Client Coordinator
The Phone Interview.
Who runs it: Hiring lead (you). Length: 15–20 minutes. Goal: Decide only whether they earn an in-person interview.
The phone screen is a filter, not a full interview. You're checking three things quickly:
(1) Are the logistics a fit, meaning availability, location, and pay range?
(2) Do they have basic warmth and phone presence, since guests will experience this exact voice?
(3) Is there any obvious reason to stop now? Keep it light and conversational.
How they make you feel on the phone is data; a guest calling to book will feel the same thing.
Before you start the interview, be sure to have your iPad ready to start recording using the app “Voice Memos” already installed on the device.
Start recording…
While recording, let the candidate know that you will record the audio of this interview for review purposes and ask permission, this should be recorded.
Recording audio of the interview can keep you on track so you could listen to the answer comfortably without having to pause and write a candidates response.
Open (2 minutes)
Warm and human. Set them at ease, because you learn nothing real from a nervous, guarded person.
• Thank them for their time and give a 30-second picture of Lush: a luxury, drama-free, Kérastase partner salon that lives or dies on how cared-for guests feel.
• Tell them the call is short and casual, just to get to know each other.
Logistics Fit (4 minutes)
Get the disqualifiers out of the way before you invest emotionally in a candidate you can't hire.
1. Walk me through what you're looking for in your next role, and what made you apply here specifically?
Listen for: Whether they know anything about us, or applied to 40 places blindly. A specific reason (someone referred them, they've been a guest, they love the brand) is a strong early signal.
2. What does your availability look like across days, evenings, and Saturdays?
Listen for: Honest, workable answer vs. Dodging a straight answer. Saturdays are non-negotiable in a salon; find out now.
3. Are you comfortable with the pay range for this role, which is $12/hour?
Listen for: A clear yes vs. a reluctant one. Better to lose a mismatch now than after two interviews.
Character & Warmth (8 minutes)
This is the heart of the screen. You're listening as much to how they answer as to what they say. Does their voice reflect warmth when talking about people? Do they sound like someone you'd want greeting you?
1. Tell me about a time you made someone's day better, whether a customer, a guest, or anyone.
What did you do?
Listen for: Do they reach for this instantly, or struggle? People wired for hospitality have a dozen of these stories. Kindness & optimism, empathy.
2. Think of the best place you've ever been a customer. What made it special?
Listen for: Do they notice the emotional details (how they were made to feel) or only the transactional ones (fast, cheap)? Reveals whether they even perceive hospitality. Curiosity, empathy.
3. When you've had a hard day at work, what usually caused it, and how did you handle it?
Listen for: Look for ownership vs. blame. Do they badmouth old employers and coworkers, or take responsibility? Integrity, self-awareness. A red flag here is worth pausing on.
4. What's something you've gotten better at recently, and how?
Listen for: Any answer showing they actively try to improve. Incurious people go blank here. Intellectual curiosity, work ethic.
Close (2 minutes)
• Invite their questions. What they ask reveals what they care about. Good candidates ask about the team, the culture, and growth; weaker ones ask only about time off.
• Explain next steps and timeline. End as warmly as you opened.
Phone Screen Decision
Right after you hang up, before you do anything else, answer one question with your gut:
"Did this person make me feel good on the phone, and would a nervous first-time guest feel the same?"
If yes, advance them. If you're lukewarm, they're a no. Warmth is the whole job, and it doesn't get stronger under interview pressure. Trust the signal.