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7 Key Factors to Consider When Hiring a Manager

How do you know if you are hiring a manager from hell or a heaven-sent manager? Here are some key factors to consider before you make your next big hire.

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How do you know if you are hiring a manager from hell or a heaven-sent manager? Here are some key factors to consider before you make your next big hire.

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Hiring outstanding staff is the primary goal for smart business owners. After all, a company's productivity and profitability are determined by the calibre of its employees. Consider a variety of elements while evaluating individuals, such as qualifications, work experience, personality, and talents.

I've had my fair share of "surviving the manager from hell" experiences; it wasn't easy, but I got out alive. A manager, aside from top management and human resources, has the power to set the tone of the corporate culture and affect employee performance - which is why you must be extra cautious when hiring a manager.

Managers have the ability to make or break their companies. While outstanding leaders push their staff to attain their full potential and help their organizations exceed their objectives, horrible dictators discourage them to the point where they want to jump ship. Because you don't want to lose your finest employees, you must do all possible to fill management roles with the right people the first time.

Here are 7 key factors to consider when hiring a manager: -

1. Experience - Hiring for experience does not necessarily imply that the candidate was a manager in their prior position, but they must demonstrate and share instances when they had to step up and be leaders, whether during a project or otherwise.. 

Can your potential candidate clarify particular targets fulfilled by their department or relate a narrative about their unit's success? When the candidate describes their successes, pay special attention to any reference to the department's success against their success. You may even explore asking what the department's biggest accomplishment has been and how it relates to the organization's success.

2. Education - The ideal manager, whether current or aspiring, would go the extra mile to improve their leadership skills by taking courses and earning certificates. You want to hire an employee that is willing to learn, unlearn, and relearn. Because the workplace is dynamic and always changing, seek applicants that are eager to learn and develop themselves, regardless of their years of experience.

3. Excellent communications skills - It's nearly impossible to overestimate the value of excellent communication skills in any role, let alone a leadership position. Managers serve as a connection between upper management and lower-level staff, issuing directives and delegating responsibilities. To do so, they must be able to effectively communicate and relay information.

The best managers can also strike a balance between communicating and listening - giving information and receiving feedback. This is very important and is an attribute of an effective communication pipeline in any organization. Ask candidates their approach to communication and let them share their philosophy - pay attention because this tells a lot about their leadership style.

4. Flexibility - Change is constant in any business, whether big or small. Perhaps a new product didn't work out and you need to shift gears, or a key employee resigned and you need a manager to make sure there are no gaps until you can find a replacement. When hiring a manager, flexibility is an important quality to look for. This is linked to problem-solving abilities because when a manager is faced with a crisis, they must be able to think swiftly and adapt in order to appropriately resolve it. Can they adapt quickly, manage teams remotely, fix problems asap, and fill in gaps before anyone notices?

5. Receiving and giving constructive criticism - Nobody knows it all, understanding the way in which your next manager received and provides constructive criticism is important. You want someone who can put their ego aside and accept constructive criticism in order to grow themselves and the organization. You'll also want someone who is empathic, emotionally intelligent, and not afraid to provide feedback when necessary.

The finest managers are usually those who are disliked by some but respected by others for how they handle situations. When it comes to constructive criticism, how does your potential hiring manager stack up against their peers? I'd always hoped for a boss who would treat me decently while also giving me constructive feedback in private rather than publicly shaming me.

6. Skill sets - Asides from the soft skills, does the candidate have the hard skills to do the job? The presence of hard skills and soft skills is an important factor to look out for, one shouldn’t outweigh the other, rather there should be a balance. A key to success is hiring a manager who has a fundamental understanding of all the positions they will be overseeing as well as a thorough understanding of their own. Hire someone eager to touch base with all the positions they will directly engage with, even if they don't have all the expertise.

To balance this out, they should have the necessary soft skills to adequately lead a team - emotional intelligence, critical thinking, empathy, and others.

7. Professional goals vs company goals - When hiring a manager or any employee, you should look into their professional objectives and make sure they connect with the company's. This will save you money on having to recruit someone else in a short amount of time. There are some candidates out to hunt for just the best salaries and titles rather than having the passion to push the company forward. Get insights into their goals and plans for improving the company, this can also be measured through carefully designed assessments. 

When hiring a manager you need to use the right methods and the right people to hire the best of the best. With advanced tools, features, and top professionals, Fuzu is just what you need to get your next great hire. Start now!

Written by

Eseosa Osayimwen

Excited about creating content that drives revenue, build trust and tells stories.


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