What they say vs. What they mean - hiring manager edition

Let’s give some kudos to hiring managers.  They are our greatest allies, our partners, and a critical component in recruiting.  They can also be a source of frustration at times.  I feel fortunate to have worked with many fantastic hiring teams and I truly believe them to be a trusted resource.  However, that doesn’t mean that I can’t have a little fun at their expense.  With that, I present to you “What they say/What they mean”- the hiring manager edition.  

What they say:  They need to be able to hit the ground running.

What they mean:  I don’t want to actually manage or develop anyone.  

What they say:  I am going to need 20 more of these filled by the end of the year.

What they mean:  I have no approved headcount.

What they say:  We have a work hard, play hard mentality.

What they mean:  I really have no idea why someone would want to work for me.

What they say:  I can’t put my finger on it, they just didn’t “wow” me.

What they mean: I don’t know how to interview someone.  Was that in the handbook?

What they say:  They couldn’t give me a compelling reason why they wanted to work here.

What they mean:  Passive candidates are a foreign concept to me.

What they say:  I need this filled ASAP.

What they mean:  3 weeks after your submittal you’ll still be trying to get feedback.

What they say:  I was on the fence with him/her, I could go either way.

What they mean:  I’m waiting to hear everyone else’s feedback and then I’m jumping on that bandwagon.  

What they say:  Have you tried _____ job board, my job needs to be on that job board.  

What they mean:  I know as much about recruiting as you do about writing code but I did see this commercial once…

What they say:  It’s always worked in the past.  

What they mean:  I’m living in the past and change terrifies me.

What they say:  I’m really looking for someone with 2-3 years of experience.

What they mean:  I need someone who knows what they’re doing but will work for cheap.  

What they say:  I need to see more candidates.

What they mean:  I’m stalling because I really don’t have any idea what I’m looking for.  

What they say:  I’m not sure that he/she is the right fit but let’s bring them in to evaluate.  

What they mean:  You are about to waste time and company resources.

What they say:  Do you know what I had to go through to get into this company?

What they mean:  This person is about to have an awful candidate experience.  

Will Maurer is currently living his dream as the Global Sourcing Manager for General Motors.  With that said, his opinions are solely his own and do not reflect the opinion of his employer.  He firmly believes that Talent Acquisition is a team sport and feels very fortunate to be surrounded by some of the best professionals in the world.  You can find his random thoughts at www.therecruitingnerd.com