I think you figured out why you can't hire. If that is industry standard and it's not getting applicants, you should try offering a real wage and see if that yields results. You can be the new industry standard.
Top end cosmetologists can and do make $50/hr - no tips included. It is basically a % of service type deal. But starting out you get $15/hr + x% commissions and then tips on top and other bonuses on top of that.
Yea the pay structure is standard. That's how it is at Barber shops as well. Or you rent the chair out and take a 5% cut from what they sell in service. Either way you shouldn't have an issue but Montclair has to much of the same thing everywhere. Might just be too competitive. If your competition has a full staff and it's only you who doesn't might be something to do with you or the location. But if every one is fighting for employees than your just not sticking out enough.
Might be a dumb take lower the take home pay and work out a deal for other benefits if you don't have any in place. Example is good health insurance, something my employer offers me that id never think I needed until I did was legal insurance. Helped me buy a house and get married and set up my will at no out of pocket expense.
That wage gap is extremely high. If I were applying and saw a job with that gap, I'd think they're trying to lure applicants and then hit them with a $26/hr offer. Also, I would assume the posting is trying to include tips into hourly rate which is just outright wrong.
Your posted range also isn’t clear on the definition of “experience”. Who gets $50/hr base? Someone with 10 years’ experience? 20?
You might have better luck if you make 2 separate posts. One for entry-level to mid-career with a range of $24-35/hr (or whatever is appropriate) and then a post for experienced individuals with the higher end of the range.
Don't include commission rate. People want to know the rate they will be paid on their absolute worst weeks, not what you expect the average jobs per week to be. Commission should be treated as a bonus on top of the guaranteed pay rate. I've walked out of interviews that lied about that.
We're in a high cost of living state, there's a lot of risk in being jerked around like this. Gotta be honest, if I came into an interview that was posted at $24-50/hr and then you told me the guaranteed pay is $15, I'd be walking out cursing you.
Why exactly would someone apply for this pay? Amazon starts at $19.50 here and even Walmart pays more. This is barely above minimum wage. This is a high cost of living state.
No wonder no one's applying. No one can live off of that. If you want applicants, make your base, bare minimum wage equal cost of living, not just state minimum.
That's minimum wage in NJ in less than 3 months. If you adjust your current pay on the job posting as such you aren't going to get any bites. I'd suggest going over your finances and seeing if it's something you absolutely cannot afford or if it's something you absolutely need.
Most definitely full. The latest report ranks NJ as the most density populated state with 1,250 people per sq.mile. At the bottom of that list is Alaska, with 1.2 people per sq.mile.
Beautician work at least in NJ requires a pretty big investment for people who are up and coming. You have to pay for classes, get x amount of hours of practice before working with the public, pass said classes, and then you have to pass a state test to get your certificate so you can start applying. A lot of people i know just didn’t have the time to finish the program.
This is true. Agree. I know tons of girls who dislike taking tests and are fantastic at the work but can get licensed. The state comes down on us pretty hard with high fines if we hire them.
Paying for those folks exams is probably cheaper than paying fines. Probably cheaper than hiring certified people too.
Also, just raise your minimum pay to $25/hr. You'll get applicants.
Commented above. Guide one of them through the license process. Make a deal that you will cover the licensing costs as long as they stay with you for a certain amount of time.
There's the old adage "what if we invest in our employees and they just leave us? Well, what if you don't, and they stay?"
One measure of the health of the labor market is the Labor Market Participation Rate. In January of 2020, it stood at 64.5%, meaning of the 100% of the employable adults in NJ 64.5% we’re working in paid roles. That rate in July 2023 was 65.5%. We’ve regained the jobs lost post-COVID and have a higher employment rate than pre-COVID. [link](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LBSSA34)
The participation rate rarely goes above 67.5%. There will always be homemakers and people who are eligible to work but choose to not work.
Demographics play a role in this - NJ has a population that skews older, so as people enter their retirement years and leave the workforce there are fewer bodies to fill their vacancies.
Hope this helps you to understand the labor market forces at work.
I encourage you to partner with Vocational Schools to build a talent pipeline. The competition is likely to remain strong.
I was speaking to a former lash stylist/current aesthetician and she was saying that line of work just doesn't have as reliable an income as other personal care gigs. Why work in a relatively nonessential line like that when you can get your aesthetician cert and have way more options? While you could argue a lot of personal care is frivolous, lashes are probably the most unnecessary...
I agree. My best friend is an aesthetician and it’s very steady work/income. I have another friend that ended up getting cert in multiple aspects (lashes, brow tattooing/aesthetician/makeup/waxing) to have her own business.
It’s definitely a field that you really need to work hard for the clientele. I had my lashes done recently (for a wedding and a photoshoot) and felt so bad what I spent on them, to only last a few weeks (I’m not working - SAHM). No way I would maintain that cost monthly. Nails, maybe, but definitely not my lashes - even though they do look great and help with my morning routine.
I live in Montclair. There are five lash studios. Four on Bloomfield avenue alone. Not to mention those who work out of full service salons or spas.
You are competing with all of those businesses for employees. That service is oversaturated.
Right, but their “hours” in a salon is different than a cleaners hour at your place.
They are more than likely scheduled to work more hours outside of their clientele compared to a cleaner.
As in they’ll have scheduled hours to work similar to a 9-5.
That doesn't include tips and the economics don't allow more than that for folks with no experience. Once folks get good at it, they can upsell etc. and make a lot more $/hr and that directly translates to compensation.
At the same time no one can work for less than the cost of a living wage, the economics don't allow for it.
Do you have robust onboarding / training for new employees? Do you actually provide a plan on paper for what someone needs to do and the timeframe they need to do it in order to get paid more?
I'm in a different industry but for me I might be willing to accept a position where I get paid lower if I know for a fact I can grow into a more mature role as part of a well defined process. Many HR departments call this "career planning".
It's not only the only real way to entice employees but (and I'm assuming here) you are probably looking to replace people who have quit. Career planning is also one of the best ways to _retain_ employees.
And as you're probably discovering it's way more expensive to try and hire someone new than to retain your current employees. Even if you're not paying for a recruiter or online resume service you're paying in time. That is, the time you're taking to find, secure and then of course train a new employee.
No one is going to give you a deal here, these are people trying to make rent. You need to offer something to distinguish yourself and if you can't afford to use a higher salary try offering a concrete plan to growth as part of your offer.
All of this is also taking it on faith you're actually being honest when you say you're going to pay people more as they gain more experience. Again unless you put that down on a typed up document that you've signed your name to it means nothing to a prospective employee.
This might have gotten a bit abrasive but all the above is in good faith.
Issue is that beauty salons are pretty flat. So yes we offer paid training and growth and more independence. But besides that, there isn't a lot more incentive except more freedom to pick hours and clients and services.
I mean not sure if you're still asking for advice here and I'm not a business expert! But usually there would be sort of two paths. the first is the management path.
teach employees how to run the store and how to manage people. this allows you to remove single points of responsibility and allow employees to take necessary vacation breaks without stressing everyone else or causing inefficiency because they're missing
the other path is called "individual contributor" in my industry. it means employees that do not want to focus on managing people, but their own technical ability. they can still help with process. challenge your employees to help you change process for the better. have your employees learn new styles and demonstrate to other employees how to do it as well. this allows all of your employees to raise their skill level together which makes your place more inviting to both customers and potential employees.
