The hiring manager has a decisive influence on the speed and quality of a hire. These habits make the difference between a process that drags and one that closes well.
Gloria Marquez··4 min read
Photo: Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash
Recruiters can find and attract talent, but the hiring manager has a decisive influence on how a search ends. They define the profile, interview, give feedback and make the final decision. When that relationship works, searches flow. When it doesn't, even the best candidate gets lost along the way.
After many tech hiring processes, I'm clear on what sets a great hiring manager apart, and which attitudes drag a search out or make it fail. Here's what I've learned.
When I think of the best hiring manager I've worked with, one thing sums it all up: they trusted my judgment.
They didn't see me as a vendor sending resumes, but as a partner in the search. They shared the real context of the team, the challenges of the project and what they truly needed, not just the list of requirements. When I recommended a profile that didn't fit the traditional mold, they listened and gave it a chance.
That trust changes everything:
A good search is largely decided before the job is even posted. That's why, when I start working with a client, I always ask for two things.
Not only with HR, but with the person who will work with the new hire day to day. In that conversation I want to understand:
Thirty well-used minutes here save weeks later.
Not the ideal one, but the budget that actually exists. Knowing it from the start lets me focus on candidates whose expectations fit, and tell the client honestly whether the range is competitive for the profile they want. Many searches stall because the profile requested and the salary offered belong to different markets.
Strong candidates usually have several processes going on. If weeks go by without an answer after an interview, they'll most likely accept another offer.
And vague feedback, like "not a fit", doesn't help me adjust the search. Specific feedback does: "strong technical level, but we need more experience with distributed systems" tells me exactly what to look for in the next shortlist.
What works: giving feedback within 48 hours of each interview, with at least one specific reason.
It's the famous search for the "unicorn": someone who meets every requirement, in every technology, with every year of experience, and within budget. That person rarely exists and, if they do, they're probably not looking for a job.
What works: deciding what's essential and staying open to candidates who meet the core and can learn the rest.
When requirements change after several weeks, all the previous work loses value: candidates already in process no longer fit, and the search starts over. Sometimes the change is necessary, but often it can be avoided with a good initial definition.
What works: investing time in the definition meeting and, if something changes, saying so as early as possible.
Every extra stage is one more chance for a great candidate to lose interest or receive another offer. If the process has six interviews, a long technical test and weeks between each step, the company is competing at a disadvantage.
What works: giving each stage a clear purpose and not repeating what was already evaluated. Booking interview dates from the start also helps enormously.
A specialized recruiter can bring much more than resumes. To make the most of it:
Every person you interview will talk about their experience, whether or not they get the job. Clear communication, punctuality and a respectful closing message, even when the answer is no, protect your employer brand and open doors for future searches.
A good relationship between hiring manager and recruiter isn't a detail of the process: it's the foundation of a good hire.
Building a tech team? Let's talk. You may also like how to write an IT job description that attracts the right candidates.
Gloria Marquez is the founder of Talent IT Consulting, a firm specialized in recruiting technology talent. She has more than 10 years of experience in Talent Acquisition and specialized recruitment.
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