How To Hire A Manager

Post A Job For Free, Promote It For A Fee

Managers are responsible for keeping the business running. They facilitate cooperation between different departments and make sure that inventory, scheduling, and projects get done properly. Hiring one can be a difficult process, as you need to find someone who can take care of your business’s unique needs. Thankfully, there’s a process to help you get a successful hire.

Key takeaways:

Managers make an average salary of $58,500, but their salary can range from $37,000 to $92,000, depending on their experience level and level of responsibility.
Hiring a manager is competitive, meaning that managerial candidates are in demand. That means that it might take some time before you can get on board a good candidate.
Usually, the best way to find management candidates is by posting job ads. However, if you’re looking to get one faster, you can also promote someone. They’ll know your business better than if you bring in someone from outside.

Hiring a manager can help to lighten the workload at a business. If you’re running your own business, you may expand to the point that you need a manager to help you run it. It’s a good time to look into hiring one if you’re working long hours, having trouble keeping up with your work, or don’t feel like you can properly look after your employees yourself.

Management is a position that requires some experience and know-how, meaning that it isn’t as easy as hiring for an entry-level position. That being said, the process for hiring a manager isn’t too different from the average hiring process. So long as you follow these guidelines, you should end up with a successful and competent manager.

Figure out what you’re looking for. The title of manager is very broad. Know if you’re looking for a specialized type of manager and determine what level of experience and skills they need to have. Work out who your ideal candidate is, then do some thinking as to which skills and experiences are most important and which you can do without.

It’s important to note that your budget may constrain your options. If you want someone with a lot of experience or specialized skills, they’re going to want a higher salary. In that case, you may need to scale your expectations downwards.
Determine a budget. This is vital. You’ll need to know going in how much you’re able to pay your manager. That will allow you to post the salary on your want ads, as well as negotiate with any candidates. It can also help you determine what skill and experience level you can reasonably expect to get.
Write a compelling job description. The job description ends up being one of the most important recruitment tools. It’s most people’s first interaction with your business, which means that it gives them a taste of what they should expect and the company culture.

There are several different ways to make your job description compelling. For a good start, be sure to look at similar posts. Determine what you like and what you don’t. Make sure you include relevant information as well, such as required skills. And make it extremely clear how to apply for the position.
Post your job. Once you have your job description down, you have to put it out where potential hires can see it. Most people do their job searching on the internet these days, so posting it on hiring sites such as Zippia is strongly recommended. Your state may also have a place to post ads, and you can use other social media to draw attention too.

Depending on the job you’re hiring for, it’s also possible to post flyers. If you own a retail establishment or restaurant, you can post help-wanted flyers on the door or a bulletin board. Most newspapers will still have classified sections as well, though there tends to be a specific demographic that looks at those ads.
Interview candidates. Once you get responses to your want ad, you need to whittle down the candidates. Interviews are a good way to get a basic idea of what the person is like. It should be noted that some people interview well, while others don’t. Don’t base your entire decision on the interview.
Call references and do background checks. Once your candidates have passed the application and interview process, you should double-check their references. Mainly this is to make sure that they actually worked where they said they did – you don’t want a dishonest employee.

Not every business requires a background check to make sure that someone’s a good candidate. But if it’s a position of trust, such as working in an accounting firm or a lawyer’s office, then it’s a good idea to do a check. Many businesses do these as a matter of course, but that will be up to your discretion.
Make an offer. Once you’ve decided on your candidate, you have to make them an offer. For a manager position, it will most likely be full-time and include benefits. This will vary a great deal depending on the type of manager, their skill level, and the sort of business you run.

Be sure to know what a competitive salary is and whether or not you can offer it. If you try to lowball your candidate, it’s entirely possible they won’t want to work for you, even if they don’t currently have a better offer on the table. The fact is that they’re likely to look for other employment quickly, even if they do accept the position.

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How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Manager?

It costs an average of $58,651 to hire a manager, according to our statistics. As a manager position generally requires experience and the development of certain skills, they aren’t inexpensive to hire. They also have a wide salary range.

Managers’ salaries can range from $37,000 to $92,000. Managers’ experience and responsibilities can vary greatly depending on where they work, which is why the discrepancy is so high. Also, if you are looking for a specific type of managers, such as an office manager or shift manager, the range may be different.
Hiring a manager is moderately competitive compared to other jobs. As a manager is a skilled and experienced position, there are others who are looking to hire similar candidates. There isn’t a shortage of candidates, but you can’t be lackadaisical in your process, or you won’t get good candidates.

How to Write a Manager Job Description

While writing a job description may seem daunting, it’s a relatively short piece of writing, meaning that it shouldn’t take you too long. That being said, your job description is very important in encouraging good candidates to apply, so it’s important not to skimp on it. Here are some tips to generate a successful job description.

Look at other posted job descriptions. This is the best way to start your writing process. Looking at articles on how to write one is an excellent idea as well, but studying other job posts lets you see what works and what doesn’t.

Try to look at them like a candidate would – would you apply for this job? If you would, why? And if you wouldn’t, why not? Once you’ve determined that, take the parts that were effective and use them, and avoid the pitfalls you saw.
Lay out the relevant information. While job ads are a way to entice potential employees, they’re also meant to be informative. Don’t leave out important information. Always include the job title, requirements to get hired, who they’ll report to, expected hours, whether it’s in person or work from home, and the job responsibilities.

