The right talent in today's competitive job market is the need for recruitment of an organization. Now, who else can accomplish this except the hiring manager? Not only do they play a strategic role, but the hiring manager is also the decision-maker and evaluates the suitability of applicants in the team and with the company culture.
Once understood, the role of a hiring manager and how this is different from a recruiter or HR professional, clarifies the entire recruitment process, making it easier for job seekers to navigate the interviews. Let's talk about what a hiring manager does, how they are different from other HR roles, and what questions to ask hiring manager.
A hiring manager is typically the senior member of a team or the head of a department and, usually responsible for the identification of the staffing needs within a team and, therefore, responsible for overseeing the whole process of hiring in an organization.
Though the recruiters, HR do tasks that touch other aspects in the recruitment pipeline, it is to be noted that the ultimate hiring decision-maker is usually the hiring manager. In simple words, the hiring manager is ensuring that the candidate selected really fits into the current requirements of the job but also the dynamics of the team and its goals.
There are several roles and responsibilities that a hiring manager needs to fulfill in order to ensure a smooth working environment in the organization. Here we have listed down some of the common roles and responsibilities of hiring managers.
The first responsibility a hiring manager has is an outline of what the ideal candidate looks like for an open position. This describes the essential skills, qualifications, and experiences that the team needs. This will steer recruiters and HR in reaching the right pool of applicants in targeting.
Once applications are received, the hiring manager begins by assessing candidates in the following: scanning resumes and interviews for applicants as a basis of technical know-how, cultural fit, and experience related to the job. The outcome from the hiring manager would prove very vital when it came to shortlisting those fit for the demands of the role and dynamics of the team.
The hiring manager joins forces with HR and recruiters to complete the hiring process. They are involved in the assessment of finalists so that the selected candidate will fit into both technical and cultural standards. Together, they develop the offer, including compensation and benefits, which will correspond to the qualifications of the candidate and market standards.
Although it's true that HR will have a direct role in managing onboarding logistics, hiring managers often play an immediate role in orienting the new hire to the team. They often provide training specific to the department and detail expectations of the role as well as objectives of the team to help get the new hire integrated easily and establish rapport early with the team.
Post-hire, a hiring manager stays active to integrate the new person in a team so the new one performs his part well as expected. They check-up regularly and facilitate feedback through which they help employees improve, thus giving great work experiences and bonding through teams.
Suggested Read: Boost Hiring Success: Using Data Analytics in Recruitment
Hiring managers and recruiters are both integral elements of the recruiting process but have different responsibilities and goals.
A recruiter is very much akin to a talent scout-skilled researcher with a gift for finding and attracting applicants from all walks of life. They focus efforts on the front end of the hiring process, bringing in qualified and diverse applicants for each role. Instead, they are usually a department head or team leader, focused and more particular about the specific needs of a department for certain types of team members.
Thus, they review who may or may not best meet needs as a team and cut it down to who can most feasibly work out, determining those who best fit. Thus, the job has many certain roles and responsibilities within one organization.
The very front-end of the hiring pipeline is managed by recruiters. They post the jobs, screen resumes, and even conduct preliminary interviews. Coordinate with the hiring manager to discern the specific needs for this role and forward the best candidates for further interview stages.
For mid- to final-stage interviews, the hiring manager is more directly involved to assess more in-depth qualities, technical skills, teamwork, and general fit.
There, recruiters work across a variety of departments and strive to match appropriate candidates for each team across the organization. The hiring manager doesn't care about filling up any position or slot within his or her team or group.
They need somebody to fit into the overall team culture and understand the team demands because it is their working team. This focus enables them to make a more defined and strategic hire, which ultimately chisels into stronger team cohesion and productivity.
The clear segmentation of the roles for the recruiter and the hiring manager makes the process of hiring easier and gives assurance that the right people are placed in the proper roles. Both of them focus on using the workplace HR strategies that can engage for the employees and company.
The roles of hiring managers and HR professionals complement each other, as they serve different purposes in the hiring process. It is not a hierarchical relationship but a collaborative one where each contributes their expertise to ensure the right talent for the organization.
The scope of an HR professional has a wide focus, such as company-wide objectives relating to employee relations, benefits, regulatory compliance, and recruitment standards. They keep the hiring practice in step with the organizational policies and legislation, thereby maintaining the uniformity between departments.
Hiring managers focus on the filling of some positions in their teams. They are aware of exactly what the department needs immediately, as well as the technical requirement and cultural fit, thus are necessary for bringing in the candidates who would make the best contribution to support the team's goals.
From a process point of view, HR deals with the logistics and compliance of hiring, such as posting the job, application review, and interview arrangements. They will ensure that hiring practices are in accordance with employment laws, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and corporate guidelines.
The hiring manager becomes more involved with the candidate at the screening and interviewing stages to determine if each candidate's skills, personality, and experience meet the team's expectations.
Together, the HR and hiring managers develop an efficient hiring process that balances organizational needs with team-specific requirements such that every new hire supports both the company's general goals and the specific goals of the team.
Also Read: Top Hiring Mistakes to Avoid: Improve Recruitment Process
Salaries for hiring managers vary significantly depending on the industry, size of the company, and geographic location. Generally, hiring managers work in large cities or specialized industries like technology or healthcare and earn a higher salary due to the complexity of the job and the higher cost of living in these locations.
In the United States, a hiring manager salary can be anywhere from $60,000 to $120,000 per year. However, such figures are much more prevalent in competitive sectors such as tech, finance, or biotech, in which there is a very high demand for such professionals.
If you are preparing for an interview, asking the hiring manager specific questions can give you insight into the role, expectations, and team culture. Here are some examples:
What are the immediate goals for this role in the first 6 months?
This question helps you understand the priorities and challenges of the position.
How would you describe the team culture and dynamics?
Learn about the team culture so you will understand whether you would be fit for it or not.
What is success in this role?
Understand who does a good job well so that you can sense whether you have strengths according to that role.
Do you think there are strong opportunities to grow in the position?
This may elicit responses on how this company advances employee development through the system or in relation to growing within the specific team or department.
Hiring managers are critical to the growth and culture of an organization. These people carry the responsibility to hire people who meet both the technical requirements and upgrade the team dynamics to their advantage and contribute positively for the organization.
Whether an aspiring hiring manager or just a job candidate, realizing the complexity of this role can offer valuable insights for navigating the hiring process or succeeding in a recruitment-related career.
This content was created by AI