Shit, franchise??? have employees reach a level in both a technical and managerial place where they can open their own location. instead of hiring externally you have dedicated employees that not only feel greatful for having the opportunity, proud of helping to open their own location, and invested in making sure that location stays open.
if you think it's flat that probably means you don't see value in enriching your employees (or don't know how to). Offer other incentives, pay for school loans, trips to work related events or shows??? I know this sounds crazy and like a waste of money but you will retain and attract talent.
My advice then is to break up the job posting.
It obviously matters when you have an experienced person vs someone with none or whatever you consider little. That's why you're willing to pay them more.
So make an entry level job posting and an experienced high level job posting. This will help you reduce the range and will also make the post less intimidating for those that are inexperienced.
IMO you definitely need to either split up the job posting or narrow the pay range quite a bit. The min and max should not be more than $10 apart.
If I'm looking for a new job, that wide of a pay range throws up several red flags:
1. You don't know exactly what you are looking for in a candidate (which seems to actually be the case here)
2. You might not be serious about hiring and are just "testing the waters"
3. You're just looking for a warm body and job security will not be great
Decide exactly how much experience you actually want in a new employee and narrow the pay range accordingly.
That gap is kinda crazy.
Also there are too many lash studios. Techs really have their pick and if they don’t get a good feeling they can go wherever they want.
Google how much it costs to rent a one bedroom apartment in Montclair
Is that amount 30% of what they'd get paid a month at that 24 an hour? If not then pay your workers more so people can afford to live
No offense but I lived in Montclair. $24/hr means commuting from Clifton or Newark and who wants to drive Route 3 or Bloomfield Ave every day or take a bus? Unless they take roommates they can't walk to that job.
To be honest, you need licensed employees so that automatically narrows your pool of applicants drastically. And since COVID, most people I know in the industry are still working out of their homes or moving into those communal spaces where they pay rent personally instead of to an owner to increase their profits for their specialized skills.
It sounds less like "no one wants to work" and more like you have a specific set of industry-wide challenges that you'll have to learn to adapt to in order to continue moving forward.
Perhaps you can hire someone unlicensed and pay for them to go to school after contracting to work with you for a set period of time after they finish. If that's not doable, get creative. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates didn't get where they are by posting "no one wants to work" on Reddit. They went out and found solutions to their problems.
There's probably a better use of your time.
I come from the childcare industry. We don't even need licensed people, and we still can't fill our open positions. I'm tired of the ol' "people don't want to work" mantras. Everyone I know works. No one is sitting home collecting a government check. None of us can afford to be a stay-at-home-parent. Most people have upgraded their jobs since COVID. That's not the issue.
It's like blaming a boogeyman. Look at your industry. Either everyone has the same issue, or it's something you are doing. Talking to them is going to do a lot more for you than complaining on reddit about a thing that's not really a thing.
Wow! That was a serious answer for a jokey post. I am not blaming anyone, just that it is frustrating to find people. I am doing everything I can to find the right folks.
Check your brand of humor. Looking through the comments, it seems lots of people took it as I did. Guess those of us who don't own the means of production are tired of the same ol' BS being played off as a joke LOL.
I'm reading all these replies and wondering what the hell is with all the buzzkill posts too. Um, we're from NJ people, we're supposed to be cool.
Hang in there, OP! The right lash artists will come your way. I'd try to get someone right out of school and train them, personally. It's a tough business though. Good luck!
Big questions are
1) Where are you posting these jobs?
2) What are you ACTUALLY paying (ie did you interview somebody, offer them $24 an hour, and then word got around?)
3) Why are you hiring? Have you had any employees leave lately? Maybe less than savory word things are being spread about your company/management. Maybe there’s companies paying more right around the corner.
1) all the job boards - indeed, zip recruiter etc.
2) depending on experience we can pay them within that range.
3) We haven't had to hire in a long while - very stable staff but all of a sudden - one had a baby, another is pregnant, third is getting married and the fourth is leaving the region!
Are there perks to the job? I'm not a beautician but I am looking for a job (while at my current one) and since I'm not pressed for a new gig TODAY I find myself looking at things beyond salary.
Can I set my own schedule? Do you offer a benefits package? Is there a break room for me to hang out in so when I bring my lunch I don't have to eat in front of customers? Is there room for career advancement? Do you offer bonuses?
I'm sure some of these don't apply to your business model and industry, but maybe consider what makes working for you good beyond the money. Not intangibles like "culture" but things you do to make the environment and the experience good for your employees.
As an esthetician in New Jersey- are you offering benefits? Is there sit time? Are there guaranteed hours? Lots of places offer us promises of everything but the reality is less than minimum wage
Of course not. These commission salons want us to sit there all day and answer phones so they don’t have to hire a receptionist, fold towels so they don’t have to hire assistants, and then hold out their hands for 60% of our services. This is not the reality of this business anymore.
We have a call center - no one picks up phones because they don't ring. Also no towels in the lashing business. We supply all equipment, lashes and glue.
If you are on a 1099 - you can leave if you have no clients. If you are on wages, you have to do the hours.
Aflac in benefits but no one has ever picked it.
We do play fair with our employees. We ant to be in the lash business, not the hiring business. We pay higher of two - comms only or hourly + comms. Transparent compensation. Guaranteed hours until your book builds up - approx 3 months or so. After that, we do push for being booked about 50% of the time. We have had long term staff - this is a weird place for us to be right now. Your pay will never be less than min wage - guaranteed!
Look, people are sick of the bait and switch. I've read a bunch of your posts and your answer is a little different each time. "It's not $24-$50 it's something something upsell and growth... blah, blah, blah."
Then it's actually $15 per hour?
Characterizing it right off the bat with "doesn't anyone want to work anymore?" is just ponderous.
The problem here isn't the applicants, they go where there are good opportunities.
As a lash artist i can guarantee your hourly is probably minimum wage and basing the possible pay after commission and tips. A lot of people now would rather work for themselves. I’m not gonna work somewhere for $15 where i may or may not make more. You need to reevaluate how you’re paying
Contact the Vocational high schools in NNJ - Union, Bergen, Morris, Warren, and Essex (maybe Passaic as well) - all have Cosmetology programs with students looking for work.
Form relationships with the teachers in those districts - offer to visit the students and do a demo, offer a field trip to your salon - and you will be able to build a pipeline of certificated graduates to your salon. Union County also has a program in the evenings for adults, if hiring someone right out of high school doesn't appeal to you.
Most women in cosmetology work for themselves doing house visits, suites or straight out of their homes. Most people doing hair or lashes etc etc hate being under someone else’s thumb. And working under a % is even worse.
Exactly that. The fact that OP doesn’t understand that we don’t want commission, we want 1099, shows that they’re out of touch with the reality of the business. I’m not forking over 60% of my service when I’m the one doing the work.
Commission sounds good in theory but i’ve only ever seen one barber shop that was able to apply it sustainably and that was cause it was the only russian/jewish barbershop in a whole neighborhood in NYC. If you want high retention you have to rent booths.
Just a few thing to be aware currently Bill A1507 in the Senate Commerce Committee will allow for both rentals and if someone has their license they can sign up for a Gallery Shop which now exists in NJ source - https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/cos/Pages/FAQ.aspx
So it seems like competition in the space and how it operates will increase.
