How to Get Your Hiring Managers and Recruiters on the Same Page
Posted April 12th, 2018
Ultimately, hiring managers and recruiters have the same goal: to find the ideal candidate for a vacant position. But, even if they are aiming for the same result, that doesn’t mean they both have the same kind person in mind.
Often, hiring managers understand what skills and experiences are required to be successful in the role because they’ve worked in similar positions themselves. However, a recruiter may only be working from a job description, without firsthand knowledge of what the role entails. This may lead to less than ideal matches and increasing tension between your hiring managers and recruiters.
If you want your recruitment process to be efficient, then it’s important that everyone gets on the same page. Here are some tips to help you do just that.
Start with a Strategy Meeting
Before any vacancy is announced, schedule a strategy meeting between the hiring manager and recruiter. This gives them a chance to review the job description, discuss priorities, ask questions, and ensure that the details in the announcement will be up to date.
A strategy meeting sets the stage for future success by eliminating any confusion regarding what kind of candidate is ideal and that everyone is working with the right information. It can also help ensure that a miscommunication doesn’t derail their efforts just because the recruiter was working on an incorrect assumption or with outdated information about the position.
Challenge Unrealistic Expectations
Often, hiring managers and recruiters aren’t fully aware of what it takes to do each other’s jobs. This can lead to unrealistic expectations on either side that can hurt the recruitment process.
For example, a hiring manager may be expecting a candidate that possesses every skill and experience in an extensive list while a recruiter knows that finding such a person is essentially impossible. Similarly, a recruiter may expect interviews to be scheduled immediately with top candidates while the hiring manager knows they can’t adjust their schedule so easily because they also handle a mountain of other responsibilities that take priority.
Both the hiring manager and recruiter need to be willing to challenge one another should the other person have an unrealistic expectation, providing ample information to help the other see the reality of the situation. This will reduce the likelihood that frustration based on misunderstanding will harm the process.
Communicate Regularly
Both the hiring manager and recruiter need to communicate with each other regularly, ensuring everyone is aware of the status of the recruitment efforts and can provide feedback from their perspective. This is especially important once the hiring manager begins reviewing resumes or conducting interviews, as the recruiter needs to know if they need to keep looking or adjust their strategy to find candidates that are a better fit based on newly realized priorities that weren’t as apparent at the start.
By following the tips above, you can increase the odds of your hiring managers and recruiters being on the same page, improving the efficiency of your hiring process and eliminating potential sources of tension.
If you are interested in streamlining your hiring process, the professionals at Bayside Solutions can create a custom strategy based on your company’s unique needs. Contact us to speak with one of our skilled team members today and see how our services can work for you.
