A human resources department has vast roles, which become more complex as the organization increases in size. In small companies, one human resources professional performs this role. In large companies, a specialized human resources unit performs this role under the department. Here, let’s know What is a Hiring Manager?
Hiring personnel is a human resources function. It identifies suitable candidates to fill vacant positions in an organization. This function is composed of several stages. A hiring manager is in charge of this process from start to finish. He can be solely dedicated to this process or undertake additional duties in the HR department. In this article, we are going to review the hiring manager’s role in an organization.
Functions of a Hiring Manager
Human Resources Planning
In collaboration with the HR manager and other department heads, he participates in the planning process to ensure the organization has adequate personnel at any given time. It involves making projections. He identifies the future workforce needs by reviewing the strategic plan and establishing the current workforce status of the organization. It is taking inventory of the current workforce. He also uses both the strategic plan and the workforce inventory for reconciliation. It helps identify any gaps in the staff population. He uses this information to formulate an appropriate plan and mitigation measures that address the gaps or surplus in the workforce.
Recruitment
He prepares a job description, job specification, and job advert for the recruitment stage. A job description provides the responsibilities, education level, and experience required from the candidate, while a job specification outlines the personality traits needed from the applicant. On the other hand, a job advert combines the job description and job specification for publication and advertising, circulated within and without the organization to create awareness about a vacant position, and attracts a potential candidate.
Selection
He assists in choosing the most suitable candidate from the pool of candidates who had applied for the vacant position and attended the interview. He sorts the applicants according to given criteria developed in advance and relating to the vacant role. He develops and organizes applicant testing using selection tests available internally or with external testing centers. He plans for the interview process by developing time schedules, interview tools, inviting candidates, selecting and orienting panelists, and inviting candidates. He coordinates the entire interview day by ensuring the availability of a venue and adequate resources. He also assists in shortlisting the candidates on completion of the interview process. It determines the most suitable person to fill the vacant position. In addition, he conducts background checks to gather more information about a specific candidate. He is the contact between the candidates and the organization. He contacts chosen candidates and informs them of their success in the selection process. He will offer the job to this candidate and wait for feedback.
Placement
He assists the recruit settle into the organization upon accepting the terms of engagement. The recruit’s selection depends on a specific criterion such as skills, abilities, qualifications, and experience in a given field. The selection criterion helps in assigning this role to the recruit.
Induction
He introduces the recruit to his colleagues and ensures he is familiar with the physical environment in the organization. He facilitates adequate induction to reduce confusion and anxiety within the recruit. He gives the recruit relevant documentation and tours to help him understand his new environment. He also facilitates any pending registration related to the recruit with the various departments in the organization.
Orientation
It takes longer than the induction process and involves some level of internal training. The recruit receives guidance in performing duties. The immediate supervisor facilitates this process with the hiring manager. It helps the recruit have an even better understanding of their job, expectations, and working space.
Essential Skills of a Hiring Manager
Communication Skills
He should have a clear and concise method of passing information to his teams and pool of candidates. It also involves active listening and paying attention to his audience. It also involves having the right attitude towards the audience as they interact. It will help him pick out essential attributes when interacting with a candidate. It will also help him convey messages and instructions to his team and pool of candidates.
Time Management Skills
He should develop a workable schedule and follow through with it to perform his duties effectively and efficiently. He should prioritize and plan his activities whenever possible and be flexible when unexpected changes occur. He should be punctual in all his appointments and activities once set out. He should avoid double-booking since the chances of two activities clashing are high.
Critical Thinking Skills
He should identify relevant information and process it appropriately for decision-making purposes. He should make appropriate observations to reach the most suitable conclusion regarding a candidate or situation. He should develop alternatives, prioritize them, and select the most appropriate course of action for problem resolution. He should remain objective while making judgments concerning an issue, colleague, or candidate.
Collaboration Skills
He should work and interact with other participants in the process appropriately. He should have the ability to create relevant networks with colleagues, other professionals, and stakeholders. He should build beneficial professional relationships to enhance his performance. He should cooperate with others when trying to meet a goal or solve a problem. It will help him perform the task efficiently and effectively.
Leadership Skills
He should demonstrate an authoritative persona while performing his duties and interacting with others. He should be decisive, confident, and proactive in all his decisions and actions. He should guide his team members whenever challenges or new developments arise in the work environment. He should remain at the forefront when implementing policies and plans. He should motivate his team to participate in activities.
Creative Skills
He should have the ability to develop new ideas and methods, especially when faced with challenges. He should have the ability to invent new methodologies for performing work and innovation of existing structures to improve their performance. He should develop policies and procedures that focus on improving the status of affairs in the department or entire organization. He should not maintain the status quo if the current situation is challenging or not beneficial to them. He should embrace positive change and be proactive in adopting new ways of doing things.
Interviewing Skills
He should have adequate information and techniques to conduct an interview process for the pool of candidates. It involves identifying key attributes, knowledge base, background, and character of a potential candidate. He should structure the interview process appropriately to obtain the relevant information from the potential candidate. He should also make appropriate observations of the candidate to identify the behavioral tendencies of the potential candidate.
Research Skills
He should have an investigative ability to facilitate data collection from various sources and environments. It is useful when conducting background checks on the pool of candidates or when identifying potential candidates for a vacant position. It is essential during headhunting, which is a popular recruitment method for senior positions. He uses it during the recruitment stage in the hiring process when he is advertising for the vacant role. He will need a target population, and thorough knowledge of the labor market is essential.
Organization Skills
He should arrange his time, activities, and plans in a given sequence to maximize his potential. He develops proper schedules and allocates adequate time for each of them. His records should be satisfactory and stored appropriately for future reference. He should also structure his team, activities, and plans to avoid ambiguity and confusion. In addition, he should maintain order while preparing documents, presentations, and activities. It will ensure a smooth flow of operations from start to finish.
Reporting Skills
He should have the ability to document his information and records appropriately. He should sequentially record information for easy access and reference. He should convey his findings in an easily understood manner. He should avoid ambiguity when relaying information to others to avoid confusion. His reports should summarize factual data in the correct format and provide relevant information for decision-making. He should present data in the appropriate system and sequence.
Conclusion
A hiring manager is a professional in charge of the hiring process in an HR department or organization. He is responsible for the entire process from start to finish. He identifies suitable candidates to fill a vacant position in an organization. He also assists the selected candidate to settle in their new roles within the organization. He works independently or with a team of HR professionals to perform his duties. He is required to have relevant skills to meet his goals and objectives.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is a hiring manager?
He is a human resource professional in charge of the hiring process in a department or an organization.
- What are some functions of a hiring manager?
The functions are planning, recruitment, shortlisting, induction, and orientation.
- Which are some of the essential skills of a hiring manager?
The essential skills are interviewing, communication, reporting, leadership, and collaboration.