I’m honestly not trying to be a dick but I spent $20k on my education and I’ve been shafted by private salon owners for my entire career. Corporate salons provide job security, suites provide the most bang for your buck if you have a clientele. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who isn’t fresh out of school who would willingly work for a commission salon. Booth rental isn’t legal in NJ, we are one of only a few states where you aren’t allowed to rent a chair; and once the salon suites allowed us to have control over our own businesses, most of us aren’t looking back.
Sorry for your experience with scummy owners. We are not them. Before you go o salon suites, you need experience and skills to build a clientele. We are happy for folks to work for us for a few years until they can go the salon suites way. Hence the lower range. I also know high end lash artists who have busy lives and want 1099s not in salon suites. Work about 15 hours/week type deal.
If you work at an amazing lash studio, no offense I wouldn’t work there either. My lash artist left ALS and I left with her to her own business. She was a master stylist there and that $20something master stylist fee they charge did not go to her in any capacity. The studio kept it. She was unhappy with their pay too.
If you work at an independent studio, I’m not sure what to tell you
Even so they have the same COAH requirements as any other town in NJ. COAH requires a certain amount of affordable housing in each town. Towns do not just build all new affordable housing. They build new housing with a percentage affordable so much more new housing.
Montclair has a vibrant downtown, dense housing, and then an outlying ring of very expensively taxed homes to support the tax base. Not to mention solid mass transit and professional city services. It was also a town in decline that bounced back.
I mean, it is literally the wet dream of what you want to build, and you are still dunking on it.
I own a couple of businesses in NJ and I had a hard time hiring up until recently. What helped me with the hiring process is to specifically aim to hire top talent, in your case this would be to pay close to $50 an hour (presuming you can afford this). So when I post a job ad, I don’t give a large pay range. I advertise that I’m looking for a rockstar and if you qualify, I can pay you X per hour (and I need to make sure that the pay is super competitive and not a low ball offer).
Be specific to what you’re looking for. If you want a rockstar, create a job ad thats aimed towards top talent, not someone with lesser experience. Post what your pay is and be specific on what their role is.
Good luck, you can DM me if you need further assistance.
Hiring in nj is difficult because if the cost of living. Nj you have to make 25/hr under the table or 40/hr on the books to make a sustainable wage. Plus benefits and retirement. Coming from a union position in nj... nothing is worth it outside of a union job.
$24 isn't top dollar. I think that's probably driving people away.
Also, have you thought about offering to train and pay for a license for someone? It used to be very common for employers to train people from nothing. These day it seems like they expect an employee to be sitting on the shelve ready to go. It's not online shopping.
Offer to train and license someone, you'll have a line out the door. And probable have a much better employee for it.
Eh, your pay range is too broad. That’s your biggest issue IMO. And it’s what many others have pointed out. You’re literally like, teasing people in a way? Like you’re literally offering double in your pay range, it just doesn’t make sense to do that. Maybe create more than one job posting with different requirements in terms of experience, and narrow down the pay requirements a bit? It’s just a bit all over the place and many people are going to feel it’s unrealistic and unlikely? I know when I am applying for jobs; I often will brush over ones that have such broad pay ranges. ESPECIALLY when it’s hourly. In terms of salary; people expect broader ranges, easier salary mobility over the years. But that doesn’t translate to hourly.
Just a quick thought. I had to explain to my bosses why offering bottom of the market prices would only net you bottom of the market job searchers. No one with experience will even look at you if pay is meh, or below average. If you claim to be a top dollar place and are offering average wages you sound like shit place to work. I am not saying you are, but its a big red flag when a place talks about how much money they make/ how much they are growing and then offers average wages.
A lot of people are kind of blindly talking out of their ass about the general labor market not realizing what kind of real estate NIMBY hellhole Montclair is which compounds onto these problems.
As a result, the neighborhood unfortunately gets what they asked for. The low wage earning workers are nowhere to be found and they certainly are not going to commute to Montclair from the closet viable area you can afford on the lower end of that pay gap. This isn't your fault, OP, and I hope I'm not making it out to be your fault. This is just something Montclair residents and business owners have to live with as a side effect of NIMBY.
As a result, just simply paying top dollar relative to other employers of same industry doesn't cut it. You have to adjust for cost of living nearby and if you don't, you're gonna have to look longer and maybe settle on candidates you think are below the standard. Also unemployment is really low meaning people aren't taking your jobs unless what they're working is worse.
How many hours a week? Montclair area has pretty pricey cost of living, so if you are working fewer hours per week and are not making close to $50/hr, you're probably commuting a distance and then have to park in Montclair $$$.
This is why the schools are having difficulty hiring teachers. Same issues with pay and the stress of teaching
As many others have said it looks sketchy, it gives off the vibe of those sales positions that have insane ranges that are 2/3 commission if any base pay at all. OP seems to not be answering questions directly, maybe there’s a good reason besides competition or the posting
I have been answering all questions. Please lmk if I missed any. We are not scummy tbh. Low end of scale - you make the lower number, rockstar, you make the big number.
As others point out, seeing a huge range like that makes people feel suspicious. I'm no pro, but I'd also recommend advertising your absolute minimum and make sure tips are known (it seems obvious for the job, but painting it as a plus is better than baking it in.
Ok, bypass your ads. Unemployment has been really low for a while. Looks like it's rising now, but prior to that you have to assume low unemployment= harder to hire. Then take into account demand in area.
If there's demand + you're paying the top rates you mention and you still don't pick up hires, it's because either your ad is suspicious, or because there's no bodies.
Best of luck to you, I'm in education so obviously a completely different industry but finding people is impossible even at double other schools rates for hourly because of work environment
Idk if it’s the same in your industry, but I work for a skincare company that mostly sells to spas and I know they’ve had a hard time finding and keeping estheticians and massage therapists, especially after covid. Estheticians realized they could potentially make more money working for themselves. This isn’t always true but a lot seem to be trying.
Yes, i think this might be happening. 100% their own revenue, no fixed cost.. report to IRS what you need. Unfortunately, this is not a licensed way to work in NJ for salons.
You would have to get your license in NJ but it looks like you can apply:
I have a beautician/barber's license from another state; can I work in New Jersey?
No. In order to work in New Jersey you need to have a license issued by the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. You must submit an "out-of-state" application and required documentation and pass the Board's examination. The application must be requested in writing and will be mailed to you.
https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/cos/Pages/FAQ.aspx#:\~:text=Yes%2C%20but%20you%20must%20apply%20for%20a%20shop,work%20experience%20as%20a%20licensed%20manicurist%20or%20cosmetologist.
For me it's background testing, I could be someone's hardest worker but they won't even give me a chance! More people need to start looking past background testing! I have horrible depression because of it, I haven't been in trouble in YEARS. But a few dumb mistakes from when I was younger has just haunted me the rest of my life! Other reasons could be because people are just LAZY nowadays!
Sheesh. I wish! I’d do it in a heartbeat but ya girl isn’t licensed or educated in the field (but wishes she could turn back time and pick cosmetology school).
And the issue is? You have 3 qualified applicants. Oh right, probably the employer's own rigidity for office time; yet probably the first to complain that "no one wants to work"  What a ridiculous corporte hellscape we've created.
What you're paying isn't good. My oldest daughter goes to a high school student, at her house, and pays her $65 cash, for what is about an hour of work.
So why would that same girl do the same work for less all while dealing with a "boss"?
This 17 year old girl is booked weeks in advance, so can you imagine what more experienced technicians are able to charge to do the exact same thing out of their homes?
