3 Qualities of Awesome Hiring Managers

November 5, 2013

In this post, I really want to discuss some of the attributes that make an outstanding hiring manager.

Contrary to what some may believe, hiring efficiently does not fall solely into the hands of the recruiter. In order to quickly fill an open position with the ideal person, recruiters need a committed partner to work with us throughout the process.

3 Qualities of Awesome Hiring Managers

1) Reliable

Managing a search takes time and commitment. Yes, it is understood that interviewing and hiring candidates is not a typical hiring manager’s primary job. However, it is extremely important for any hiring manager to realize the process will require them to be available, perhaps even on a daily basis. Not only do they need to review candidates and provide timely feedback, they also be available for interviews.

2) Open Communicator

A key hiring best practice for any company is to establish a strong feedback loop by setting up weekly update calls between recruiters and hiring managers. However, I have found that one thing that separates outstanding hiring managers from the rest is that they typically don’t wait till the end of the week to send their updates.

I really can’t encourage open communication and a steady stream calls and emails enough. Discussing feedback regularly and as it becomes available speeds up the process a ton. Why wait a full week when a recruiter can get to work implementing feedback and moving things forward right away?

3) Passionate and Persuasive

Often during a search, recruiters may find a rock star candidate who meets the qualifications and is perfect for the role, but the only problem is he or she isn’t actively looking for a new position. The best hiring managers I have worked with understand the challenge of going after “passive” candidates, and they spend their first interaction “selling” the company rather than grilling them about their skills and background.

By sharing their own passion about their company, great hiring managers can get top candidates excited to continue through the process and start thinking about leaving their current company for a better opportunity.

Bottom Line

If you’re really serious about hiring great candidates for your team, start working on developing these qualities. You’ll be hiring better candidates and enjoying a quicker, more effective hiring process before you know it!

Recruiting Lead - Software

<strong>Katy Smigowski</strong> is the Recruiting Lead-Software at <a href="https://www.fitbit.com/">Fitbit</a>, where she is directly managing sourcing team, recruiting process and recruiting strategy dedicated to driving software hiring in our Boston office. Prior to Fitbit, she was a Talent Specialist at OpenView responsible for recruiting initiatives for both the firm and its portfolio companies.