Five things to think about when hiring a manager

A managerial hire has the power to make or break your department, so it’s essential you get it right.

Recruiting a new manager can be one of the most important and influential hires you’ll ever make.

A good manager should be experienced, dynamic, trustworthy and have strong leadership skills — but finding a candidate who ticks all these boxes is a challenge.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to make the process a little easier.

Does their experience hold up to scrutiny?

When hiring at the management level, you should ask questions to ascertain the candidate’s experience and knowledge to ensure their success. Managers are experienced workers, which makes it harder to mould them in the same way as junior positions.

Ask questions about what kinds of teams the candidate has managed to assess their skills and accomplishments.

During the CV scrutinizing process, make sure the candidate’s career progression allowed them enough time in each role to properly develop their management skills. Avoid jumping to conclusions about their experiences based on the written job titles and roles.

Have they progressed too quickly?

Be cautious if a managerial candidate appears on the job market soon after reaching a managerial position. It’s possible that they were promoted too soon, or they weren’t a good fit for a manager role.

If the candidate moved up the company ranks too quickly, they may not have had time to develop important managerial skills.

While these are points to watch out for, every candidate is different. Use the interview to clarify any questions you may have about their career progression. Be sure to ask about their responsibilities in previous management roles.

Do they have a unique talent?

It’s important to discover a candidate’s unique talent during the hiring process. A good manager can use their unique talent to their advantage to positively impact their work environment. During the interview, try to identify this talent and make sure it fits the requirements of the role.

Can they make important decisions?

Ask questions to ascertain their ability to make difficult decisions. Ask them about situations where they had to make important decisions, and how they handled the results.

Another good thing to ask is about situations where they had to do conflict management at the managerial level. Strong communication and conflict management skills are essential to a successful manager.

Will they fit into your workplace culture?

Ask about the candidate’s managerial style from their director’s perspective. This allows you to ascertain their managerial style while also getting a glimpse into how they perceive themselves.

Be sure to ask how their management style has changed over time, as well. You want to be cautious about hiring a stagnant manager in an ever-changing workplace. You should also ask if they’ve ever received feedback from others on their management and how they’ve responded to it.