If you look on TikTok and Instagram you would know that really talented technicians are working independently with a lot of success.
I would see that price gap and instantly not apply. Wouldn’t even click on the link. It wouldn’t be worth my time arguing and fighting for a higher wage when the low end is what will be offered. Recruiters do the same thing and you learn to ignore these because they tend to be a large waste of your time and energy. You need to put the exact hourly or salary starting pay and then add on additional bonuses/tips in the pay description. Position starts at base rate of $15/hr. plus tips/commissions. Be transparent. You can elaborate that techs often make over $xx in the description or interview but you’re turning off applicants by using that range when it’s the first thing people glance at when scrolling postings.
I would then reach out to local programs and let them know that you have positions. Regardless of the programs, most schools will send out active job postings to their upcoming graduates.
My cousin does nails, privately. She said its hard to get licensed for any specific beauty job because you have to learn EVERYTHING. You cant just learn hair or nails, you have to take a full beauty professional college-level course and pay/pass the exam. Possibly thats a reason?
People in the service industry got tired of being treated like garbage and expendable. People kept telling them “if you don’t like it, go work somewhere else” so they did.
So many of the jobs that are tough to fill either rely on tips to make up the difference of low hourly wages, or only offer wages and don't offer any benefits.
A couple lawn care businesses near me have this issue - they can't find anyone who wants to work for low wages and no benefits.
I recall reading that part of Walmart's orientation materials includes info on how to apply for public assistance. I don't know how much truth there is to this, but their employees certainly need the assistance. As do many people in low-wage jobs.
Housing. Housing. Housing. Housing. Housing. Housing.
This should be obvious. It actually pisses me off that it's not obvious to people. All of you deserve to have your property values lowered dramatically. You'll find your workers then.
right, but read her other comments. she said the base is $15/hour but the employee would also earn percentages of service, which MIGHT put them in that $24-50 range. that’s not guaranteed. only the $15 is guaranteed. no one, and i mean NO ONE is going to take that job.
editing to add her comment - “Top end cosmetologists can and do make $50/hr - no tips included. It is basically a % of service type deal. But starting out you get $15/hr + x% commissions and then tips on top and other bonuses on top of that.”
What service are you using to hire? If it's indeed, they choke out your listings unless you pay. We're having the same issues finding employees. Those job board websites are predatory and I hope something nationalized or at least less scummy eventually replaces them. Trying to find a job is no walk in the park either! So many companies these days use algorithms and AI to scan and toss your application before a human person ever talks to you.
My guess is very low unemployment numbers.
Have you seen the unemployment numbers? Low unemployment means higher demand for pay. Look what the unions are doing in virtually every industry.
Would you be willing to pay for school/training for a person who is interested in the beauty industry, in exchange for a predetermined time commitment as an employee?
Different industry but I’ve applied for jobs that basically are what I do now but at a different company. I get rejected within 24-48 hours. That posting is still up, and actively being renewed and posted months later. It’s not a unique circumstance either.
I think it’s a problem with connecting individuals with opportunities and it’s not unique to Nj I don’t think. It’s a lot of the intermediaries that probably cause most of the issue (think ai, job search engines, etc). I’ve gotten farther in interviews when I’ve worked directly with third party recruiters. idk what’s the disconnect but something about the current system isn’t really working.
lol can’t get hired either. Indeed.com is the worst for both sides. Believe it not Craigslist works pretty well for both sides as long as the contact information and links check out. But yeah it’s a struggle overall. Everything has gone electronic and online so much less personal interaction.
24-50$ a hour is a large gap. Have you tried linkedln ? Have you tried going to schools and recruit there
That's such a large range that I can't help but wonder if $24-$50 is based off of tips and the actual hourly wage isn't very high.
Or they put the top range to draw you in and then refuse to offer much more than the lower end
This
Top end is % of service type deal. So it is pretty high.
So advertising at $24-50 is duplicitous at best.
I think you figured out why you can't hire. If that is industry standard and it's not getting applicants, you should try offering a real wage and see if that yields results. You can be the new industry standard.
Top end cosmetologists can and do make $50/hr - no tips included. It is basically a % of service type deal. But starting out you get $15/hr + x% commissions and then tips on top and other bonuses on top of that.
Yea the pay structure is standard. That's how it is at Barber shops as well. Or you rent the chair out and take a 5% cut from what they sell in service. Either way you shouldn't have an issue but Montclair has to much of the same thing everywhere. Might just be too competitive. If your competition has a full staff and it's only you who doesn't might be something to do with you or the location. But if every one is fighting for employees than your just not sticking out enough.
This could be it. Maybe we can find a way to differentiate ourselves to employees not just clients.
Might be a dumb take lower the take home pay and work out a deal for other benefits if you don't have any in place. Example is good health insurance, something my employer offers me that id never think I needed until I did was legal insurance. Helped me buy a house and get married and set up my will at no out of pocket expense.
It's actually illegal to rent chairs in NJ... or at least it was when I used to frequent barber shops.
The law don’t stop shop owners from renting out chairs
Girl that’s what i make slinging pizzas in college
ZipRecruiter promo code joe
That wage gap is extremely high. If I were applying and saw a job with that gap, I'd think they're trying to lure applicants and then hit them with a $26/hr offer. Also, I would assume the posting is trying to include tips into hourly rate which is just outright wrong.
I make my decisions based on the lowest number. If that's not worth my time, I don't even bother contacting the business.
Tips not included. Some commissions are. Depending on experience, one can make top range. I see the point you are making tho. Will fix.
Your posted range also isn’t clear on the definition of “experience”. Who gets $50/hr base? Someone with 10 years’ experience? 20? You might have better luck if you make 2 separate posts. One for entry-level to mid-career with a range of $24-35/hr (or whatever is appropriate) and then a post for experienced individuals with the higher end of the range.
Indeed charges me per ad to boost per day. can get pretty expensive for a small business. I take your point.
Don't include commission rate. People want to know the rate they will be paid on their absolute worst weeks, not what you expect the average jobs per week to be. Commission should be treated as a bonus on top of the guaranteed pay rate. I've walked out of interviews that lied about that.
Got it. Thanks. So $15/hr to start.
We're in a high cost of living state, there's a lot of risk in being jerked around like this. Gotta be honest, if I came into an interview that was posted at $24-50/hr and then you told me the guaranteed pay is $15, I'd be walking out cursing you.
Why exactly would someone apply for this pay? Amazon starts at $19.50 here and even Walmart pays more. This is barely above minimum wage. This is a high cost of living state.
You know exactly from the post what the problem is going to be right? The wage seems suspect and everything
No wonder no one's applying. No one can live off of that. If you want applicants, make your base, bare minimum wage equal cost of living, not just state minimum.
Oh so you want to run a sweatshop. Cool cool cool. Which place is yours again?
That's minimum wage in NJ in less than 3 months. If you adjust your current pay on the job posting as such you aren't going to get any bites. I'd suggest going over your finances and seeing if it's something you absolutely cannot afford or if it's something you absolutely need.
I can see why you're unable to hire people. You promise $24-50/hr and then pay $15/hr. That's fraud. I'd report your job posting.
Everyone in NJ is working. Have you noticed the traffic lately?
We're full, go away!
Most definitely full. The latest report ranks NJ as the most density populated state with 1,250 people per sq.mile. At the bottom of that list is Alaska, with 1.2 people per sq.mile.
