How to get my job (or...tips to try, anyway)

The majority of the emails that I have received so far deal with one question..."So just how DO you get a receptionist/shop help type job at a tattoo shop, anyway?" This is a great question that I'd like to try to answer to the best of my ability. Although none of these tips are going to guarantee that you'll get a position similar to mine (many shops don't even HAVE a position like mine), I feel that these could possibly boost your chances.

First things first-get a resume together that is geared towards being a receptionist/front desk/shop help. I would definitely make this as well rounded as possible; a possible employer is going to choose the person who is going to benefit their company the most. As I've explained before, my position involves much more than just answering phones and scheduling appointments all day- I do most of the cleaning that goes on in the shop. Also, it may be obvious that you need to have customer service skills for this job, but you're going to want to make sure to highlight that you indeed have them. Because of all of this, you are going to want your resume to reflect everything; don't leave any stone unturned. Don't be afraid to be creative with your past experience. For example, my first "job" was babysitting. I wasn't in "customer service", per say, but my resume reflected the fact that I interacted with my clients and ensured that the care that I was providing for their children was meeting and exceeding their expectations. I also worked for a company that put on birthday parties for children; I used this as experience for cleaning, because I had to vacuum, clean restrooms, and set up and take down decorations for the parties. Basically, I made what little experience I DID have applicable to the tattooing world, even though nothing I did related directly. Sidenote- if you happen to be interested in art, SAY so! Bonus points if you make art on the side, are in art school, or anything. These are definitely good things to put on a resume because it shows that you are interested in their field. However, I had none of this (I can barely draw stick figures), so it's definitely not a requirement (unless you wanted to tattoo, but watch for a future post on that).

I would also take this time before the job hunt to start studying up on tattooing and the process. Of course, you may already be very knowledgeable about these things. I wasn't, so I needed to research. This way, you're prepared for questions and you sound confident that you know what you're talking about. You never know when you'll be offered an interview, so you'll want to have this started. It wouldn't be a bad idea to brush up on piercings, either, since many shops also offer piercing services.

Your best bet in finding a job is going to be to find a shop that is actively hiring for this very position. I would start by looking on popular sites that list jobs...monster.com, craigslist.org, etc. You may need to try using different keywords, such as "tattoo receptionist", "tattoo front desk", "tattoo shop help"...you get the idea. Honestly, if you just search "tattoo", you'll probably find everything that you're going to find on the particular website that you're on (plus some actual tattooing jobs, of course). Another idea would be going going onto the websites of shops that are local to you (to get THESE websites, you're on your own...use Google to your advantage) and see if they have an "employment" or "HR" section. You *might* just luck out and find an ad about shop help wanted (Of course, these types of sections on a tattoo shop website are rare, but you NEVER know!). Be sure to check out the social media sites of shops, as well, such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. Shops have been known to post help wanted ads on these mediums, as the traffic is pretty heavy on them. I'm personally not active on any tattoo/piercing forums, but I know that jobs have been posted on forums in the past...so be aware of these options, as well!

If you can't find any listings for jobs, now you're going to have to start cold calling, essentially. This is why I suggested getting a resume together. With this resume, you'll be persuading employers that you're worth hiring and that you'd be a valuable asset to their company. I suggest that you walk into shops in person- calling about a job on the phone comes off as lazy. Whenever someone calls our shop, I have been instructed to tell them to come in and speak to a manager. You don't want to be pinned as lazy even before you interview...not good. Go into shops and ask to speak to a manager. Ask if they are hiring for a front desk/receptionist/shop help position. Actually...I would probably say shop help, as that is what they would most likely want, if given the option (it sounds the most appealing, plus you'll probably end up doing reception anyway if hired on as shop help). As you probably read in one of my posts, that's essentially what I do...help out around the shop and do everything the artists DON'T want to do. If the manager says they are hiring, great. If not, or if they say they don't even have the position, I would ask if they've ever considered having shop help. Go into the benefits of having an extra set of hands in the shop that aren't tattooing- someone to always answer phones, someone to always greet clients and answer questions (have you ever walked into a business and just kind of stood there, confused, because no one greeted you? Awkward and uncomfortable), someone to clean up after the artists and make the shop run as seamless as possible. Sure, it's possible that the manager already does all of this. However, I DO know that many shops are all dudes, and artistic tattooer dudes don't always think of things that make a shop more appealing to the average client, like having a receptionist. Plus, my guys at my shop LOVE that they don't have to do any of the cleaning around the shop. You might also want to offer the fact that you could help out with cleaning tubes and autoclaving things (just more stuff they don't want to do). Don't be afraid...the worst that can happen is they say no.

Get an interview? Great! Wondering what to wear? So was I! Check out this post to get more information on that.

Hopefully this was all helpful. As always, feel free to email me or leave a comment below if you have any questions.