4 Recruiting Tips for Hiring Great Managers

Managers are arguably one the most integral functions within an organization. Not only do they ensure day-to-day activities run smoothly, but they also set the tone for others. Taking the time to hire good managers leads to effectively run departments and high company morale, while bad managers can ruin productivity making others unmotivated in their role. If you are involved in talent acquisition within your company and on the hunt for your next leader, leveraging key recruiting strategies will help make sure you choose the ideal candidate. The ability to identify the right qualities for a managerial role ensures they seamlessly integrate with the team and organization as a whole. Here are four recruiting tips to help you find and hire the leaders you need to grow your company:

1. Advertise the role’s challenges — not just benefits.

When crafting a job description for an open leadership role, you may be tempted to highlight the positive selling points of a role to create the best possible first impression to potential candidates. However, there is a lot of value in defining the challenges that a role entails as well, more often than not — this is going to attract candidates that are willing to put in the work and are excited by challenges. Company positioning is important, but finding the best candidate will require transparency into the challenges they will be inheriting once they start. When you begin the recruitment process, you want to attract quality candidates that are ready to take on challenges, however big or small. Your ideal candidate won’t be looking to step into a role where they will be complacent in their daily activities. In Hired’s recent job seeker study The Opportunity Index, it was reported that a large majority (45%) of job seekers are looking to join a team that matches their skills. A quality candidate will be seeking an opportunity to leverage their full set of skills, be challenged in their work, and empowered to make decisions that will impact the business.

2. Consider promoting emerging internal leaders.

If you are looking for a leader to head up a team, consider promoting a current employee who already knows how your business functions. Take a close look at those who are thriving within your organization already; they have shown initiative by taking on more responsibility and work well with others. Internal mobility not only reduces ramp up time into a new a role (compared to the time it takes to onboard a new hire) but also sets a positive precedent for growth opportunities within your organization that others may be considering as they plan their career. Keep in mind, better opportunities are the number one reason people leave their jobs. By promoting from within, it creates opportunities for career growth that ultimately contribute to employee morale and help retain talent you’ve worked hard to attract.

3. Don’t fixate on management experience (or lack thereof).

As you begin sourcing and deciding whether a person is a qualified candidate, look closely for someone who’s displayed dedication to their work and has experience providing cross functional support. Having been a prior manager will contribute to their qualifications but isn’t always the strongest indicator of their long terms success. Strong signs of a leader include a high level of emotional intelligence, effective communication skills, a passion for solving problems that others may shy away from, and the ability to motivate & inspire their team towards results. A Gallup study concluded that great managers have a talent for building relationships that create trust, open dialogues and full transparency. With that said, during the interview process take time to ask thought provoking questions that reveal their approach and help you evaluate whether they’re judgement aligns with your company’s values. If hiring for a managerial role, their ability to empower the team may outweigh previous management experience.

4. Expand your search beyond local talent.

Don’t limit your search for a new manager to your local area. Instead, leverage a variety of channels including online job boards that reach a national audience, social media networks (Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter), and other mediums that may attract a potential candidate. As you receive applicants for the available position, be sure to have open dialogue regarding their interest to relocate. Take time to communicate the relocation package you are willing to offer and other benefits that may tie into a potential move. A candidate that is prioritizing taking on the right opportunity will feel mutually motivated to invest in relocating in order to take on a challenge.