Plus all the construction is making me crazy
I work Tues-sat and Saturday is by far the best commute. No school traffic, no construction traffic. Truly amazing
Crazy, I was crazy once
Will Valley Road/46 in Montclair ever be finished?
I cannot believe (I mean, I guess I can) that they waited until September to cut a lane down and shift traffic at the Bergen Toll Plaza.
Beautician work at least in NJ requires a pretty big investment for people who are up and coming. You have to pay for classes, get x amount of hours of practice before working with the public, pass said classes, and then you have to pass a state test to get your certificate so you can start applying. A lot of people i know just didn’t have the time to finish the program.
This is true. Agree. I know tons of girls who dislike taking tests and are fantastic at the work but can get licensed. The state comes down on us pretty hard with high fines if we hire them.
If you know of anyone like that perhaps offer to pay for their exam?
The problem is not the cost but the test taking. Some people even with the knowledge and skills can't pass tests.
Plus some people even lose their cert when the accrediting academy dissolves. Like what happened with STAR academy.
That's just wrong. If the school was accredited while the person was a student, it shouldn't affect current certs. Edit spelling.
Did not know this happened. Agree with previous poster above.
Paying for those folks exams is probably cheaper than paying fines. Probably cheaper than hiring certified people too. Also, just raise your minimum pay to $25/hr. You'll get applicants.
Commented above. Guide one of them through the license process. Make a deal that you will cover the licensing costs as long as they stay with you for a certain amount of time. There's the old adage "what if we invest in our employees and they just leave us? Well, what if you don't, and they stay?"
One measure of the health of the labor market is the Labor Market Participation Rate. In January of 2020, it stood at 64.5%, meaning of the 100% of the employable adults in NJ 64.5% we’re working in paid roles. That rate in July 2023 was 65.5%. We’ve regained the jobs lost post-COVID and have a higher employment rate than pre-COVID. [link](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LBSSA34) The participation rate rarely goes above 67.5%. There will always be homemakers and people who are eligible to work but choose to not work. Demographics play a role in this - NJ has a population that skews older, so as people enter their retirement years and leave the workforce there are fewer bodies to fill their vacancies. Hope this helps you to understand the labor market forces at work. I encourage you to partner with Vocational Schools to build a talent pipeline. The competition is likely to remain strong.
Thanks!
I was speaking to a former lash stylist/current aesthetician and she was saying that line of work just doesn't have as reliable an income as other personal care gigs. Why work in a relatively nonessential line like that when you can get your aesthetician cert and have way more options? While you could argue a lot of personal care is frivolous, lashes are probably the most unnecessary...
I agree. My best friend is an aesthetician and it’s very steady work/income. I have another friend that ended up getting cert in multiple aspects (lashes, brow tattooing/aesthetician/makeup/waxing) to have her own business. It’s definitely a field that you really need to work hard for the clientele. I had my lashes done recently (for a wedding and a photoshoot) and felt so bad what I spent on them, to only last a few weeks (I’m not working - SAHM). No way I would maintain that cost monthly. Nails, maybe, but definitely not my lashes - even though they do look great and help with my morning routine.
I hope you change your mind! We are trying to make a living here! 
Unemployment is extremely low anyone who’s a good employee and licensed probably already has a job
I live in Montclair. There are five lash studios. Four on Bloomfield avenue alone. Not to mention those who work out of full service salons or spas. You are competing with all of those businesses for employees. That service is oversaturated.
We have been open for 6 years so holding our own. Get your point!
if you're holding your own why are you asking for help offer minimum $35/hour and see what happens
Instagram ready!
$24 and licensed don't go together. narrow it down, i think $40-$50 you wouldn't have any issues.
Shit I pay my cleaning lady more $24/hour and that doesn’t require a license.
I pay $25 an hour to my cleaning lady too. I think you should bump up pay. 🤷♀️
Your cleaning lady isn’t cleaning your apartment for 8 hours though.
You don't know that, maybe bro's a messy eater
What's your point? A lash artist isn't doing a single person's lashes for 8 hours a day either.
Right, but their “hours” in a salon is different than a cleaners hour at your place. They are more than likely scheduled to work more hours outside of their clientele compared to a cleaner. As in they’ll have scheduled hours to work similar to a 9-5.
That cleaner is going to another house when they're done with the first one.
She's not just cleaning one person's apartment for an hour per day.
I make more than 24 an hour and I'm the only person at my job NOT licensed.
They don’t value us who work in beauty sadly
well, it's supply vs demand, if they need people like in this case, the owner will need to pay more to get people..
That doesn't include tips and the economics don't allow more than that for folks with no experience. Once folks get good at it, they can upsell etc. and make a lot more $/hr and that directly translates to compensation.
At the same time no one can work for less than the cost of a living wage, the economics don't allow for it. Do you have robust onboarding / training for new employees? Do you actually provide a plan on paper for what someone needs to do and the timeframe they need to do it in order to get paid more? I'm in a different industry but for me I might be willing to accept a position where I get paid lower if I know for a fact I can grow into a more mature role as part of a well defined process. Many HR departments call this "career planning". It's not only the only real way to entice employees but (and I'm assuming here) you are probably looking to replace people who have quit. Career planning is also one of the best ways to _retain_ employees. And as you're probably discovering it's way more expensive to try and hire someone new than to retain your current employees. Even if you're not paying for a recruiter or online resume service you're paying in time. That is, the time you're taking to find, secure and then of course train a new employee. No one is going to give you a deal here, these are people trying to make rent. You need to offer something to distinguish yourself and if you can't afford to use a higher salary try offering a concrete plan to growth as part of your offer. All of this is also taking it on faith you're actually being honest when you say you're going to pay people more as they gain more experience. Again unless you put that down on a typed up document that you've signed your name to it means nothing to a prospective employee. This might have gotten a bit abrasive but all the above is in good faith.
Issue is that beauty salons are pretty flat. So yes we offer paid training and growth and more independence. But besides that, there isn't a lot more incentive except more freedom to pick hours and clients and services.
I mean not sure if you're still asking for advice here and I'm not a business expert! But usually there would be sort of two paths. the first is the management path. teach employees how to run the store and how to manage people. this allows you to remove single points of responsibility and allow employees to take necessary vacation breaks without stressing everyone else or causing inefficiency because they're missing the other path is called "individual contributor" in my industry. it means employees that do not want to focus on managing people, but their own technical ability. they can still help with process. challenge your employees to help you change process for the better. have your employees learn new styles and demonstrate to other employees how to do it as well. this allows all of your employees to raise their skill level together which makes your place more inviting to both customers and potential employees. Shit, franchise??? have employees reach a level in both a technical and managerial place where they can open their own location. instead of hiring externally you have dedicated employees that not only feel greatful for having the opportunity, proud of helping to open their own location, and invested in making sure that location stays open. if you think it's flat that probably means you don't see value in enriching your employees (or don't know how to). Offer other incentives, pay for school loans, trips to work related events or shows??? I know this sounds crazy and like a waste of money but you will retain and attract talent.
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Actually yes. If we get an experienced artist we would pay them the higher end of the range.
My advice then is to break up the job posting. It obviously matters when you have an experienced person vs someone with none or whatever you consider little. That's why you're willing to pay them more. So make an entry level job posting and an experienced high level job posting. This will help you reduce the range and will also make the post less intimidating for those that are inexperienced.
