Do Hiring Managers Really Know How to Hire?

Do you ever ask yourself if your hiring Manager or whoever has the power of decision making when it comes to recruiting - actually knows how to hire?

Not All Hiring Managers Are Recruiters

Many times, they hold different positions in the company (related to the role you’re recruiting for) or may be senior leaders, such as CEOs.

Although their perspective is important, it may differ from yours, especially when evaluating talent and going through a structured hiring process.

Subjectivity in Hiring Decisions

Oftentimes, they tend to be subjective when making the hiring decision:

I don’t feel the vibe is right with this person.

Can't exactly put my finger on it, but I feel like we should interview more.

They meet 90% of the job requirements, but lack the other 10%, which I don’t know what it is.

The Recruiter's Role

It’s not fun, especially since we know how much effort we put into it. But maybe it’s also ok to guide them through what a professional recruitment process is.

Of course, it’s not your responsibility to do that, but at the end of the day, you, the recruiter, have ownership for the job roles you're hiring for.

And as a great recruiter, your job is not just to make sure the numbers add up. You’re a people person, and the voice for the candidates who can’t wait for an update. You're the one who helps them find their next job, so they rely on you and trust you'll guide them through the recruitment process professionally and humanely.

Questions to Ask Hiring Managers

Have a sit-down with them and ask them specific questions:

• What are the results you’re expecting from this person in the first 3 to 6 months of hiring?
• Ask them to give you some examples of what good versus bad would mean for this role.
• Before discussing with candidates, have a look at your pipeline and offer 3-4 CV's, and ask them to make some comparisons: what is ok and what is not, and why. This way, not only that you show you came prepared, but you can also create a clearer image in your mind about the ideal candidate.

Challenging Hiring Managers

Don’t be afraid to challenge them.

“Not vibing” with a candidate is not a real answer, but most of the time, they simply don’t know how to put into words what they actually mean.

• Can you tell me what exactly made you feel that way? (Take them back to the interview they had, so they remember details)
• Is there something they said that made you raise concerns? (This question is to look for keywords, or maybe it’s something they didn’t say. What was the question that didn’t feel like the answer was ok? Or maybe it was body language.)
• How did the candidate compare with someone you felt the vibe from in the past? (This way, they can give you an exact answer, and you can search for patterns: passion, initiative, feedback, etc.)
• If you had to coach this person for the first 3 months, what are the things you’d want them to improve right away? (This can reveal if the concern is about autonomy, learning direction, behaviour, etc.)

Understanding the "Vibe"

These are just some questions you can start with first, and as the conversation flows, you'll be able to guide it naturally and help both you and the hiring manager understand better what this "vibe" actually means.

If they’re right, you just unlocked a new and important skill in yourself and got to understand how your hiring manager thinks. Now you can align faster on recruitment expectations, and you build a stronger collaboration.

If their concern doesn't add up, and the candidate meets all the role requirements, it's time for a different conversation. Go with your hiring manager through all the job requirements again. Are the expectations still aligned with what was originally defined?

If a candidate checks all the boxes but still gets a "no", then the meaning of a successful hire might have to be adjusted in the company.