I recently read an article on Recruitmentjuice.com that shared important tips for building effective Hiring Manager relationships. There are two key points I’ll build on further.
The article nods to the importance of prepping before the initial Hiring Manager meeting by doing market research to understand the role and potential challenges. Of course, this is critical, but you need to go a step further. Take that research and bring sample candidate profiles to review with the Hiring Manager at your intake call. That allows you to calibrate your search criteria based on the hiring manager’s specific preferences before launching the search. A little extra work up-front saves time and effort in the long run.
The article makes another point made about effective Hiring Manager communication. It recommends using a flexible communication platform allowing you to connect in multiple ways and devices. Having the right communications tools is imperative in a work-from-home world. But just because a Hiring Manager has access to these tools doesn’t mean they are easy to use. At Personify, we ask Hiring Managers for their preferred communication methods and platforms and adapt to their needs. That delivers a higher level of service, facilitates better communication, and builds stronger partnerships.
Delivering excellent customer service to HMs is critical, and remote environments require us to step-up service in different ways. To make it easy for busy HMs in remote environments, we always do our homework, customize each search, and work in the platforms/technologies the client prefers.
See Recruitmentjuice’s article ‘5 Tips to Build a Better Relationship with Remote Hiring Managers as a Recruiter’ below.
5 Tips to Build a Better Relationship with Remote Hiring Managers as a Recruiter
Now that remote work has become the norm, recruiters and hiring managers are facing various new challenges that they need to overcome by working together. This can be difficult seeing as how you’re no longer working side by side, but it is nonetheless essential that you build a better working relationship in order to maintain efficiency in the talent acquisition process. To build a great remote relationship with a hiring manager, you will need to communicate effectively and regularly, understand each other’s roles and unique challenges, and provide real-time feedback, among other things.
The goal of these tactics is not only to bring you closer together professionally, but to help you make the best hiring decision during the pandemic, and bring talented individuals to your company. To that end, let’s take a look at the five key tips that will help you build a better relationship with hiring managers as a recruiter.
PREPARE THOROUGHLY FOR YOUR FIRST MEETING
Seeing as how you need to work side by side even in the digital realm, it is imperative that you set the foundation for a healthy work relationship. This foundation will be laid during your first online meeting, which is why you need to prepare for it thoroughly.
Start by doing some homework on your colleague and their job description, what their specific roles in the company are, as well what their unique challenges may be. Using the information you do have about the company’s hiring needs, you can conduct preliminary talent and market research so that you have some great ideas to pitch during the introductory meeting. The more prepared you are, the easier it will be to build a trusting professional relationship.
ESTABLISH TRUST BY SHOWING FLEXIBILITY AND UNDERSTANDING
As we’ve mentioned before, remote work brings numerous new challenges to the table, so now is not the time to be stringent or unyielding in your work. Instead, you should adopt a more flexible approach and recognize the unique challenges the hiring agent is facing during the coronavirus pandemic in order to show your understanding and build a friendlier relationship.
The hiring manager is bound to appreciate this, and it will help break the ice and set the stage for a trusting work partnership. Be sure to let them know that you’re flexible about scheduling meetings, and don’t forget to show empathy and understanding for anything that might be going on in their lives. After all, it’s important to manage and support mental health by caring for your colleagues.
COMMUNICATE EFFICIENTLY THROUGH A VOIP SYSTEM
To make your communication as effective and efficient as possible, you need to use reliable communication tech. Nowadays, the best technology for business communication is VoIP (voice over internet protocol) because it allows employees to communicate and collaborate seamlessly using one comprehensive tool.
While VoIP is usually considered to be just a cloud-based phone system, its functionality goes far beyond simple phone calls. The leading VoIP brands offer various digital features, and the VoIP plans at Nextiva even include mobile optimization, video and audio conferencing, collaboration tools, and more. These and other features will allow you and the hiring manager to communicate seamlessly no matter where you are and share relevant information in real time to make your meetings as rewarding as possible.
GET REAL-TIME FEEDBACK ON CANDIDATE PROFILES
The materials and candidate suggestions you get over to your hiring manager can open up a healthy conversation and help you start collaborating more closely to align you process with the brand and build a better work relationship. Make sure to ask the hiring manager about honest real-time feedback during your calls and open a discussion to gather valuable information and find out what exactly the hiring manager is looking for. This will make your job easier, help you find the perfect candidate, and positively impact your relationship.
SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS AND AGREE ON THE HIRING PROCESS
The COVID-19 pandemic is making changes in the modern business world, and now that you’re working remotely, you need to align your expectations with the new landscape. It would be unreasonable for the hiring manager to expect you to find barrels of candidates on a short notice in these trying times, and it would be unreasonable of you to expect them to take on all of the responsibilities of the hiring process. Make sure to help out as much as you can in defining their strategy and approach to strengthen your relationship and trust.
WRAPPING UP
As a recruiter, building a better relationship with hiring managers is paramount to long-term success. Make sure to use these tips to build a thriving work relationship and bring the best candidates to your brand.
Credit: Recruitmentjuice