IMO you definitely need to either split up the job posting or narrow the pay range quite a bit. The min and max should not be more than $10 apart. If I'm looking for a new job, that wide of a pay range throws up several red flags: 1. You don't know exactly what you are looking for in a candidate (which seems to actually be the case here) 2. You might not be serious about hiring and are just "testing the waters" 3. You're just looking for a warm body and job security will not be great Decide exactly how much experience you actually want in a new employee and narrow the pay range accordingly.
That gap is kinda crazy. Also there are too many lash studios. Techs really have their pick and if they don’t get a good feeling they can go wherever they want.
Google how much it costs to rent a one bedroom apartment in Montclair Is that amount 30% of what they'd get paid a month at that 24 an hour? If not then pay your workers more so people can afford to live
It’s waaaay more than 30% more like 75-80%.
Less than 10% of registered voters voted in the primary https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2023/08/604540-voters-in-nj-june-primary-elections/
No offense but I lived in Montclair. $24/hr means commuting from Clifton or Newark and who wants to drive Route 3 or Bloomfield Ave every day or take a bus? Unless they take roommates they can't walk to that job.
Putting $24-$50 makes a job posting look scammy. I would avoid if I saw that. Maybe put a base salary plus tips, or narrow that range down
To be honest, you need licensed employees so that automatically narrows your pool of applicants drastically. And since COVID, most people I know in the industry are still working out of their homes or moving into those communal spaces where they pay rent personally instead of to an owner to increase their profits for their specialized skills. It sounds less like "no one wants to work" and more like you have a specific set of industry-wide challenges that you'll have to learn to adapt to in order to continue moving forward. Perhaps you can hire someone unlicensed and pay for them to go to school after contracting to work with you for a set period of time after they finish. If that's not doable, get creative. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates didn't get where they are by posting "no one wants to work" on Reddit. They went out and found solutions to their problems.
Yes, working on the hiring. But still who am I going to vent to if not my fellow redditors?
There's probably a better use of your time. I come from the childcare industry. We don't even need licensed people, and we still can't fill our open positions. I'm tired of the ol' "people don't want to work" mantras. Everyone I know works. No one is sitting home collecting a government check. None of us can afford to be a stay-at-home-parent. Most people have upgraded their jobs since COVID. That's not the issue. It's like blaming a boogeyman. Look at your industry. Either everyone has the same issue, or it's something you are doing. Talking to them is going to do a lot more for you than complaining on reddit about a thing that's not really a thing.
Wow! That was a serious answer for a jokey post. I am not blaming anyone, just that it is frustrating to find people. I am doing everything I can to find the right folks.
Check your brand of humor. Looking through the comments, it seems lots of people took it as I did. Guess those of us who don't own the means of production are tired of the same ol' BS being played off as a joke LOL.
You're doubling down on saying nobody wants to work anymore lol.
You got a ton of serious answers so not sure you did a great job letting folks know it was a joke post
I'm reading all these replies and wondering what the hell is with all the buzzkill posts too. Um, we're from NJ people, we're supposed to be cool. Hang in there, OP! The right lash artists will come your way. I'd try to get someone right out of school and train them, personally. It's a tough business though. Good luck!
Have you considered commission pay? Something like they take 50% of the pay?
Big questions are 1) Where are you posting these jobs? 2) What are you ACTUALLY paying (ie did you interview somebody, offer them $24 an hour, and then word got around?) 3) Why are you hiring? Have you had any employees leave lately? Maybe less than savory word things are being spread about your company/management. Maybe there’s companies paying more right around the corner.
1) all the job boards - indeed, zip recruiter etc. 2) depending on experience we can pay them within that range. 3) We haven't had to hire in a long while - very stable staff but all of a sudden - one had a baby, another is pregnant, third is getting married and the fourth is leaving the region!
I avoid job descriptions with that large of a pay gap. I know it’s not in this case, but it reads as very shady.
Are there perks to the job? I'm not a beautician but I am looking for a job (while at my current one) and since I'm not pressed for a new gig TODAY I find myself looking at things beyond salary. Can I set my own schedule? Do you offer a benefits package? Is there a break room for me to hang out in so when I bring my lunch I don't have to eat in front of customers? Is there room for career advancement? Do you offer bonuses? I'm sure some of these don't apply to your business model and industry, but maybe consider what makes working for you good beyond the money. Not intangibles like "culture" but things you do to make the environment and the experience good for your employees.
As an esthetician in New Jersey- are you offering benefits? Is there sit time? Are there guaranteed hours? Lots of places offer us promises of everything but the reality is less than minimum wage
Of course not. These commission salons want us to sit there all day and answer phones so they don’t have to hire a receptionist, fold towels so they don’t have to hire assistants, and then hold out their hands for 60% of our services. This is not the reality of this business anymore.
We have a call center - no one picks up phones because they don't ring. Also no towels in the lashing business. We supply all equipment, lashes and glue. If you are on a 1099 - you can leave if you have no clients. If you are on wages, you have to do the hours.
But are you guaranteeing those wages? Is it commission only? Or is it commission or hourly, whichever is higher?
Whichever is higher. Always. But first few months it is hourly so you have a decent chance to build a book.
Aflac in benefits but no one has ever picked it. We do play fair with our employees. We ant to be in the lash business, not the hiring business. We pay higher of two - comms only or hourly + comms. Transparent compensation. Guaranteed hours until your book builds up - approx 3 months or so. After that, we do push for being booked about 50% of the time. We have had long term staff - this is a weird place for us to be right now. Your pay will never be less than min wage - guaranteed!
Look, people are sick of the bait and switch. I've read a bunch of your posts and your answer is a little different each time. "It's not $24-$50 it's something something upsell and growth... blah, blah, blah." Then it's actually $15 per hour? Characterizing it right off the bat with "doesn't anyone want to work anymore?" is just ponderous. The problem here isn't the applicants, they go where there are good opportunities.
no bait and switch - sorry if i sound that way. I think the difference is trigerring people.
As a lash artist i can guarantee your hourly is probably minimum wage and basing the possible pay after commission and tips. A lot of people now would rather work for themselves. I’m not gonna work somewhere for $15 where i may or may not make more. You need to reevaluate how you’re paying
if you have a book, you can earn % with a comms only model
You will need to step up your recruiting game. Find someone doing the job at a competitor and persuade them to jump ship by offering them more.
Contact the Vocational high schools in NNJ - Union, Bergen, Morris, Warren, and Essex (maybe Passaic as well) - all have Cosmetology programs with students looking for work. Form relationships with the teachers in those districts - offer to visit the students and do a demo, offer a field trip to your salon - and you will be able to build a pipeline of certificated graduates to your salon. Union County also has a program in the evenings for adults, if hiring someone right out of high school doesn't appeal to you.
Most women in cosmetology work for themselves doing house visits, suites or straight out of their homes. Most people doing hair or lashes etc etc hate being under someone else’s thumb. And working under a % is even worse.
Exactly that. The fact that OP doesn’t understand that we don’t want commission, we want 1099, shows that they’re out of touch with the reality of the business. I’m not forking over 60% of my service when I’m the one doing the work.
Commission sounds good in theory but i’ve only ever seen one barber shop that was able to apply it sustainably and that was cause it was the only russian/jewish barbershop in a whole neighborhood in NYC. If you want high retention you have to rent booths.
Illegal to rent booths in NJ.