It’s also a very good idea to include a salary range. Not every ad includes one, but most people’s primary motivator is the salary. Applying to a position requires effort on the applicant’s side, and they may decide it’s not worth it if they don’t know what you’re going to pay them.
Be concise. Most people who are searching for a job end up applying to a bunch of different positions. That means that they spend a lot of time reading job descriptions. If yours is too long or dense, then it’s likely to make them cross-eyed before they finish it. Put in the information that’s required and be sparing in additional details.
Don’t be too rigid. It’s good to list the education, experience, and skills you feel are necessary to do the job. However, it’s also a good idea to split them into the need to have and nice to have. If your requirements are too strict, then you’re going to have a lot of job seekers decide they aren’t qualified enough to apply.
Give them a taste of the company culture. This is likely the applicant’s first exposure to your organization. Give them an idea of the sort of office culture they can expect, so they’ll have an idea of whether or not they’ll fit in there.
Proofread it. Once you’ve written it up, be sure to read it over again. It’s a good idea to let it sit for a day or so; if you can see that, you can come back to it with fresh eyes. Also, don’t be the only one to look it over. Ask a friend or coworker to proofread it for you. They’ll likely pick up on errors or confusing phrases that you missed.

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Where to Find Managers to Hire?

Once you’ve got your job description together, you have to decide where to post it. There are several different ways to get the word out. Here are a few suggestions to get started.

Zippia. Zippia is an excellent place to post a job ad. We connect job seekers with opportunities, all while supplying them with the data they need to make informed decisions. Zippia will help with data on competitive salaries, how-to articles like this one, and getting the word out.
LinkedIn. LinkedIn’s whole purpose is networking. They have a lot of resources to help with posting a job, spreading the word about it, and how to follow up. Your networking resources on the site may end up helping you as well because if you make it known you’re hiring, your former employees or coworkers may have suggestions.
Social media. While LinkedIn is technically a social media site, it’s focused on careers. Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites can allow you to make use of your friend base and following to get interested. The majority of businesses also have a Facebook page, so if you post on that, those that are interested in your business will see it.
Newspaper classified. Newspaper classifieds are dying out, but that doesn’t mean it’s useless. If you have a local paper and are looking for a particular demographic, then the paper may be the best place to advertise. It does limit your pool to local talent, but if it’s one of several forms of outreach, it just adds to the number of people who see your ad.
State job board. The majority of states have a job board that you can post on for free. These sites tend to get a fair amount of traffic, and it’ll encourage locals to apply for your job. That’s especially important if you’re not able to do telework.

Skills to Look for in a Manager

If you want to hire a successful manager, there are certain skills that are necessary to manage well. These will vary somewhat depending on the type of manager you’re hiring and the industry you’re in, but the majority of these skills will translate to any type of manager.

Hard skills

At least three years of work experience. Management requires some knowledge of what it’s like to be managed. But more than that, you want someone who basically understands what they’re managing so that they can track the project and help facilitate it.
Budgeting and money management. A large part of what a manager does involves the budget of the department. How much money management they do will depend on what level of management they’re in, but understanding how to budget and manage their allotted funds is a must for a management position.
A bachelor’s in business or a related field. While some leadership positions are attained strictly through experience, management usually requires a bachelor’s degree. More education allows them to better understand their field as well as help with time management and other soft skills.

Soft skills

Written and verbal communication. As managers lead, it’s important for them to be able to communicate effectively. This means that it’s necessary for them to prevent miscommunications, mediate disputes, and convey to their team any budget constraints, time constraints, or other requirements.
Time management. A great deal of managing is keeping track of time. This is especially important in project management, as they need to make sure that different parts of the project get done when they need to. But managers all need to be able to manage their own time and keep track of employees’ hours.
Interpersonal skills. As managers largely work as facilitators, they need to be able to get along with other people. Leadership skills can also fall under interpersonal skills, as people are generally more willing to follow someone that they like than someone that they don’t.

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How to Interview a Manager

The interviewing process is stressful both for the interviewee and the interviewer. However, there are certain skills and traits that you want to look for in a managerial candidate. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep in the back of your mind during your interview.

Know what you’re looking for. While you shouldn’t focus excessively on one aspect of the interview, it’s important to know what skills, traits, or qualities are important in who you wish to hire. For instance, if you prioritize hiring someone who fits into the company culture, see how they react to questions related to it or to meet other employees.
See how they present themselves. While appearance isn’t everything, it’s important. If they’re looking for a manager position, they likely have work experience, which means they shouldn’t be ignorant about work attire or how to prepare for an interview. Are they dressed nicely? Are they polite, professional, and prepared?
Focus on skills that are important, such as leadership. Ask questions about their leadership skills, and see how they react. Do they have anecdotes to share? How much time have they spent in a leadership role? Do they seem engaged or enthusiastic when talking about it?

Making a Manager a Job Offer

Making a good job offer increases the chances of the candidate accepting the role. Most of the time, the first step is to make a verbal offer. Usually, not a lot of information is included in this offer, besides some basics of salary and benefits. After that comes an offer letter. Most offer letters are formulaic, as they’re basically informative.

However, there are some things to emphasize in an offer letter.

Make it exceedingly clear that they’ve been offered a job. Put that in the first line doubly, so if you haven’t given them a verbal offer first.
Don’t sleep on it. If they’re a good enough candidate that you want to hire, someone else probably does too. Send them an offer letter as soon as you’re ready to, and give them some time to get back to you. If it’s been a week or so, then it’s fine to follow up, as it let them know you’re truly interested.
Make the letter consistent with the want ad and/or verbal offer. If they expressed a desire for a particular pay or benefit, you could include that in your offer letter if it’s within your power to offer it.