1. Break the ice
Review hiring managers’ LinkedIn profiles, work histories, interests, and shared connections.
To increase your credibility, demonstrate that you have a firm grasp of the business and what
keeps them up at night.
Learn their individual styles
Openly ask how they like to hire – for example, do they prefer to check in immediately after
interviews or do they need time to reflect? Do they want to see multiple candidates before
deciding, or will they hire the right person once they meet them? Agree on responsibilities at
the outset and confirm how involved they want to be.
1.
2.
Ahh, the hiring manager relationship. Anyone who has worked in recruiting knows that it can make or
break the success and speed of a hire – not to mention both parties’ sanity! Whether you are leading a
team of recruiters or working directly on a hire, use these tips to build happy, healthy, and stress-free
partnerships with your hiring managers.
Zen and the Art of Hiring
Manager Maintenance:
10 Tips for a Knockout Relationship
Talent Solutions
Start off on the right foot
Set the action plan together
Outline the raw skills and personality requirements. Forward sample profiles and drill into
specifics on why they like or dislike them. Determine how involved they want to be, put
due dates in writing, and agree on what success looks like (e.g. five candidates in round
two). Speak up early if you need clarification, no matter how small – it will save you both time
and headaches!
3.
Nail the req intake process
Tap their contacts
Ask them to refer star performers. Request that they share jobs and company news on select
platforms to make them feel invested in the process. Make it easy for them by drafting
language they can adapt. Ask them to join any additional “practitioner only” LinkedIn groups
that are closed to recruiters.
4.
Share the sourcing

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Prepare them for candidate engagement
Brief them on candidates so they can tailor their pitches to each individual’s goals. Remind
them that candidates will be evaluating them too, especially passive ones.
Educate them on your employer brand
This is especially important if you are a small business with a lesser-known brand. Help them
build profiles that convey their excitement about working for your organization. Inspire them
with authentic employee stories and language they can use when talking to candidates.
5.
6.
Share the selling
Listen and refine
Ask candidates about their recruiting experiences, regardless of outcomes. Share the good
and the bad with hiring managers and agree how to adjust.
Look to the data
Track the performance of hires over time so you can identify top quality sources.
Communicate this approach to demonstrate your commitment to attracting the right talent.
Keep the communication going
During the hiring process, send regular progress updates to hiring manager on key stages in
the pipeline (profiles viewed, candidates contacted and screened, etc.). Check in with them
even after filling a position to see how things are going. This will build trust and strengthen
your relationship over time.
7.
8.
9.
Give and get feedback
Manage expectations with numbers and facts
Avoid chasing after purple squirrels (those “perfect” candidates that don’t actually exist) by
using LinkedIn Recruiter to size the talent pool and share the stats. If the pool is too small or
too big, adjust criteria with your hiring managers. Remind them that profiles are not
candidates – only a subset will reply to InMails.
Gather feedback directly in Recruiter
Set up free “hiring manager seats” for your key stakeholders. This enables you to send them
batches of profiles to review directly. They can give one-click feedback on whether candidates
are ‘great’, ‘good’ or ‘not right for this role’ and write brief notes directly in Recruiter.
Show them your progress
Send hiring managers screenshots of the “Project Overview” in LinkedIn Recruiter to show
them how many candidates are in each stage of the pipeline. This will reassure them that
you’re making progress and inspire trust.
10a.
10b.
10c.
10. Bonus Tips for LinkedIn Recruiter Users
To learn more about how LinkedIn can help you hire top talent click here.