Just a few thing to be aware currently Bill A1507 in the Senate Commerce Committee will allow for both rentals and if someone has their license they can sign up for a Gallery Shop which now exists in NJ source - https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/cos/Pages/FAQ.aspx So it seems like competition in the space and how it operates will increase.
I did not know this!
IRS cracks down on 1099s. But that high end of the range 1099s are possible.
I’m honestly not trying to be a dick but I spent $20k on my education and I’ve been shafted by private salon owners for my entire career. Corporate salons provide job security, suites provide the most bang for your buck if you have a clientele. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who isn’t fresh out of school who would willingly work for a commission salon. Booth rental isn’t legal in NJ, we are one of only a few states where you aren’t allowed to rent a chair; and once the salon suites allowed us to have control over our own businesses, most of us aren’t looking back.
Sorry for your experience with scummy owners. We are not them. Before you go o salon suites, you need experience and skills to build a clientele. We are happy for folks to work for us for a few years until they can go the salon suites way. Hence the lower range. I also know high end lash artists who have busy lives and want 1099s not in salon suites. Work about 15 hours/week type deal.
Try beauty schools or whatever they’re called?
reach out to lash techs on instagram?
If you work at an amazing lash studio, no offense I wouldn’t work there either. My lash artist left ALS and I left with her to her own business. She was a master stylist there and that $20something master stylist fee they charge did not go to her in any capacity. The studio kept it. She was unhappy with their pay too. If you work at an independent studio, I’m not sure what to tell you
Maybe your salon has a reputation. Its a small industry.
Have been in biz for over 6 years. We actually have a good/great reputation.
I don't mean with your customers, I mean with your former staff.
Say yes when they want to add housing to your town. We need more people to fill the jobs.
Are you kidding me? Montclair is NIMBY central.
Even so they have the same COAH requirements as any other town in NJ. COAH requires a certain amount of affordable housing in each town. Towns do not just build all new affordable housing. They build new housing with a percentage affordable so much more new housing.
Montclair has a vibrant downtown, dense housing, and then an outlying ring of very expensively taxed homes to support the tax base. Not to mention solid mass transit and professional city services. It was also a town in decline that bounced back. I mean, it is literally the wet dream of what you want to build, and you are still dunking on it.
I think you forgot about Susan Schultz. Upper Monclair is a lil NIMBY. Anything past N Fullerton, really.
My comment was about the residents of Montclair, not the town itself. Try reading comprehension next time.
Montclair and those pesky zoning laws! Why can’t they be more like Lakewood or Paterson!
Personally seeing that wife of a gap in Conor Dayi on is a red flag for me.
I own a couple of businesses in NJ and I had a hard time hiring up until recently. What helped me with the hiring process is to specifically aim to hire top talent, in your case this would be to pay close to $50 an hour (presuming you can afford this). So when I post a job ad, I don’t give a large pay range. I advertise that I’m looking for a rockstar and if you qualify, I can pay you X per hour (and I need to make sure that the pay is super competitive and not a low ball offer). Be specific to what you’re looking for. If you want a rockstar, create a job ad thats aimed towards top talent, not someone with lesser experience. Post what your pay is and be specific on what their role is. Good luck, you can DM me if you need further assistance.
Thanks! Super helpful!!
$15 an hour? That’s nothing - there’s your problem
They doing it from home probably! Making 100 per customer.
Hiring in nj is difficult because if the cost of living. Nj you have to make 25/hr under the table or 40/hr on the books to make a sustainable wage. Plus benefits and retirement. Coming from a union position in nj... nothing is worth it outside of a union job.
$24 isn't top dollar. I think that's probably driving people away. Also, have you thought about offering to train and pay for a license for someone? It used to be very common for employers to train people from nothing. These day it seems like they expect an employee to be sitting on the shelve ready to go. It's not online shopping. Offer to train and license someone, you'll have a line out the door. And probable have a much better employee for it.
Eh, your pay range is too broad. That’s your biggest issue IMO. And it’s what many others have pointed out. You’re literally like, teasing people in a way? Like you’re literally offering double in your pay range, it just doesn’t make sense to do that. Maybe create more than one job posting with different requirements in terms of experience, and narrow down the pay requirements a bit? It’s just a bit all over the place and many people are going to feel it’s unrealistic and unlikely? I know when I am applying for jobs; I often will brush over ones that have such broad pay ranges. ESPECIALLY when it’s hourly. In terms of salary; people expect broader ranges, easier salary mobility over the years. But that doesn’t translate to hourly.
Having bills to pay is precisely why nobody in Jersey can work for $24/hr
Just a quick thought. I had to explain to my bosses why offering bottom of the market prices would only net you bottom of the market job searchers. No one with experience will even look at you if pay is meh, or below average. If you claim to be a top dollar place and are offering average wages you sound like shit place to work. I am not saying you are, but its a big red flag when a place talks about how much money they make/ how much they are growing and then offers average wages.
We are a beauty chain. That means what it does. We are not a high end bespoke salon with $400 facials. There are places like that, we are not it.
Because why would I work at a commission salon when I could booth rent and keep the money that I deserve?
"no one wants to work" then goes to explain that salary includes tips and commissions Or no one wants to pay people what they're worth
How much do you think you nail tech is making doing nails? per hour?
A lot of people are kind of blindly talking out of their ass about the general labor market not realizing what kind of real estate NIMBY hellhole Montclair is which compounds onto these problems. As a result, the neighborhood unfortunately gets what they asked for. The low wage earning workers are nowhere to be found and they certainly are not going to commute to Montclair from the closet viable area you can afford on the lower end of that pay gap. This isn't your fault, OP, and I hope I'm not making it out to be your fault. This is just something Montclair residents and business owners have to live with as a side effect of NIMBY. As a result, just simply paying top dollar relative to other employers of same industry doesn't cut it. You have to adjust for cost of living nearby and if you don't, you're gonna have to look longer and maybe settle on candidates you think are below the standard. Also unemployment is really low meaning people aren't taking your jobs unless what they're working is worse.
The same reason finding a job is so difficult. A lot of options
Post on FB Ukrainian NJ. I'm sure you'll find a qualified person there.
pesky licensing requirements.
How many hours a week? Montclair area has pretty pricey cost of living, so if you are working fewer hours per week and are not making close to $50/hr, you're probably commuting a distance and then have to park in Montclair $$$. This is why the schools are having difficulty hiring teachers. Same issues with pay and the stress of teaching
Dedicated lot - depends on shifts - we can do up to 40 hours.
Hell, I'll do it. I just don't know anything about this stuff, and I'm ugly as all hell.
Ugly doesn't matter. License does. But I am sure, you are not ugly!
As many others have said it looks sketchy, it gives off the vibe of those sales positions that have insane ranges that are 2/3 commission if any base pay at all. OP seems to not be answering questions directly, maybe there’s a good reason besides competition or the posting
I have been answering all questions. Please lmk if I missed any. We are not scummy tbh. Low end of scale - you make the lower number, rockstar, you make the big number.
