Resources
Post a Job
 Special offer 

Jumpstart your hiring with a $100 CAD credit to sponsor your first job.*

Sponsored Jobs posted directly on Indeed are 40% more likely to report a hire than non-sponsored jobs**
  • Visibility for hard-to-fill roles through branding and urgently hiring
  • Instantly source candidates through matching to expedite your hiring
  • Access skilled candidates to cut down on mismatched hires
*The $100 CAD Sponsored Job credit offer is only available for new accounts in Canada that post a job and expires one year after account creation. Upon expiration of the credit, users are charged based on Sponsored Job budget. Terms, conditions, and quality standards apply **Indeed data, Canada, Q2 2024

Hair Stylist Interview Questions

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines
9 min read

Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Hair Stylist interview questions and answers.

  1. What skills do you think every hair stylist needs? See answer
  2. What licences or training do you have in hair styling? See answer
  3. Imagine a client came in with damaged hair caused by a bad dye. What treatment would you recommend? See answer
  4. What hair styling tools and equipment are you familiar with? See answer
  5. What kind of hair do you specialize in styling? See answer
  6. Describe your experience as a hair stylist. See answer
  7. Imagine a customer asked you to restyle their hair. What would you do? See answer
  8. Describe your ability to work with other beauticians. See answer
  9. Why do you want to work here as a hair stylist? See answer
  10. Describe a situation when you exceeded performance expectations as a hair stylist. See answer
  11. What’s your favourite thing about being a hair stylist?
  12. How do you stay up-to-date with hair trends?
  13. How do you deal with difficult customers?
  14. How would you handle a situation when a former customer gets their haircut from a coworker?
  15. How would you handle a client asking for a style you don’t think suits them?
Show more questions Show fewer questions

Hire your next Hair Stylist today.

Post a job

Hire your next Hair Stylist today.

Post a job
Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines
Create a culture of innovation
Download our free step-by-step guide on encouraging healthy risk-taking
Get the guide

15 Hair Stylist Interview Questions and Answers

What's your favourite thing about being a hair stylist?

The goal of this question is to determine what excites a candidate about hair styling. It also helps you understand why they decided to become a hair stylist. What to look for in an answer:

  • Passion for hair styling
  • Eagerness to work at your establishment
  • Honesty

Example:

"My favourite thing about being a hair stylist is making people feel great about their hair. Knowing that a hair session puts smiles on faces makes me happy. I would love to work in your salon and provide the best styling services to customers."

What skills do you think every hair stylist needs?

Hair stylists need various hard and soft skills to meet customers' hair styling expectations. For example, excellent customer service skills are vital. This question assesses whether a candidate has the necessary hair styling skills. What to look for in an answer:

  • Customer service skills and a desire to make clients happy
  • Knowledge of the key skills of a hair stylist
  • Strong communication skills

Example:

"I think every hair stylist needs strong interpersonal, communication, creativity and critical-thinking skills. Physical stamina is also key because hair styling involves long hours of standing. I'm confident I have the skills of a good hair stylist."

What licences or training do you have in hair styling?

The purpose of this question is to understand how a candidate learned or developed their skills. You can determine their attitude towards learning and whether they took courses in specific styling aspects, like hair colouring.What to look for in a candidate's answer:

  • Relevant post-secondary education or hands-on experience
  • Eagerness to learn on the job and keep up with trending skills
  • Knowledge of employment requirements for hair stylists

Example:

"I'm a high school graduate with three years of styling experience. Recently, I completed a two-year apprenticeship program and a course on how to colour hair from a vocational institute. I also have a Red Seal endorsement. I look forward to applying my skills as a hair stylist in your salon."

Imagine a client came in with damaged hair caused by a bad dye. What treatment would you recommend?

This question helps you determine whether a potential hair stylist is familiar with treatment for damaged hair. A strong candidate offers several suggestions for how to manage the situation, such as a haircut or deep conditioning treatments. What to look for in an excellent answer:

  • Problem-solving skills
  • Desire to make clients happy
  • Knowledge of various hair treatments and products

Example:

"I would first advise the customer against the dye and explain the importance of professional products for healthy hair. Then, I would assure them that there's a solution to the issue. I would recommend a deep conditioning product that could disguise and repair the damage. Alternatively, I would talk to them about different haircuts to remove the most damaged parts."

What hair styling tools and equipment are you familiar with?

This question helps you determine what hair styling tools and equipment a candidate knows. From a candidate's response, you can also learn whether they know when to use each tool. What to look for in an answer:

  • Knowledge of hair styling tools and equipment
  • Ability to use a variety of hair styling tools creatively to achieve desired results
  • Styling experience

Example:

"From my experience, there are various tools and equipment for styling a customer's hair. I know how to use scissors, combs, dryers, rollers and clippers with ease. I'm also open to learning new hair styling tools, to keep up with trends and the equipment your salon prefers."

What kind of hair do you specialize in styling?

The goal of this question is to find out which types of hair the candidate is comfortable styling. It also helps you determine whether they keep up with the latest styling trends. What to look for in an answer:

  • Desire to meet a client's styling expectations
  • Creative-thinking skills
  • Adaptability to work with multiple styles and lengths of hair

Example:

"I love styling gelled edges and find it easiest to do with short straight hair. From my experience, there are several ways to style edges, which enables me to be creative with different hairstyles. However, I can follow client's exact requests if they prefer to be specific. I believe meeting the needs of a customer is vital to keeping them as regular customers."

Describe your experience as a hair stylist.

