How to Engage Hiring Managers

We tell them how to interview. We teach them the rules. We walk them through the process. And then we wonder why they still struggle. Here’s the thing: Training hiring managers is not about telling or teaching. ➡️ It’s about involvement. When they’re involved...When they make decisions...ask questions, and apply what they’ve learned, the hiring skills stick. • Watching an interview? Forgettable. • Discussing interview techniques? Temporary. • Conducting interviews with feedback? That’s when real learning happens. So, how do you involve your hiring managers? 1. Role play with feedback: Simulate real interviews and coach in real time. 2. Lead debrief sessions: Let them own the decision-making discussions. 3. Get them involved early: Hiring managers who help define the role hire better. Training isn’t a one-and-done session. It’s a hands-on, ongoing collaborative process. Involving your hiring managers from the start will lead your company and hiring managers to learn faster, hire smarter, and build stronger teams. Need a simple framework to get them involved? I would be thrilled to work with your hiring managers and put 30 years of hiring experience to work for them.

Most hiring managers don't trust recruiters... At least that's what I've been told 🤷🏾♀️ Our success in hiring qualified talent depends on building trust with managers. The good news is, we CAN do things to gain their trust. Here are four key behaviors that will help you establish trust with your hiring managers: 1️⃣ Communicate Transparently 🗣️ - Maintain open, honest, and REGULAR communication with your HMs. - Keep them in the loop, own up to your mistakes - Transparency builds trust and allows for more productive partnerships. 2️⃣ Understand Their Needs 👂🏾 - Ask BETTER questions and listen actively. - Learn about their business and their specific team. - When hiring managers feel heard and understood, trust naturally follows. 3️⃣ Provide Strategic Insights 💡 - Don't just take orders! Leverage your TA expertise to provide recommendations. - Share market trends, competitive intelligence, and innovative sourcing strategies. - By positioning yourself as a strategic partner, you'll earn their respect. 4️⃣ Get Sh!t Done! 🎯 - Do what you say you're going to do. - Proactively follow up - Reliability is essential for building trust. When hiring managers can count on you, they'll view you as a dependable partner What am I missing? 👀

So, I was talking with a friend & peer yesterday and he asked "Tim, do you think Recruiters have become more transactional"? It was an interesting question. I think the Recruiting function has been forced to become more transactional with the market and volume of reqs/candidates each Recruiter has to manage. Is it right? Is it efficient? Is it what is best for an organization? I guess that all depends on the organization. I have leveraged the knowledge I have built in Talent Acquisition and lean toward a Consultative approach. Educating my stakeholders at each step of the process to provide the best results in the shortest amount of time. When I meet with the Hiring Manager we discuss: - What is this position responsible for accomplishing? - What is the make-up of the team and where does this person fit in the structure? - Why is the position open? - What is the level of urgency to fill the role? - What attributes does this person need to bring to the team to be successful? - What three skills do they HAVE to have in order to be considered? If they don't have these three skills, you don't want to see them? - How would you describe an outstanding candidate? - What is the interview process? Who is involved & what skills are they evaluating? Are they trained to interview candidates? - When I send you a prescreened candidate, what is the turnaround time for your response? - Is there anything that would prohibit/delay you making an offer to a selected candidate? This is my process for the beginning of the Recruiting cycle. I have found that while there are still issues that arise (we are still dealing with People), getting comprehensive information and setting expectations at the beginning reduces the issues/delays while we Recruit. I don't pretend to know it all, but what I do know is Talent Acquisition. What am I missing? #recruiting #talentacquisition #interview #recruiter #team #team #hiring #hr #jobsearch #recruiterjobs #recruitinglife

The hiring manager intake call is perhaps the most important call in recruitment. It can be easy to fall into the trap of “order-taking”: “How many years of experience are you looking for?” “What skills do they need?” “What companies are you interested in targeting 😉?” Great recruiters are always looking to understand the full situation: “Why is this position open?” “Why the last person successful/not successful” “Why would someone want to work on your team?” Understanding the why is more important than the who and what. Go deep with your hiring managers.