Are you unsure of the differences between a hiring manager and a recruiter and how they both fit into the hiring process? These two roles are different but equally important in the hiring process, so it pays to know the difference and what each might want to help you hire the right people or get hired.
The key difference between the hiring manager and a recruiter is that a recruiter can’t make a hiring decision. Recruiters are the gatekeepers of who gets put forward for a role in the first place, but it is the hiring manager who ultimately seals the deal.
Let´s explore both roles separately to understand the differences more in-depth.
What is a Hiring Manager?
While it may sound like a job role, it isn’t. The hiring manager is simply the person who will manage the individual who is hired. What does a hiring manager do? They could be a sales manager, Accountant, Development Team Leader, or CEO. Whatever role they have in the company, they are the person who will be responsible for the new hire and for making the final decision to hire them.
A hiring manager would:
- Create the job description for the role
- Discuss requirements with the recruiter
- Review CVs sent by the recruiter
- Carry out interviews
- Make the final decision on who to hire
What is a Recruiter?
A recruiter is a job description. Recruiters might work for you directly or through a recruitment consultancy, but either way, their job is to find you the candidates that you need to fill vacancies.
A recruiter would:
- Develop the overall recruitment strategy
- Source candidates by reviewing their job database, posting job listings, headhunting, etc.
- Filtering candidates, including CV reviews and pre-interview
What Are Four Things A Hiring Manager Or Recruitment Specialist Should Do When Preparing For An Interview?
The relationship between the recruiter and the hiring manager is a key one. The recruiter needs to understand not only the role but also the company culture and working environment to find the right candidates.
The recruiter won’t be able to find a shortlist of really great candidates without this sort of information, so its important that the hiring manager and recruiter take time to understand the following:
- What the role entails – What skills and competencies will be required? What is non-negotiable, and what can be taught on the job? This will help the recruiter to identify the right candidates for the role.
- What the company/team culture is like? – If the team has a casual approach and lets off steam through the creative use of curse words, a candidate with a demure persona may not thrive there. A clock watcher isn’t going to meld well with a team that regularly stays late to help each other out.
- What is the potential? – While people might be getting hired for a particular role, if we want to foster a sense f belonging and make that employee feel appreciated and connected to the company, then some idea of the long-term ambitions of the company would be good. Is it a start-up looking to float on the market? Is it a Mom and Pop shop that wants to maintain a reputation for excellence?
- What are the hours and compensation? – It’s amazing how many recruiters are operating without these really fundamental parts of a recruitment package. Job hunting takes time from all sides, so make sure that you have all the information that a candidate might want to know ready for them when they ask.
How does the Recruiter Work?
It is the recruiter’s job to find the candidates they believe are right for the role and to tell the hiring manager what it s about this candidate that makes them special.
Recruiters will share candidate CVs and their impressions of them as a person. As we described above, finding the right candidate is about more than just a checklist of skills. It may be that they share a hobby with the hiring manager or have some relevant experience that makes them ideal. A good recruiter will be able to sell you to the hiring manager.
A good recruiter will also have the candidate’s interests at heart, finding them the perfect match for the job.
The Relationship Between Recruiter And Hiring Manager
Recruiters and hiring managers should work together to help find the ideal candidate for any job opening. While the hiring manager holds all the information about the role and the company, the recruiter is an expert at talent scouting and locating someone who is a great match for that role They are both important to the process and if you’re hiring, you need to understand what both can bring to the table and what they need from you to deliver it.
And if you have any more questions, we are here to answer! Stop spending too much time on the selection and hiring process, and let us find you the right candidate. Just reach out to us and we’ll be happy to hop on a call.
