How to Deal with the Hiring Manager to Drive Recruitment Results

As a recruiter, effective communication and collaboration with hiring managers are vital for successful hiring. 

Whether you're dealing with hands-on or hands-off hiring managers, the ultimate goal remains the same: finding the right candidates for the position.

To achieve this goal, we collaborate with hiring managers through intake and check-in meetings.

What’s the difference between them? The intake meeting helps us understand the position and the ideal candidate profile, while the check-in meeting allows us to update the hiring manager on our progress and seek feedback. 

In this article, we will go through both meetings and outline typical questions to ask during each session.

Intake Meeting: Establishing the Ideal Candidate Profile

The first touch point with the hiring managers is the intake meeting that sets the foundation for our recruitment strategy. The main goal is to define the ideal candidate and the hiring flow.

Here's how we can make the most of it:

Come Prepared

Start doing some research before attending the meeting. I usually review the job description and conduct industry research to gain a broader perspective.

Bring data with you. Consider doing some Boolean searches to get a perspective on the potential number of people with this type of role. Lastly, prepare questions to ask the hiring manager.

Here is what we need to know before opening a new job:

Background: Job Title, experience, location, seniority, direct report and buddy person, the challenges the new hires will face and how they will contribute to the team's success.

Job Skills: Core Responsibilities, Identifying non-negotiable critical skills for the role (knowledge of a particular software or coding language, etc…), and desirable skills.

Sourcing Criteria: Target companies and industries where we can conduct our outbound search.

Compensation: Type of contract, range, bonus, equity.

Define the Hiring Process

Review the job description for accuracy and necessity. Set the steps required for the hiring process, define the interviewers involved, establish a possible business challenge, and ask suggestions for pre-screening questions. 

Encourage the hiring managers to share their vision of the ideal candidate and discuss their expectations regarding skills, experience, and cultural fit.

Clarify the respective responsibilities of the hiring manager and yourself in the recruitment process, and establish clear expectations for talent volume.

Here is a template that can guide you during the intake meeting.

Tip: Once you complete the checklist, email it to the hiring manager to be both aligned. 

Check-in Meeting: Update & Feedback

Our main goal is to fill up the open position and reduce the hiring time. The best way is by keeping the hiring manager on your progress, seeking feedback, and making any necessary adjustments. Stay in touch regularly using internal communication channels and setting weekly or monthly alignment calls. Consider the following tips:

Recap and Share Progress: Summarize your activities since the intake meeting, including the number of candidates sourced, interviews conducted, and any challenges faced. ATS or any internal system (even Excel 😉) could be useful to track those data. 

Discuss Candidate Profiles: Present a summary of potential candidates and discuss their qualifications and cultural fit.

Communicate Timelines: Share the expected timeline for moving forward, including interview rounds, candidate shortlisting, and final selection.

Common questions to the hiring manager:  

Based on the candidate profiles we have gathered, what are your thoughts and feedback so far?

Is there any additional information or details you would like to provide regarding the position or ideal candidate profile?

Do you have any feedback on our recruitment strategy or suggestions for improvement?

Conclusion:

To build a strong collaboration with the hiring manager, it is essential to prioritize effective communication and collaboration throughout the entire recruitment process. Active listening, documentation, follow-up, and regular communication are key to ensuring alignment and keeping the hiring manager engaged and informed.

Adapt your approach based on feedback, allowing for flexibility and continuous improvement. Starting from this, we’ll establish a solid partnership with the hiring managers and be well-equipped to navigate the recruitment journey and deliver results.

Do you have any other tips? Share them with me on LinkedIn.

Your Friendly TA Ivana