Hiring managers play a decisive role in whether you hire great talent or struggle with slow, misaligned decisions. But many companies throw people into this role without clearly defining their responsibilities or supporting them with the right tools and processes.
For recruiters and HR leaders, empowering hiring managers is one of the highest-impact ways to improve hiring outcomes.
This guide breaks down what a hiring manager is, what they do, and what separates average hiring managers from great ones. It also explores how recruiters and hiring managers can work better together, and how AI and automation are changing the way hiring decisions are made.
3 key takeaways
- Hiring managers are accountable for hiring outcomes, not just interviews. They define what success looks like in a role and make the final call, which means their engagement directly affects quality of hire, time to fill, and retention.
- Strong recruiter–hiring manager partnerships drive better hiring decisions. When expectations, responsibilities, and communication are clear, hiring becomes more efficient and candidates have a better experience.
- AI and automation help hiring managers make more consistent, objective decisions. Structured interview insights and automated documentation reduce bias, memory gaps, and decision fatigue, without adding more work.
What is a hiring manager?
A hiring manager is the person responsible for filling a specific open role on their team. They are typically the future manager of the new hire, and are accountable for ensuring the candidate can succeed in the role.
Unlike many recruiters, who manage the hiring process across various roles and teams, hiring managers bring deep domain knowledge and an understanding of what success looks like day to day. Their input shapes job requirements, interview decisions, and final hiring outcomes.
Hiring managers are rarely in standalone hiring roles. In most organizations, they are team leads, people managers, or department heads who are hiring in addition to their primary job responsibilities. Because hiring is only one part of their role, clarity, structure, and support are essential to help them succeed.
What does a hiring manager do?
Hiring managers guide the hiring process from a role-specific perspective. They define what the team needs, evaluate candidates against real-world expectations, and ultimately decide who joins their team.
Beyond interviews, hiring managers influence hiring timelines, candidate experience, and long-term performance. Their level of engagement often determines whether hiring feels smooth and collaborative, or disjointed and frustrating.
In many organizations, hiring managers are also expected to help onboard new hires and measure hiring success. When these responsibilities are unclear, hiring quality and speed often suffer.
What great hiring managers do differently
Great hiring managers treat hiring as a leadership responsibility, not an administrative task. They bring intention, preparation, and consistency to every stage of the process.
Here are some best practices to succeed in the hiring manager’s seat.
Align on success before the role opens
Strong hiring managers start by clearly defining what success looks like in the role. They focus on outcomes and impact rather than vague traits or unrealistic wish lists.
This clarity helps recruiters target the right candidates and prevents misalignment later in the process.
For example, instead of asking for “a strong communicator,” they define what communication looks like on the job: presenting to stakeholders, writing documentation, fielding client queries, or steering meetings.
Partner early and often with recruiters
Great hiring managers connect with recruiters from the very beginning. They treat recruiters as advisors who understand the market, candidate behavior, and hiring best practices.
This partnership allows hiring managers to set realistic expectations around timelines, compensation, and candidate availability. It also reduces friction and rework once candidates are already in process.
Run structured, consistent interviews
High-performing hiring managers use structured interviews with clear evaluation criteria. They ask the same core questions to all candidates, to ensure fair and comparable assessments.
This approach reduces interviewer bias and makes feedback more actionable. It also helps hiring managers defend decisions with evidence rather than gut feel alone.
Give timely, specific feedback
Great hiring managers respect the pace of hiring by providing fast feedback. They focus on concrete observations tied to role requirements, rather than vague impressions.
Clear feedback helps recruiters move candidates forward without delays. It also improves the candidate experience by preventing unnecessary waiting.
Make decisions, not perfect hires
Strong hiring managers understand that waiting for a “perfect” candidate often means losing great ones. They balance speed and quality by focusing on must-have capabilities and growth potential.
They trust the process and the data available to them. This decisiveness keeps hiring momentum high and prevents roles from staying open too long.
Reflect and improve after each hire
Great hiring managers review what worked and what didn’t after a role is filled. They assess interview effectiveness, candidate quality, and early performance signals.
This reflection helps them improve future hiring decisions. Over time, it leads to more consistent outcomes and stronger teams.
How recruiters and hiring managers work together
Recruiters and hiring managers are most effective when they operate as true partners. Each brings a different but equally important perspective to hiring, and success depends on trust, clarity, and shared accountability.
When expectations are misaligned, hiring stalls and candidates lose confidence. When collaboration is strong, teams hire better talent with less friction.
