12 Red Flags When Hiring a New Barber

Hiring is one of those things that seems simple until you get it wrong.

A good hire transforms your shop. They bring energy, skills, maybe even clients. They make your life easier.

A bad hire? They drain your time, damage your reputation, upset your team, and leave you worse off than an empty chair would have been.

The tricky part is that bad hires often interview well. They know what to say. They seem promising. Then reality sets in.

After years of watching shops navigate this, patterns emerge. Here are the red flags that experienced owners wish they'd noticed sooner.

1. They trash-talk their previous shop

Everyone has reasons for leaving a job. But how they talk about it tells you everything.

If they spend the interview complaining about their last employer—the owner was unfair, the team was jealous, clients were difficult—pay attention. That narrative will eventually include you.

People who take ownership say things like "It wasn't the right fit" or "I was looking for more growth." People who blame say things like "They didn't appreciate me" or "The owner had favorites."

One of these becomes your employee. One becomes your problem.

2. Their social media tells a different story

Always check their Instagram, TikTok, whatever they use professionally.

Are they posting consistent, quality work? Or are the best photos from two years ago? Do they engage with clients, or is it all selfies and complaints?

A barber who claims five years of experience but has sparse, inconsistent content is a question mark. Social media is free marketing—if they're not using it, ask why.

Also look at how they interact. Do they respond to comments professionally? Do they handle criticism with grace? Social media is a preview of how they'll represent your brand.

3. They can't explain their technique

Skilled barbers can articulate what they're doing and why.

In the interview or trial, ask them to walk you through their approach. "Why that guard? Why blend that way? How do you handle this face shape?"

If they can't explain their choices—if it's just "I don't know, it's just how I do it"—that's a ceiling on their growth. You want someone who understands the why, not just the what.

This also matters for training. A barber who can't explain technique can't teach others or adapt when something doesn't work.

4. They're late to the interview

This one's obvious but gets overlooked when you're desperate.

If they can't be on time for the interview—the moment they're supposedly making their best impression—how will they treat regular Tuesday mornings?

Lateness without a genuine emergency (and a proactive heads-up) is disrespectful. It signals that their time matters more than yours. It predicts how they'll treat clients.

5. They negotiate aggressively before proving themselves

There's a difference between knowing your worth and having an inflated ego.

Someone who's barely sat down before demanding top commission, premium station placement, and special scheduling? That's entitlement without evidence.

Good candidates ask about growth paths. They want to understand how to earn more. They're willing to prove themselves first.

Aggressive negotiators often become high-maintenance employees who feel perpetually undervalued, no matter what you offer.

6. They have a trail of short tenures

Look at their work history. How long do they stay places?

Six months here, four months there, eight months somewhere else—that's a pattern. Maybe everywhere they go has problems. More likely, they are the problem.

Some movement is normal, especially early in careers. But someone who's never stayed anywhere for two years? You won't be the exception.

7. They don't ask questions about your shop

A serious candidate wants to know about your culture, your clients, your expectations. They're evaluating you too.

If they don't ask anything—just nod along and wait for you to finish—they're either not that interested or don't think critically about where they work.

Good questions show engagement: "What's your busiest day? How do you handle booking? What's your team like? What would success look like in six months?"

No questions means no investment.

8. Their "following" is suspiciously vague

Many barbers claim they'll bring clients. Fewer actually do.

When someone says "I have a big following," probe deeper. How many active clients? How often do they come? How far will they travel? Are they loyal to the barber or to convenience?

Ask for specifics. If they get defensive or vague—"Oh, you know, like a lot of people"—discount the claim significantly. Real followings come with real numbers.

9. They resist the working interview

A working interview—where they cut real hair in your shop—is the single best predictor of success. It shows technical skill, client interaction, and how they fit your space.

Anyone who resists this is hiding something.

"I'm too busy right now." "Can't we just talk?" "My work speaks for itself."

Nope. If they won't demonstrate their skills in your environment, don't hire them. The working interview protects everyone.

10. They seem more interested in the chair than the team

Some barbers see a shop as just a place to work. They want a chair, a mirror, and to be left alone.

That might be fine for booth rent, but if you're building a team culture, it's a mismatch.

Listen for "I" versus "we" language. Do they ask about collaboration, team activities, shared learning? Or is everything framed around their individual needs?

A barber who doesn't care about culture will erode yours.

11. Their rate of improvement is unclear

Experience matters less than trajectory.

A barber with two years who's constantly learning, taking classes, trying new techniques—that's momentum.

A barber with ten years who peaked at year three and has been coasting—that's stagnation.

Ask about their recent growth. What have they learned in the last year? What do they want to get better at? If the answer is vague or nonexistent, they've stopped developing.

12. Your gut says no

After all the rational analysis, trust your instincts.

If something feels off—you can't articulate it, but something doesn't sit right—honor that feeling. You're picking up on signals your conscious mind hasn't processed yet.

Desperation makes us override gut feelings. "The chair's been empty for two months, they're good enough, let's just try it."

Every owner who's said that has a regret story. The wrong person is worse than no person.

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The Cost of Ignoring Red Flags

A bad hire doesn't just mean poor haircuts. It means:

• Clients who don't come back
• Team members who get frustrated
• Your time spent managing instead of growing
• Reputation damage that takes months to repair
• The emotional drain of knowing you made a mistake

An empty chair costs money. A wrong hire costs more.

What to Do Instead

If you see red flags, don't hire. Keep looking.

If you're not sure, get more data. Another interview. A longer working trial. References you actually call.

If everything looks good, trust it and move forward. Good hires are out there. You just have to wait for them.

The shops that thrive are the ones that hold the line on standards. They'd rather be short-staffed than poorly staffed.

Be that shop.