Accounting and Consulting
Make it tough
John Robert’s Spa’s John DiJulius says you shouldn’t wait until you need a new employee to place the ad.
By Mark Scott
Smart Business Cleveland | February 2007
One of the biggest mistakes that a company can make is waiting until it needs new
employees to begin the hiring process, says John DiJulius.
“Needing someone is a dangerous thing because you start hiring just anyone,” says
DiJulius, president of John Robert’s Spa. “We try to stay six to 12 months ahead of the
curve and anticipate bulk turnover and promotion and constantly be looking for people
to hire. We hire when we don’t need people. If we find someone that is great, we’ll hire
them. They will justify their position.”
John Robert’s Spa was founded by DiJulius and his wife, Stacy, in 1993. The provider
of spa and salon services has grown to encompass more than 150 employees at six locations across Cuyahoga County.
The key to making good hires, DiJulius says, is to implement a process that weeds out
candidates who don’t fit your company culture.
He has implemented a system in which only one out of every 25 applicants is hired. The
new hire goes through a minimum of four interviews and can wait as long as six months
before he or she is hired.
“I want it to be viewed as a difficult job to get hired at,” DiJulius says. “I want you
to work your rear end off in that interview.
“We probably paint a stronger picture of how hard the job is going to be than maybe it
actually is. But if you want the job after hearing that, I know you’re going to be successful.”
Candidates at their first interview will meet with the people development director and
go over what DiJulius calls the company’s “nonnegotiables.”
“We want you to know that a couple times a year, we’re going to have a training session, and you’re going to have to come in,” DiJulius says. “It might be your off day, but
you’ll get paid for it and you’ll know about it three to six months in advance. What we
don’t want, and what can happen, is you just say, ‘Hey, you’re having this workshop on
Monday? I don’t work Monday, nor will I ever.’”
The rigorous interview process does one of two things, DiJulius says.
“It either turns you on, and you’re nodding your head and you’re saying, ‘Yeah, I know,
this is why I’m here,’” he says. “Or, in most cases, it turns you completely off, and you’re
like, ‘Dude you’re crazy, I just want to cut some hair and answer some phones. I don’t
want to worry about all the things that you’re talking about.’”
DiJulius believes his approach to hiring can work in any business.
“I can’t see what industry or what company it can’t work for,” DiJulius says. “If your
culture is important and you want low turnover and people with the same vision, I can’t
think how that wouldn’t apply. I don’t think enough businesses have standards. You have
to look at whether they are the right fit for your company.”
Once the employee has been hired, DiJulius says it is crucial the company take steps
to ensure it keeps the person.
“If you start failing immediately, you’re going to hate this job,” DiJulius says. “We have
a boot camp for every department that really takes a crawl, walk and run approach with
tests, service aptitude tests and different things to make sure you’re prepared before we
put you out there.”
HOW TO REACH: John Robert’s Spa, (216) 839-1430
or www.johnrobertsspa.com; The DiJulius Group Inc.,
www.johndijulius.com
