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Estheticians are the heart and soul of your med spa — and the face of your business — so hiring the right candidate is essential.
And since they play such a crucial role in representing your med spa, you must ask the right esthetician interview questions to lead you to the perfect match.
You don’t want to find yourself in the middle of an esthetician job interview asking candidates generic questions like “Where do you see yourself in five years?”. It’s better to focus on questions that will provide real insight.
We’re talking about questions that reveal the candidate’s experience, resourcefulness, problem–solving skills, and approach to client experience.
In this blog, we share 12 interview questions for estheticians to help you identify standout candidates.
Let’s dive in.
Preparation for interviewing your esthetician candidate
While all licensed estheticians undergo similar training, every medical spa is different — its mission, vision, services, and client approach may vary.
Familiarizing yourself with candidate’s past experience will help you lead a more focused interview. However, you also need to consider what’s important to you.
Understand the specific needs of your spa
Consider the services you offer, what you specialize in, and the clientele you target. All of these will help you zone in on what you need from a candidate.
- If your spa specializes in skincare treatments, you want to look for candidates with expertise in dermatology, facials, or advanced skincare techniques.
- If your spa offers wellness services, you might prioritize candidates with experience in aromatherapy, massage therapy, or holistic practices.
- If you offer many high-end treatments with equally high price points, it would be ideal if they had experience dealing with VIP clientele
By understanding these needs, you can narrow your search to candidates with the skills and background that align with your business goals, ensuring a strong fit for a successful medical spa.
Review the candidate’s resume and certifications in advance
Reviewing resumes gives you insights into the candidates’ work experience, qualifications, and whether they possess the relevant certifications for the role, such as skincare licenses, advanced facial techniques, or laser treatments.
By doing this, you’ll also have a better idea of what to ask during interviews with different candidates, and it’ll help you efficiently filter out those who don’t quite fit the bill.
Prepare a mix of technical, situational, and behavioral questions
Crafting a well-rounded set of esthetician interview questions is essential for evaluating a candidate’s full range of skills.
- Technical questions like “Can you walk me through your process for performing a facial treatment?” will help you assess their knowledge and expertise.
- Situational questions allow you to evaluate their problem-solving skills, like, “How would you handle a client who is unhappy with a service?”
- Behavioral questions, such as “Tell me about a time when you worked with a difficult client — how did you manage the situation?” provide insight into your candidate’s interpersonal skills and how they’ve handled tricky situations.
12 esthetician interview questions to ask esthetician candidates
It’s important to ask a mix of well-thought-out questions to ensure a top-notch evaluation of your esthetician candidates.
That’s why we’ve put together a list of 12 esthetician interview questions and answers for your next interview.
1. What inspired you to become an esthetician, and how does that motivation influence your work?
This question gives insight into the candidate’s passion for the profession and personal connection to the role.
A passionate esthetician will be able to tell you exactly why they wanted to follow this career path.
A good answer would reflect the candidate’s genuine passion for skincare and helping others, perhaps inspired by a personal experience with an esthetician and the transformative impact of esthetic treatments.
A poor answer might be: “It’s a high-paying job” or “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do”, or an answer that’s rehearsed and uninspired.
2. What range of services do you have experience performing as an esthetician?
While you can read all about your candidate’s skills and expertise in their resume, by asking them during the interview process you’ll be able to identify what they’re really confident in — and if they specialize in anything in particular.
Good answer: A good candidate will list various services, such as facials, chemical peels, exfoliation, microdermabrasion, and waxing, and talk about some details that only a skilled esthetician would know.
A poor answer like “I performed mostly everything, but I’m an expert in facials” lacks detail and may point to over-confidence (and inexperience.)
3. What techniques do you use when evaluating a client’s skin condition?
This technical question allows you to learn about your candidate’s qualifications and their ability to provide personalized treatments.
While there isn’t only one right answer to this question, a good response would show:
- Thorough consultation process: You want them to value the importance of understanding the client’s motivations and treatment goals
- Focus on personalized care: They take a personal approach and prescribe different skincare routines for different skin types
- Expert knowledge: They know the best skin care products, and tools and techniques, for identifying and managing skin concerns
On the other hand, “I just ask the client what they want.” is a poor and superficial answer and suggests a lack of professional assessment skills.
4. How do you handle stress and multitasking in a professional setting?
Peak hours at the spa can be stressful, so an esthetician should have strong multitasking skills to stay organized and ensure no detail is overlooked.
Good answer: “I prefer using practice management software, to organize my work and schedule appointments. By having all client information in one place, multitasking is possible, as I can send automatic reminders and follow-ups, check clients’ health history, and make payments, all within the software.
”Poor answer: “I love my job, I never get stressed.” — Unrealistic.
5. What safety protocols do you follow when performing skin care treatments?
Safety is critical in any med spa. This question will help you understand whether the candidate follows client safety protocols and hygiene standards.
