Glossary
Hiring manager
A hiring manager is the person who asked for a new hire and will usually manage them, and who typically makes or signs off on the final hiring decision.
The hiring manager feels the gap most while the job is empty. They know what the job really involves, what’s going wrong without the new person, and what good work looks like. They usually have the final say.
Hiring manager versus recruiter
| Hiring manager | Recruiter | |
|---|---|---|
| In charge of | The decision and what the job involves | The hiring process and keeping in touch with applicants |
| Knows best | The work, the team, what’s missing | The job market, where each applicant is in the process, the practical arrangements |
| Typical tasks | Sets the must-haves, interviews, decides | Finds applicants, runs first interviews, books interviews, keeps applicants informed |
| Time spent on hiring | Part of their job | Most of their job |
At a startup, the founder is often both.
What a hiring manager is responsible for
- Describing the job. What the person will do in their first 90 days, not a generic job description.
- Choosing the skills. The three to five that matter most, and at what level.
- Checking early results. Looking at the first few interviewed applicants to confirm the standard is right.
- Interviewing the applicants who reach later stages.
- Giving feedback quickly. Every day of delay costs you applicants.
- Making the decision and standing by it.
A checklist before hiring starts
Before interviews start, the recruiter and hiring manager should agree on:
- What does success look like after three months?
- Which skills must the person already have, and which can they learn on the job?
- What level is expected for each: beginner, intermediate, advanced or expert?
- What would make you say no, even to a strong applicant?
- How many applicants do you want to see at the next stage, and when can you meet them?
- Who else interviews, and what does each person judge?
- How quickly will you give feedback after each interview?
Common problems
- Vague requirements. “I’ll know it when I see it” leads to a long, inconsistent process.
- Changing the requirements partway through. Changing the skills after 50 applicants have been interviewed makes the earlier results hard to use.
- Slow feedback. Applicants wait, recruiters chase, and good people take other jobs.
- Not looking at early results. Looking at the first ten interviewed applicants shows early whether the standard is too high or too low.
A good first interview is one of the most useful things a recruiter can give a hiring manager: fewer, better applicants, each with evidence behind them.