Every company needs strong hiring managers. They need someone to be an effective gatekeeper – a person or team of individuals who can maintain your organization’s high standards through recruitment. They certainly need a keen eye for talent, but they also need to have a variety of other attributes to manage people.
Working on more than 9,000 recruitment projects since 2001, we know that all good hiring managers share common traits, habits, and behaviours. What are they? We asked around at our Toronto recruitment agency to create a list. Below are the characteristics that make the best hiring manager.
What Are The Characteristics Of The Best Hiring Managers?
The best hiring managers possess several key traits that set them apart. Here are some of the top traits:
1. Effective Communication Skills
Strong communication skills (on all platforms) are a must. Hiring managers must communicate clearly and transparently with candidates, team members, and other stakeholders. They ensure that everyone understands the process and expectations.
2. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence
They demonstrate empathy by understanding and considering the feelings and perspectives of candidates. There is often more to top candidates than what is written on their resume. Emotional intelligence allows managers to effectively assess candidates’ fit for the team and culture.
3. They Are Strategic Thinkers
Top hiring managers think strategically about the long-term needs of the organization. Great recruiting is about more than just filling a void right now. So, great managers align hiring decisions with the company’s goals and anticipate future talent needs.
4. They Are Decisive Decision Makers
Hiring managers need to make difficult decisions decisively. They are decisive and confident in making hiring decisions. They rely on data, intuition, and experience to choose the best candidates.
5. Strong Interviewing Skills
This is a must. All great hiring managers are great interviewers. They ask the right questions to uncover a candidate’s skills, experience, and cultural fit. Great recruitment also means knowing who not to hire. Managers are also skilled at identifying red flags and potential issues.
6. They Have Cultural Awareness
Great hiring managers understand and promote the company’s culture. They seek candidates who not only have the right skills but also align with the company’s values and work environment.
7. They Have An Organized Recruitment Process
They manage the hiring process efficiently, keeping track of multiple candidates, coordinating interviews, and ensuring a smooth process from start to finish.
8. They Are Aware Of Their Own Bias
Everyone has bias. Good hiring managers are aware of their own biases and take steps to minimize them, ensuring a fair and equitable hiring process for all candidates.
9. They Are Relationship Builders
They build strong relationships with candidates, even those who may not be hired. This helps maintain a positive employer brand and a pipeline of potential future hires.
10. They Focus On Continuous Learning
The best hiring managers continuously seek to improve their skills and stay updated on the latest trends and best practices in recruitment.
Check Out More Blogs About Hiring Managers By Our Recruitment Agency
How to Motivate and Train Your Gen Z Workers to Become Managers
Missing Managers: Why the Average Young Worker Doesn’t Want to People Manage
What Hiring Managers Should Wear (& What NOT to Wear) to a Job Interview