An experienced esthetician will also mention that they always ensure that the client’s health records are up to date (to check for any new medication or change in circumstances) before administering any treatment and medications.
Of course, they should also mention getting signed consent.
Good answer: “I always use new gloves for each client, wear a mask, and use disposable tools where needed. I make sure the equipment and surfaces are thoroughly sanitized between clients. Also, I always review their client record in advance to check for allergies or medical conditions.”
A poor answer will lack details on key safety protocols, showing a lack of understanding of proper hygiene, sanitation, and client safety measures.
It may indicate that the candidate does not prioritize infection control, client health assessments, or consistent sanitization practices between treatments.
6. What is your approach to handling difficult or dissatisfied clients?
The answer to this question will reveal the candidate’s conflict resolution skills.
Such skills are crucial for estheticians because they help maintain positive client relationships, uphold professionalism, and ensure a smooth customer experience.
Good response: “I would listen to and empathize with client concerns. Then I would apologize and offer solutions, such as offering a corrective follow up appointment, to help them achieve the desired results.”
“However, I would also be firm if needed. If they were pushing for a free treatment, I would direct them to the med spa company policy.”
Poor response: “Some people are never satisfied, no matter how hard you try to please them. So I don’t let that hinder my confidence.”
7. What do you consider to be the most important qualities for an esthetician?
The answer you get to this question will highlight the candidate’s self-awareness. It will show whether they think outside the box and see the bigger picture.
Good answer: “I believe the most important skills are providing exceptional patient care, delivering a great customer experience, being compassionate, having an eye for detail, and adapting to changes.”
A poor answer will be overly simplistic or focus on just one aspect of the role, without addressing the broader scope of client care.
8. Do you have experience with using practice management software?
If you use an online booking system or digital EMR, you want a candidate with basic computer literacy and some knowledge of practice management software.
After all, you want them to be able to work as efficiently – and not get defeated by admin – which often means leaning on technical solutions. Experience using systems like Pabau, an all-in-one practice management software, is a big plus.
A strong answer will highlight the candidate’s ability to efficiently manage client records, schedule appointments, and automate follow-ups.
An added advantage would be their ability to use reporting features to encourage repeat bookings and identify upselling opportunities.
A weak answer, on the other hand, would be vague and fail to showcase hands-on experience, such as simply stating, “I think I’ve used a CRM before, but I don’t remember which one.”
9. Can you describe a challenging situation at work and how you resolved it?
This question provides insight into the candidate’s resilience and problem-solving skills. You want them to be able to show they can think on their feet and confidently handle the challenges will crop up in a med spa.
Good answer: “A client had an adverse reaction to a product, despite doing all the pre-appointment checks. I remained calm and followed protocol. I later called the client to check up on them and schedule a follow-up.”
A poor answer will show a lack of initiative and an inability to handle challenges effectively and independently.
10. What is your approach to upselling products or services?
This question assesses the candidate’s sales and communication skills.
Are they able to recommend products and services to clients in a way that is persuasive but non-pushy?
This is very important because according to a med spa consulting firm, retail sales should account for anywhere between 20% to 40% of a medical spa’s revenue.
Of course, you want your staff to be commercially minded, but also be mindful that long-term relationships are more valuable than a one-time sale.
Good answer: “I explain the benefits of products and services transparently. I make it clear when a product is a beneficial add-on rather than a necessity, while also highlighting treatments that can improve their treatment outcome.
Bad answer: “I always start with trying to sell them the most expensive service or product. If they are hesitant, I suggest cheaper alternatives.” This answer is pushy and sales-driven rather than client-focused.
11. How do you stay updated with the latest trends and techniques in esthetics?
A candidate who stays informed about the latest skincare trends, treatments, and technology shows their ongoing commitment to the field.
“I regularly read industry publications, follow industry leaders, attend workshops and conferences, and keep up with the newest products and treatments.” — This is something a committed esthetician would say.
“I don’t have time for attending events, but I follow some estheticians on social media.” — This answer suggests a lack of commitment.
12. Why should we hire you?
This question allows the candidate to highlight their unique strengths.
A strong answer will highlight:
- Extensive experience in a variety of treatments
- A proven track record of client satisfaction
- A strong work ethic
- Appreciation for the company’s culture and values
- Confidence in their ability to contribute positively to the team
A poor answer will come off as overconfident and lacking self-awareness. It may suggest that the candidate is unwilling to learn, adapt to the company’s processes, or collaborate effectively with the team.
Staff management made easy with Pabau
Finding and hiring a skilled esthetician is only the first step in building a successful spa team. However, effectively managing them is an ongoing process.
Pabau, our all-in-one practice management software is designed to handle booking and scheduling, patient management, marketing, payments, and more.
You can also simplify every aspect of team management — from managing staff schedules, setting up commission plans, and tracking timesheets and wages.
Also, the built-in reporting tools allow you to monitor team performance, identify areas for improvement, and reward high achievers.
Want to see how you can manage your team with Pabau? Schedule a free demo with us.
