?? 10 Tips for Strengthening Talent Acquisition & Hiring Manager Relationships ??

Hiring managers can be your greatest allies—or your biggest roadblocks. Strong partnerships drive hiring success, but what about those managers who are unresponsive, unrealistic, or slow to engage? Here are 10 actionable strategies to bridge the gap and keep hiring on track.

1?? Set Clear Expectations from Day One Start with a structured intake meeting to define role requirements, candidate must-haves vs. nice-to-haves, and expected hiring timelines. A shared hiring scorecard can help align priorities.

2?? Speak Their Language Hiring managers think in business outcomes, not recruitment metrics. Frame your discussions around how filling the role impacts revenue, customer success, or team bandwidth—not just time-to-fill.

3?? Use Data to Build Your Case Managers pushing for unicorn candidates? Show them market data on salary expectations, talent availability, and competitor hiring trends to reset expectations. Benchmark their role against industry norms.

4?? Track Candidate Pass-Through Rates If too many candidates are failing at the same interview stage, highlight this with pass-through rate data. It can uncover issues like an unrealistic skills test, misaligned screening, or an inefficient process.

5?? Implement Guidelines for Feedback Slow hiring decisions = lost candidates. Set clear guidelines for reviewing resumes, scheduling interviews, and providing feedback. Automate reminders if needed.

6?? Leverage Candidate Feedback If hiring managers are unknowingly causing candidate drop-off, use post-interview surveys to surface red flags like unclear role expectations, excessive interviews, or poor communication.

7?? Escalate Strategically If a hiring manager repeatedly delays hiring or rejects qualified candidates, document the impact (lost candidates, extended vacancy costs, etc.) and escalate to leadership with data-driven insights.

8?? Make Hiring a Two-Way Street Encourage hiring managers to treat recruiting as a partnership, not a service. Frame it as a shared responsibility rather than a transactional process.

9?? Offer Solutions, Not Just Problems Instead of just saying, “We’re losing candidates,” suggest adjustments: fewer interview steps, stronger employer branding, or pre-identified talent pools to move faster.

?? Recognize Wins & Reinforce Good Behavior Hiring managers who prioritize hiring should be recognized. Celebrate quick hires, strong candidate experiences, and improved processes to reinforce positive behavior.

?? What’s your #1 challenge with hiring managers? Drop a comment below—let’s problem-solve together! ??