My Nail Technician Recruiting Report Card

Candidate #1: First person I interviewed, and I was thanking my lucky stars. I thought: how can it be this easy to find a good nail technician? I LOVED her in person. Sure, she had strange purple hair, but that could change, I told myself. More importantly, she was an accredited holistic nutritionist from the same school where I got my Aromatherapy certification and am working on my Master Herbalist diploma! She told me she and I were on the same wavelength. I invited her in for a "practical" interview - this is where she does a service on my lead nail technician (nail GODDESS Summer Brown). Result: She called the same day to cancel because her daughter was sick. Instead of rescheduling, she emailed me and said that since she had already accepted a job at another spa when she interviewed, it probably wouldn't be good to also take a job with Pavia. WAAAH! GRADE: F (I don't know why I was so wrong about her energy - I really liked her, and thought she liked me).

Candidate #2: Very cool in person. Currently working full-time for a non-profit, but wanted to get back into nails. I liked her as well, invited her in for a practical, and whaddaya know: "My car just broke down! I can't make it! I will call back to reschedule." Did she call back to reschedule? NOPE. GRADE: F (Once again, Mare falls for the other person, without the other person falling for Mare)

Candidate #3: Ex-sales rep and nail technician in the East Bay, looking to relocate to the South Bay. Resume looked STELLAR. I called her up, we set up an interview in person, and whaddaya know: Day of the interview, she calls to reschedule. We reschedule to one week later, and whaddaya know: Day of the interview, she calls to reschedule again. I don't even bother calling back - first impressions count for a lot! GRADE: F- (Is that even possible? I gave myself an F- because I shouldn't have allowed her to reschedule in the first place. Both times I came into the spa early just to meet with her, and both times she dissed me).

Candidate #4: Very nice woman, and her English was actually pretty darn good, especially in writing. Of course, we can't communicate with our clients on paper during a service, but I thought she would do. She actually SHOWED UP to her practical!! Hallelujah!! Oh, but wait: my lead nail technician said that she didn't sanitize the bowl that her clients soaked their hands in....oh, well. If the mindset of being maniacally sanitary isn't there, she can't work at my spa. GRADE: C (This was no one's fault, she was just not clean enough for us)

Candidate #5: 25 years of nail experience, gentle lady, very nice on the phone. I thought: WOW! Could this be it? I invited her in for an interview, we had a nice conversation. I thought she dwelt a bit too much on "not being liked" at her current job. She told me she felt excluded and talked about, and that was hurtful. I thought she was very nice, and thought she would connect well with our clients because she had a mature energy about her. I invited her in for a practical, and she agreed. The last thing she says to me in the interview is something that she didn't need to say - she shared something about her husband being in prison and hoped that didn't impact anything. Well, of course not! How would I have even known that if she hadn't told me? I kept it under my hat, and just let her perform the pedicure on Summer. I asked Summer what she thought afterwards, and Summer said, "Well, she did a pretty good job, although she got nail polish on my cuticles. But my main concern is she may not know what NOT to say." Uh oh. I asked, "Did she tell you about the husband?" And Summer nodded. That's two for two! I mean, I can't trust that she won't tell a client about it - clients come to the spa for sanctuary and healing, not to give US therapy. So, she's out too. GRADE: D (I should have known not to even waste her time inviting her in for the practical. But I had already invited her when she told me, so I guess I couldn't take it back.)

Candidate #6: Nice girl, I have high hopes. We shall see how she does in her practical. GRADE: TBD!

Candidate #7: No-showed for her first interview. Didn't even call to cancel. GRADE: C. Why a C? Because she weeded herself out, and even though I showed up specifically to meet her, I got some work done in the meantime. So no harm done, actually.

Candidate #8: HALLELUJAH, I think I've found THE ONE. We shall see how she does in her practical, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Candidate #9: We scheduled an interview for yesterday, 12/10/07, at 2pm. At 2:10pm, she calls and says, "Can we cancel? Your place is too far from my house." GRADE: B (if only for the humor and shock value of it. Once again, I got some more work done in the office).

Candidate #10: Sister of Candidate #6, and they are thinking of job sharing. Okay, this can work for me. Let's see how she does in her practical as well. Very presentable and nice girls both.

NET RESULTS:
# OF INTERVIEWS SET UP: 10
# OF CANDIDATES ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED: 7
# OF CANDIDATES OFFERED A PRACTICAL: 7
# OF CANDIDATES WHO SHOWED UP FOR THEIR PRACTICAL: 2 (SO FAR)
# OF NAIL TECHNICIANS HIRED: 0 (SO FAR)

As you can see, it ain't easy!!!!!