We're expanding...again...

After three years (this coming March) yours truly, Caitlin S., will be transitioning from the role of "Spa Coordinator" and "Front Desk/ Store Manager" to solely management and marketing! What does this mean? It means that I will no longer physically be at Emily's Skincare & Spa Tuesday - Saturday very soon. Occasionally you might catch me working the odd weekday or two when needed. In a way, we are expanding in that aspect; adding a new team member to take over the store management and front desk role. While I'm certain it's no secret that small businesses go through an ongoing process of hiring new employees - probably more than we'd prefer - that doesn't seem to make it any less stressful or time consuming. Can I get an Amen? I have to ask though... when it comes to the business, is it too large of a risk to take a chance on someone who might not fit the candidate description? I'm aware that resumes and applications that don't qualify will always come through, but how can we truly know the measure of someone based off of a resume? I recently posted a job opening for my position here at Emily's Skincare & Spa and received nearly one hundred and fifty applications. YES, you read that correctly.... one hundred and fifty resumes came through our email within two weeks and my task was to read through each and every resume and job application and prioritize them based of qualifications. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that I saw a younger version of myself in many of those resumes - young, eager, inexperienced and ready to commit to something they may not fully understand. While I never did attempt to submit my resume for a job I wasn't qualified for, I commend those who do; that takes a certain amount of confidence and courage. 

On the flip side of things, being the one on the receiving end is so much more difficult than I ever imagined. Have you ever tried to weed through one hundred and fifty resumes hoping to find "The One?" You know - that one that stands out among the rest and is an obvious choice? Have you ever tried to look at a person's resume objectively and remain unbiased and nonjudgmental? After all, doesn't hiring someone suitable for the job require passing judgment on some level? We are taught not to judge others, and yet here I am all of the sudden thrust into the real world of business and management and it becomes a necessity to pass judgement. Why? What if I don't want to pass judgement? Let's take a step back from the child-like tantrum that embodies complaining about "adulting" for a moment and look at this from a business standpoint shall we? My obligation and duty to this company is to find the very best and brightest to represent us - someone who will be "in it for the long haul." When everyone is reaching out saying "pick me! pick me!" I have to be the one to say "no" to some of those applicants, unfortunately - no matter how badly I want to say "yes" to every single one.

Let's talk about resumes for a moment... a resume isn't always a testimony to your moral beliefs or character and it certainly isn't about getting too personal. A resume is an opportunity for you to shine. A resume is best served updated, current and organized. Lets not forget - PROOF READ your resume. Try printing it a few times from different locations and computer systems. Make sure it's going to print properly no matter what program or operating system a company might have. Aim to include only the important information that seems pertinent to the job you are applying for; while it's impressive that you've collected shot glasses from all 50 states in the U.S. I really can't use that information to determine if you might be capable of problem solving in a pinch or remaining calm when the WiFi goes down and you've got a line of clients waiting to be checked out. 

What interests you about working for us? Do you know anything about our company? Have you visited the website? Do you know who owns the business? What about the history of our business? Have you researched the products we sell? Or our services? Do. Your. Research. Ask us questions - not just questions about the pay or bonuses - ask us questions that would require some effort on our part. Get to know us before you so readily commit to joining our team - working at a small business in the service industry isn't for everyone. Part of what makes our business successful is the team of ladies who work together to keep our little slice of serenity up and running; we each take great pride in our facility and the overall presentation and we all work to help each other out when the time comes. True, it's easy to say you want to be part of a team - but when the going gets tough and you're unexpectedly out of hard wax and you need someone to make a quick supply run in the middle of the day without complaint what then? How will you handle needing to ask your team for help? How will you handle when your teammates ask you for help?

So much effort goes into keeping a small business running smoothly and far too often it requires the employees to care as if the business were their own - even though it isn't. You know the old saying, "...it takes a village..." - it truly takes a village to bring ideas to life and dreams to fruition. Even more so, it takes commitment to keep that dream going and build upon the foundation that has been set by those before us. We are growing here at Emily's Skincare & Spa and we are so immensely grateful for the support we've received these past three years in our current location and we cannot wait to see where we are and the growth we accomplish in another three years! 

Cheers!

Caitlin Stamey