What recruiters need from hiring managers
Recruiters need hiring managers to be clear, responsive, and decisive. Clear role requirements, timely feedback, and realistic expectations help recruiters source and screen candidates effectively.
- Clear role requirements: Hiring managers need to articulate what the role truly requires and what success looks like, so recruiters can source effectively.
- Timely feedback: Fast, specific feedback keeps candidates engaged and prevents hiring delays.
- Consistent interview participation: Showing up prepared and on time signals respect for candidates and the process.
- Realistic expectations: Flexibility on profiles, timelines, and trade-offs helps recruiters navigate the market.
- Ownership of the final decision: Recruiters need hiring managers to make confident decisions and move forward.
Recruiters also rely on hiring managers to stay engaged throughout the process. Consistent participation helps maintain momentum and improves the candidate experience.
What hiring managers need from recruiters
Hiring managers need recruiters to provide market insight, process expertise, and guidance on best practices. This includes setting expectations on timelines, candidate availability, and compensation.
They also need recruiters to bring structure and consistency to interviews. Well-designed interview plans and calibrated feedback loops make it easier for hiring managers to make confident decisions.
- Market and compensation insight: Recruiters help hiring managers understand what talent is available and what it costs.
- Clear hiring process and timelines: Structure reduces confusion and makes it easier for hiring managers to stay engaged.
- Interview frameworks and best practices: Recruiters help design interviews that are fair, consistent, and effective.
- Candidate context and summaries: Well-prepared candidate information helps hiring managers evaluate more efficiently.
- Tools that reduce admin work: Automation and interview intelligence free hiring managers to focus on decisions, not note-taking.
Hiring managers depend on recruiters for guidance, structure, and insight.
How AI and automation ensure smart hiring decisions
AI and automation remove many of the friction points that traditionally strain recruiter–hiring manager relationships. By creating shared context, reducing manual work, and increasing transparency, they help both sides operate as true partners.
In particular, modern AI recruiting tools help you:
- Create a shared source of truth. AI-generated interview summaries and structured feedback keep everyone aligned on what was discussed and how candidates performed. No more incomplete notes or differing recollections.
- Reduce back-and-forth communication. Automated interview insights mean recruiters don’t need to chase hiring managers for feedback. Hiring managers can review and comment asynchronously, saving time on both sides.
- Standardize candidate evaluation. Structured data and consistent interview scorecards help recruiters and hiring managers assess candidates using the same criteria. This reduces subjective disagreements and makes decision-making more objective.
- Improve feedback quality and clarity. AI prompts and templates guide hiring managers to give specific, role-relevant feedback. Recruiters receive clearer signals on whether to move candidates forward, revisit concerns, or close the loop.
- Increase trust through transparency. When both recruiters and hiring managers can see the same interview insights and decision rationale, trust improves. Decisions become collaborative, rather than opaque or unilateral.
- Minimize admin work for hiring managers. Automation removes the need for detailed notetaking or post-interview write-ups. Hiring managers can focus on evaluating candidates, while recruiters get the information they need right away.
- Reduce bias and conflict. Consistent data capture and structured evaluation lead to evidence-based discussions, rather than opinion-driven debates. Which means healthier, more productive recruiter–hiring manager conversations.
Level-up your hiring managers
Hiring managers are at the center of every successful hiring decision. When they’re enabled with clear expectations, strong recruiter partnerships, and the right technology, hiring becomes a strategic advantage rather than a bottleneck.
For HR leaders and recruiters, investing in hiring manager enablement is one of the fastest ways to improve hiring quality, speed, and experience.
Try Metaview for free and give your hiring managers the insights they need to make smarter, more confident hiring decisions, without more meetings or manual work.
Hiring manager FAQs
Is a hiring manager the same as a recruiter?
No. Recruiters manage the hiring process, while hiring managers define role needs and evaluate candidates for team fit and performance.
What are the main responsibilities of a hiring manager?
Key responsibilities include defining job requirements, interviewing candidates, providing feedback, and selecting the final hire.
What’s in a typical hiring manager job description?
A hiring manager job description usually includes defining role requirements, partnering with recruiters, interviewing candidates, and making final hiring decisions. They are also responsible for providing timely feedback and aligning stakeholders throughout the process.
How can recruiters better support hiring managers?
Recruiters can support hiring managers by offering clear structure, market insights, interview guidance, and tools that reduce administrative burden.
How does AI help hiring managers?
AI helps hiring managers by capturing interview insights, standardizing feedback, and enabling more objective, data-driven hiring decisions.