This question evaluates a potential stylist's experience and what lessons they've learned from it. What to look for in an answer:

  • Passion for hairstyling
  • Level of experience and confidence in the role
  • Effective communication skills

Example:

"I've been a hair stylist for fifteen years and I still enjoy styling people's hair as much as when I started. I've worked at a healthcare facility and on a film set. During that time, I learned various leadership skills and how to style wigs. Making people happy by improving their looks and self-confidence is rewarding."

How do you stay up-to-date with hair trends?  

By asking this question, you can determine what steps a candidate takes to develop their skills. It also tells you how much effort they put into satisfying their clients' needs. What to look for in an answer:

  • Customer service skills
  • Eagerness to learn and continue to develop new skills
  • Enthusiasm to try new styles and stay up to date on trends

Example:

"I attend fashion shows and subscribe to Elle and other hairstyle magazines. When I see a new style, I practice it on a mannequin until I've mastered the look. Following popular hair stylists on social media also keeps me up-to-date with the latest hair trends. I'm a member of the Ontario Hairstylists Association, where I get the latest tips and tricks on new products and how to do different hairstyles."

How do you deal with demanding customers?

The goal of this question is to determine whether a candidate knows how to manage difficult customers. An excellent hair stylist can express their conflict-resolution and interpersonal skills. What to look for in an answer:

  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Desire to meet a customer's styling needs
  • Problem-solving skills

Example:

"As a hair stylist, one of my responsibilities is to make customers happy with the styling services I provide. When I encounter a difficult customer, I make sure I listen to their needs and work towards achieving them. If my solution doesn't meet their expectations, I ask whether I should restyle their hair and collaborate with them to find a solution."

How would you handle a situation when a former customer gets their hair cut by a coworker?

The purpose of this question is to gain insight into a candidate's personality. A suitable candidate wants to know why the candidate has chosen to get their hair done by their coworker to improve their services. What to look for in an answer:

  • Teamwork skills and the desire to improve continuously
  • Emotional intelligence and patience
  • Interpersonal and customer service skills

Example:

"I understand that customers want the best styling services and sometimes go to different stylists to find one that meets their expectations. I would greet the customer and be polite. After their appointment, I would speak with my coworker to find out their approach to styling that client's hair in case there's anything I can learn."

Imagine a customer asked you to restyle their hair. What would you do?

Some clients may ask for a change in hairstyle after they see the final look. This question helps you understand how a candidate handles situations that involve dissatisfied clients. An outstanding candidate is happy to change the hairstyle to meet the needs of the customer. What to look for in an answer:

  • Problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
  • Customer service skills and the desire to go above and beyond for the client
  • Effective communication skills to understand and execute the client's hairstyling requests

Example:

"As a hair stylist, I understand the effects of a good hairstyle on a client's self-esteem. If a client wants me to restyle their hair, I'd ask what specifically they want to change. Then, I'd restyle their hair as per their requests, and ensure that they're happy with my services."

How would you handle a client asking for a style you don't think suits them?

The goal of this question is to find out how committed a candidate is to making sure a customer looks good. It also helps you to determine the hair stylist's ability to communicate effectively. What to look for in an answer:

  • Customer service skills, and the desire to make clients look their best
  • Communication skills
  • Emotional Intelligence

Example:

"I would give them my professional opinion about the hairstyle and suggest other, more flattering styles. If they were adamant about the style they chose, I'd follow their instructions. As long as the customer is happy, that's all that matters."

Describe your ability to work with other beauticians.

Hair stylists typically work with other beauticians to enhance a customer's physical appearance. This question helps you determine whether a hair stylist is comfortable working with others. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to work as part of a team
  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Experience working with other beauty professionals

Example:

"I'm comfortable working with beauticians and other professionals to meet a customer's expectations. In my previous role, I styled the hair of actors and actresses on a film set. I worked with a makeup artist, cosmetologist and costume designer to complete the character's look. This role taught me the importance of teamwork and effective communication skills when working with other beauticians."

Why do you want to work here as a hair stylist?

The purpose of this question is to understand whether the candidate is excited about working with your company. It also reveals whether they researched your business before the interview. What to look for in an answer:

  • Research skills
  • Effective communication skills
  • Eagerness to contribute to your team

Example:

"Your salon has the best reputation in the city. It's famous for its wonderful customer service and skilled hair stylists. I believe I'm the ideal candidate to join the team and help the business become world-class. I also want to work here because of the opportunities for career development and learning opportunities."

Describe a situation when you exceeded performance expectations as a hair stylist.

This question helps you to understand how enthusiastic a hair stylist is about satisfying the needs of their clients. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to exceed customer expectations
  • Enthusiasm for styling hair
  • Desire to make clients happy and improve their self-esteem

Example:

"It was my seventh year of being a hair stylist and I'd just started working at a salon in my town. A woman walked in while I was closing for the day. She said she had an urgent interview to go to and her hair was a mess. I stayed back and helped her style her hair since I knew it would only take a few minutes. She also needed some nail care. So after I styled her hair, I recommended she visit our sister salon down the road that specializes in nails."

Create a culture of innovation
Download our free step-by-step guide on encouraging healthy risk-taking
Get the guide

Three individuals are sitting at a table with a laptop, a disposable coffee cup, notebooks, and a phone visible. Two are facing each other, while the third’s back is to the camera. The setting appears to be a bright room with large windows.

Hire your next Hair Stylist today

Post a Job

Explore Interview Questions by Title

No search results found

    Related Articles

    How to Create an Effective Exit Interview Form
    Read article
    How To Conduct a Job Interview and Find the Right Candidate
    Read article
    Best Practices for Virtual Interviews
    Read article