.

I did feel kind of leary about her learning everything about the salon and possibly helping the other guy out. She knows alot but I can also tell from our conversations that I know more than who she currently works for.

Her mom said she is going to be enrolling in more classes this semester, so maybe I can get her to solely work for me if working a full-time job isn't going to work with her new class schedule.

Still up in the air about it.
Angie

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08-02-2002, 04:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
cutiepup Join Date: Sep 5 2001 Location: US Posts: 247 Rep Power: 23	Okay need advice. I currently only have 2 part-time employees. One is leaving for college end of August. Other is not a sales performer. Basically I need to start interviews. I have a client who just in idle chit-chat I found out works at a salon. She's been coming in to tan w/us because the salon she works at doesn't maintain equipment and lamps so it's a waste for her to tan there because she doesn't get any color. Anyway... The salon is 30 minutes from mine. I can't afford to hire her because she works full-time there and I usually only have 20-25 hours available per week. I work the rest. We talked and complained about the same things, clients bringing in junk lotion, people peeing in trash cans all the things that bug us at the salons. She helps on lamp changes basically anything and everything you want in an employee. My question is this. Would it be a bad idea to talk to her about working for me part-time? I'm up in the air about whether it would be a wise choice or not. Want do you think? Angie

08-02-2002, 05:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
njchica Join Date: Mar 17 2002 Posts: 674 Rep Power: 23	Recruiting experienced staff members from other businesses is a very common and very SMART idea. You save yourself lots of training time and you already know that this person likes the job that they're in so it minimizes turnover. The only problem with this scenario is that she is a full-time employee at the other salon. Usually you have to offer a higher pay rate and/or more hours in order to "lure" someone from a competitor. If you can't offer her full-time, you are going to have a difficult time convincing her to work for you for fewer hours. You could offer her work in addition to her hours at the other salon, but then she'd be working more than 40 hours and there are very few people who are willing to do that. How much does she spend on tanning per month? Do your employees get free tanning? If she spends enough to offset her lost hours at the other salon, maybe you could present your offer to her in that way which would mean she'd still be "taking home" the same amount of money... just throwing out ideas here.

08-02-2002, 05:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
cutiepup Join Date: Sep 5 2001 Location: US Posts: 247 Rep Power: 23	I guess I should have made that a little more clear. I would be offering her part-time in addition to her current job. Mind you that she may not be working 40 hours. Sometimes 32 hours is enough to be considered full-time. My concern would be rather it's too taboo to have an employee that works at another salon. We are not competing salons distance is too great for that. I just wondered if there are potential problems that I'm overlooking. Angie

08-02-2002, 05:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
njchica Join Date: Mar 17 2002 Posts: 674 Rep Power: 23	there was a thread about employees working in other salons and having to sign a "non-compete" form. I wouldn't allow my employees to work in another clothing store, no matter what the distance was, but that is a different animal. People will browse and shop in many different stores. Tanners are (and I say this cautiously) usually loyal to one salon. I don't think there are many who will drive 30 minutes away just to tan somewhere else on a whim. I say offer it to her. It certainly can't hurt you. It's worth a shot.

08-02-2002, 06:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
cutiepup Join Date: Sep 5 2001 Location: US Posts: 247 Rep Power: 23	Thanks Chica I just needed a reassurance before I called her up. I was seeing it as not really being a major problem but I needed someone else to double check me. Angie

08-02-2002, 11:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
Bronze Star Join Date: Apr 11 2001 Posts: 2,693 Rep Power: 24	Hmmm... to be honest, I would be cautious with this one. Even though you say you don't compete... you could be competitors on a level you aren't aware of. We have competitors here in NJ that we often aren't aware of. Our lunchtime tanners perhaps live near another salon and choose ours simply because we are superior in some way. Or our evening tanners work near another salon but tan with us for the same reason. I am very apprehensive to advise you to hire this girl simply because she appears to have a lot to offer. I am not saying you can't trust her... but it is very difficult to maintain a completely unbiased position when working for two employers. And what happens when her primary employer finds out she's working for you part time. To be honest, it really sounds like it is more hassle than it is worth. Our policy is, we don't hire anyone who works in any other salon... period. Some of us have second jobs, but none are salon or beauty related. There is just too much conflict of interest. I'd hate to think of what kind of pressure her first employer might place on her in that kind of position. My honest opinion is to find someone you can really train and mold into the kind of employee you need. We also don't hire young girls either. Most of us are over the age of 25... even possibly 30! I, myself, am 35. If you need any help recruiting and hiring I'd be more than glad to help in any way!

08-04-2002, 01:17 PM	#10 (permalink)
cutiepup Join Date: Sep 5 2001 Location: US Posts: 247 Rep Power: 23	Okay more background on potential employee. She takes classes near this salon and that's how or why she works there. She tans with me because I'm right down the street from where she lives. Her mother & brother also tan with us. The other salon and I are not competition for the same business. It's 30 minutes and 2 towns away. I did feel kind of leary about her learning everything about the salon and possibly helping the other guy out. She knows alot but I can also tell from our conversations that I know more than who she currently works for. Her mom said she is going to be enrolling in more classes this semester, so maybe I can get her to solely work for me if working a full-time job isn't going to work with her new class schedule. Still up in the air about it. Angie

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