Recently a friend of mine confided that she had found the perfect facial at AYA, an Atlanta-based spa with locations in Buckhead (Phipps Plaza) and Sandy Springs, Georgia.
"They're amazing," she said, "everyone there is so good at what they do. They really know their craft."
"That's interesting," I thought out loud. Usually when someone describes a service they talk about the effect of the service (i.e. the softness of their skin, the whiteness of their teeth, the style of their hair). After raving about how talented everyone was, she did go on to say how much they did for her complexion, but again she attributed it to how skilled and knowledgeable they were.
Convinced they were worth a try, I called and made the appointment. I started my visit with eyebrow sculpting, something I'd never tried before. I was ushered to a comfortable room where the esthetician went to work immediately, measuring and marking and measuring again. Turns out she has always worked within the beauty industry and even trained with Anastasia in L.A. (of Oprah brow-sculpting fame). "Brows are my passion," she said. When she finally handed me the mirror I was impressed.
Next was microdermabrasion and after speaking with this esthetician, I was intrigued that she too was committed to a career in the beauty world. When I asked her how she decided to get into esthetics she answered, "It began with a personal decision to live a healthier life, inside and out." Both professionals were deeply committed to being the best and it really showed in their enthusiasm, service and the results they gave.
Years ago I attended the Disney Institute when they hosted a world class conference for service marketers. At one point in the conference they had their Chief Marketing Office (who had some neat Disney-esque name like Chief Imagineer or something like that) present the secret to their service success. "You can't train excellence," they repeated again and again, "you have to hire it."
Hiring is largely a misunderstood practice. As business owners and managers often aren't educated as to how to hire well, they typically look at hiring as something that ought to be an innate skill like networking or writing. I can't count the number of times I've heard a client say that they'll "just know it when they meet the right candidate." But often they don't.
Here are four steps you can use to hire successfully:
1. Define your culture. Finding a proper culture fit is just as important as finding someone who has the right skill base to perform the job well. A talented professional with an amazing skill base can cost you more time, money and stress in damage control if they don't blend well into your culture. Define your culture by giving thought to the top five expectations you have of your staff. For example, delivering what they promised on schedule, delivering innovative solutions to problems, extraordinary client service, team-building experience, etc. Work these questions into your interviews and ask for specific examples as to how they've accomplished these items.
2. Set a clear intention for your search. If you're the owner or the manager, remember that whomever you hire will either make your life remarkably easier or more difficult based upon their performance. Set a clear and deliberate intention before you begin your search as to what kind of candidate you need. Be exacting, specific as to what you need, and don't settle for what won't work.
3. Only hire candidates whose personal passions are aligned with their professional pursuits. When you look at the most successful people in the world, they live what they love. These candidates are longer-term employees with a deeper sense of commitment and care for their work and the company.
4. Check references. Save yourself time and trouble and verify everything you possibly can on a candidate's resume. Talk with former managers, employers, verify compensation and dates of employment. A little lie on one's resume is indicative of bigger problems to come.
You can learn more about AYA at http://www.ayaskincare.com
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