Recruiters vs. hiring managers: what you need to know to ace the job interview

Recruiters are an important part of any hiring process. They’re the people who find and screen candidates for job openings. Recruiters won’t generally interview candidates directly, but they will present them to hiring managers, who do the actual hiring. If you have a good relationship with your recruiter, that can be helpful when you’re looking for a new job. But how do you know which is which? Recruiters vs hiring managers: who should you trust when applying for jobs? While recruiters and hiring managers both want you to succeed in your job search, their roles are very different. Let’s take a look at what makes each of these indispensable members of your team tick.

What’s the difference between recruiters and hiring managers?

Typically, recruiters are the people who find candidates for job openings. And those job openings are found within a hiring manager’s department. So, if a hiring manager is looking for a CFO, the job listing will be posted within that hiring manager’s department. It’s the recruiter who finds the candidates. Once they’ve found suitable candidates, they bring those candidates to the hiring manager. The hiring manager will then decide who gets an interview and who doesn’t. Recruiters and hiring managers both want you to succeed in your job search, but their roles are very different. Recruiters screen candidates, interview them for the hiring manager, and then bring them to the hiring manager for an offer.

Recruiter job titles to know

When you apply for a job, you might be asked if you’ve ever been contacted by a recruiter. If you say yes, that could be an embarrassing moment if the person you’re talking to is actually a hiring manager. Be sure you know the job titles of the people who are talking to you. Here are the most common recruiter job titles:

• Senior recruiter: The senior recruiter is the person who will be making the initial contact with you. They’re the ones who will be screening you for the job, so if you’re contacted by a senior recruiter, you should be optimistic about your chances with the company.
• Junior recruiter/talent manager: A junior recruiter usually isn’t involved with actual hiring decisions. They’ll be the ones contacting you once the company has decided to move forward with you.
• Sourcer/recruiting administrator: Someone with one of these titles will be responsible for sourcing candidates for the company. They might contact you to see if you’re interested in applying. If they do, you should take them seriously, because they’ve likely been instructed to bring you in for an interview.

Hiring manager job titles to know

While it’s important to know the job titles of the people who are recruiting you, it’s also important to know the job titles of the people who will be interviewing you. Hiring managers will interview you to see if you’re a good fit for the job. If you get an interview, that means the hiring manager likes you and wants to see if you’re the right fit for the company. As you prepare for the interview, you’ll want to understand the role of the hiring manager. This can help you make sure you’re presenting yourself in the best possible way.

How can you tell if you’re talking to a recruiter or a hiring manager?

The best way to tell the difference between a recruiter and a hiring manager is to ask. If you’re applying for a job and you’ve spoken with a recruiter, ask them if they’re a recruiter or a hiring manager. If you’re interviewing with a hiring manager, there’s no reason to ask who you’re talking to because it’s obvious. If you’re talking to a recruiter, there’s no need to ask. Just be sure you’re communicating with them the same way you would if you were talking to a hiring manager. If you don’t ask, you may offend them. While a recruiter’s role is to find candidates, they also want you to succeed. By asking who you’re talking to, you show them that you respect them and their position.

3 ways to be absolutely sure you’re talking to a recruiter vs. a hiring manager

If you’re not sure you’re talking to a recruiter or a hiring manager, there are a few ways to make sure. - Ask: You’re always welcome to ask who you’re talking to. You can simply say, “Hi, I’m David. I applied for the CFO job with your company. Are you a recruiter or hiring manager?” - Look at their social media: You can learn a lot about someone by looking at their social media profiles. If you’re talking to a hiring manager, you can usually find them on LinkedIn. If you’re talking to a recruiter, you can usually find them on LinkedIn or Twitter. - Examine their email address: Most recruiters use email addresses that end in @staffing.com, @recruiters.com, or @executiverecruiters.com. Hiring managers will have a more traditional email address, like their last name followed by the company name.

4 tips for effectively interviewing with recruiters and hiring managers

As you prepare for an interview, you want to make sure you’re talking to the right person. You also want to make sure you’re talking to them the right way. Here are a few tips for effectively interviewing with recruiters and hiring managers. - Make sure you’re talking to the right person: Make sure you’re talking to the person who can make a hiring decision. If you’re talking to a recruiter, ask if they can put you in touch with the hiring manager. If you’re talking to a hiring manager, ask if they can put you in touch with the recruiter. - Know what you want out of the interview: If you’re interviewing with a recruiter, you want them to see how great you are. It’s a sales job. If you’re interviewing with a hiring manager, you want them to see that you have the skills they’re looking for. - Bring your A-game: Recruiters and hiring managers are pros. They’ve seen it all. They know how to screen candidates and how to interview them. You have to bring your A-game if you want to stand out. - Ask good questions: You’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you. You want to make sure they want to bring you in. You can ask questions to find out if they’re a good fit for you, too.

Bottom line

Recruiters and hiring managers are both important people in the hiring process. They both want you to succeed, but they have very different roles. If you want to impress recruiters and hiring managers, make sure you know what they do, who they are, and how to communicate with them effectively. And don’t forget: when it comes to job interviews, bringing your A-game is critical.