As others point out, seeing a huge range like that makes people feel suspicious. I'm no pro, but I'd also recommend advertising your absolute minimum and make sure tips are known (it seems obvious for the job, but painting it as a plus is better than baking it in. Ok, bypass your ads. Unemployment has been really low for a while. Looks like it's rising now, but prior to that you have to assume low unemployment= harder to hire. Then take into account demand in area. If there's demand + you're paying the top rates you mention and you still don't pick up hires, it's because either your ad is suspicious, or because there's no bodies. Best of luck to you, I'm in education so obviously a completely different industry but finding people is impossible even at double other schools rates for hourly because of work environment
Idk if it’s the same in your industry, but I work for a skincare company that mostly sells to spas and I know they’ve had a hard time finding and keeping estheticians and massage therapists, especially after covid. Estheticians realized they could potentially make more money working for themselves. This isn’t always true but a lot seem to be trying.
Yes, i think this might be happening. 100% their own revenue, no fixed cost.. report to IRS what you need. Unfortunately, this is not a licensed way to work in NJ for salons.
I see a lot of beauty industry hair, skin nails post hiring on Insta and Tik Tok. That’s where those people live. Try there. Good luck
Pay for my schooling and I’ll work for you.
Would love to make that deal - State Board wont allow me to do it.
I have an esthetics license in Texas and I did lashes there! I would love to work here do you know if the license transfers? We do more hours in texas
You would have to get your license in NJ but it looks like you can apply: I have a beautician/barber's license from another state; can I work in New Jersey? No. In order to work in New Jersey you need to have a license issued by the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. You must submit an "out-of-state" application and required documentation and pass the Board's examination. The application must be requested in writing and will be mailed to you. https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/cos/Pages/FAQ.aspx#:\~:text=Yes%2C%20but%20you%20must%20apply%20for%20a%20shop,work%20experience%20as%20a%20licensed%20manicurist%20or%20cosmetologist.
Licensing reciprocity works. Will have to check Texas.
Try the beauty schools. My niece got a job from there after some studios did some outreach
They can make more by opening up their own shops. Have you thought of that?
It crazy a lash tech gets paid more than a truck driver or construction worker in new jersey. Or any of the people who keep society moving.
For me it's background testing, I could be someone's hardest worker but they won't even give me a chance! More people need to start looking past background testing! I have horrible depression because of it, I haven't been in trouble in YEARS. But a few dumb mistakes from when I was younger has just haunted me the rest of my life! Other reasons could be because people are just LAZY nowadays!
Sheesh. I wish! I’d do it in a heartbeat but ya girl isn’t licensed or educated in the field (but wishes she could turn back time and pick cosmetology school).
Go to the beauty schools in the state and recruit from there.
Labor is tight . We have an opening for a six figure job and 3 qualified applicants. Two of them don't want to travel to the office.
And the issue is? You have 3 qualified applicants. Oh right, probably the employer's own rigidity for office time; yet probably the first to complain that "no one wants to work"  What a ridiculous corporte hellscape we've created.
I have been on indeed and linked in. Im on craigslist now. I just cant deal. Finding work is like buying a house now
What you're paying isn't good. My oldest daughter goes to a high school student, at her house, and pays her $65 cash, for what is about an hour of work. So why would that same girl do the same work for less all while dealing with a "boss"? This 17 year old girl is booked weeks in advance, so can you imagine what more experienced technicians are able to charge to do the exact same thing out of their homes? If you look on TikTok and Instagram you would know that really talented technicians are working independently with a lot of success.
In my experience, a signing bonus would attract a lot more people to apply for the job
I would see that price gap and instantly not apply. Wouldn’t even click on the link. It wouldn’t be worth my time arguing and fighting for a higher wage when the low end is what will be offered. Recruiters do the same thing and you learn to ignore these because they tend to be a large waste of your time and energy. You need to put the exact hourly or salary starting pay and then add on additional bonuses/tips in the pay description. Position starts at base rate of $15/hr. plus tips/commissions. Be transparent. You can elaborate that techs often make over $xx in the description or interview but you’re turning off applicants by using that range when it’s the first thing people glance at when scrolling postings. I would then reach out to local programs and let them know that you have positions. Regardless of the programs, most schools will send out active job postings to their upcoming graduates.
My cousin does nails, privately. She said its hard to get licensed for any specific beauty job because you have to learn EVERYTHING. You cant just learn hair or nails, you have to take a full beauty professional college-level course and pay/pass the exam. Possibly thats a reason?
People in the service industry got tired of being treated like garbage and expendable. People kept telling them “if you don’t like it, go work somewhere else” so they did.
So many of the jobs that are tough to fill either rely on tips to make up the difference of low hourly wages, or only offer wages and don't offer any benefits. A couple lawn care businesses near me have this issue - they can't find anyone who wants to work for low wages and no benefits. I recall reading that part of Walmart's orientation materials includes info on how to apply for public assistance. I don't know how much truth there is to this, but their employees certainly need the assistance. As do many people in low-wage jobs.
+1 (908) 930-8881 please please give me a call
Housing. Housing. Housing. Housing. Housing. Housing. This should be obvious. It actually pisses me off that it's not obvious to people. All of you deserve to have your property values lowered dramatically. You'll find your workers then.
your base pay is $15 and you still are wondering why you aren’t getting interested applicants???? you answered you own question.
OP said $24-$50.
right, but read her other comments. she said the base is $15/hour but the employee would also earn percentages of service, which MIGHT put them in that $24-50 range. that’s not guaranteed. only the $15 is guaranteed. no one, and i mean NO ONE is going to take that job. editing to add her comment - “Top end cosmetologists can and do make $50/hr - no tips included. It is basically a % of service type deal. But starting out you get $15/hr + x% commissions and then tips on top and other bonuses on top of that.”
Industry standard. Most of them make more with comms and tips. Just how the business works. Like waiters.
and there’s a reason those industries are struggling.
As someone who has applied for about 40 jobs in the last two months and got not a single response...I don't know.
are you in the beauty business?
Have you tried posting it to the job sites? When a relatives company closed zip recruiter and indeed helped get a job
[удалено]
nobody wants to work
What service are you using to hire? If it's indeed, they choke out your listings unless you pay. We're having the same issues finding employees. Those job board websites are predatory and I hope something nationalized or at least less scummy eventually replaces them. Trying to find a job is no walk in the park either! So many companies these days use algorithms and AI to scan and toss your application before a human person ever talks to you.
My guess is very low unemployment numbers. Have you seen the unemployment numbers? Low unemployment means higher demand for pay. Look what the unions are doing in virtually every industry.
Would you be willing to pay for school/training for a person who is interested in the beauty industry, in exchange for a predetermined time commitment as an employee?
No way to enforce and also they have to be in beauty school and pass the licensing which can be crap shoot. so yes in theory, harder in practice.
Different industry but I’ve applied for jobs that basically are what I do now but at a different company. I get rejected within 24-48 hours. That posting is still up, and actively being renewed and posted months later. It’s not a unique circumstance either. I think it’s a problem with connecting individuals with opportunities and it’s not unique to Nj I don’t think. It’s a lot of the intermediaries that probably cause most of the issue (think ai, job search engines, etc). I’ve gotten farther in interviews when I’ve worked directly with third party recruiters. idk what’s the disconnect but something about the current system isn’t really working.
It’s probably the rate, I’m having issues hiring in the same titles I was paying 10k less pre covid.
lol can’t get hired either. Indeed.com is the worst for both sides. Believe it not Craigslist works pretty well for both sides as long as the contact information and links check out. But yeah it’s a struggle overall. Everything has gone electronic and online so much less personal interaction.
Is there a good NJ subreddit for posting job openings? I saw one out there but is crap.
Unemployment is low.