How training hiring managers boosts recruitment

They know the job requirements, and they understand the business; but without specific training, even the best hiring manager can stumble through interviews, let bias cloud their judgment, or violate employment law without realising it.

Why training hiring managers is crucial

The role of hiring managers in recruitment

First, let’s be clear about what hiring managers do. As your business’s talent gatekeepers, they shape not just their own team, but the overall culture and direction of the organisation. They need to be adept at assessing candidates, asking the right questions, and spotting potential — skills that don’t always come naturally.

The benefits of training hiring managers

Why is training so important when it comes to recruitment? Well-trained hiring managers mean a more efficient recruitment process, as well as stronger candidates who are more likely to help the business succeed. Training those on the hiring front lines can transform recruitment from a flawed, drawn-out process into one that’s fast, effective, and rewarding for everyone involved.

And let’s be honest, hiring managers who do things by the book also makes life a lot easier for busy HR teams.

Improving candidate experience through training

Creating a positive and professional interview experience

We’ve all been to interviews where we felt like just another item on the hiring manager’s to-do list. Perhaps the interviewer even made it obvious we weren’t their first choice.

The way you treat candidates speaks volumes about your organisation, and with people openly sharing their recruitment experiences online, a single interview can impact your brand more than you might think. A skilled interviewer knows the importance of making each applicant feel valued and respected, regardless of the outcome – and interview training is key to this.

Making the recruitment process fair

A consistent, methodical approach to recruitment makes it easier to compare candidates based on what really matters. Not only does this make things fairer for applicants, but it leads to smarter hiring decisions too.

As we’ll see later, unconscious bias poses a serious risk to the recruitment process. By training your hiring managers, you can level the playing field so that everyone gets the same opportunity to shine.

Building a strong employer brand

Candidates often meet hiring managers before anyone else in the business. So give them an excellent first impression with confident, approachable managers and a well-thought-out interview process.

Applicants’ experiences have a way of popping up on social media and websites like Glassdoor, meaning you need a candidate-friendly recruitment process to grow your reputation as a great employer. Training your hiring managers to show your business in the best light is key to attracting top talent.

Implementing a successful training programme

Assessing hiring managers’ training needs

Before you start designing your training programme, you first need to understand the unique needs of your hiring managers. This might involve surveying them to pinpoint areas where they feel less confident, such as interview techniques, bias awareness, or understanding the company’s diversity goals.

By comparing managers’ current skills and challenges with your ideal hiring process, you can plug the gaps with targeted training that meets your objectives.

What to include in training sessions

An effective training programme for hiring managers should cover more than the basics of writing job descriptions, sifting through applications, and carrying out interviews. For example, you should also include modules on structured interviewing techniques, recognising unconscious bias, and complying with the law.

At the same time, hiring managers should be able to ask open-ended questions that elicit clues about a candidate’s potential beyond what’s on their CV. That being said, the exact contents of your training programme will depend on the areas for improvement identified within your skills assessment.

Delivering engaging and effective training

To make training sessions truly impactful, venture beyond PowerPoint and focus on practical, interactive exercises that let managers apply what they’ve learnt. Role-playing scenarios, for example, allow hiring managers to practice their interview techniques in a low-risk setting and receive constructive feedback straight away.

It’s also worth incorporating case studies and group discussions to keep sessions dynamic and help managers learn from each other’s experiences. Avoid simply lecturing managers on what to do, as people tend to learn better when they’re actively involved.

Ensuring long-term effectiveness

Measuring the success of training programmes

It’s all very well pouring time and effort into delivering engaging training — but how do you know whether it’s working? Thankfully, there are plenty of ways you can measure the effectiveness of your programme.

Post-training assessments, candidate feedback, and recruitment outcomes all offer valuable insights. Long term, track metrics like time-to-hire, candidate satisfaction, and retention rates to see what’s working and where you could improve.

Supporting continuous improvement

Effective training doesn’t stop after the first session. Provide ongoing support, such as refresher courses, coaching sessions, and a resource hub full of guides and other tools, to help your hiring managers continuously hone their skills.

On top of this, schedule regular check-ins to ensure managers feel well-equipped to handle every step of the hiring process.

Reducing bias and improving diversity

How unconscious bias affects hiring decisions

Unconscious bias can sneak into the hiring process in surprising ways, affecting hiring managers’ decisions without them even realising it. For instance, they might unconsciously favour candidates with similar backgrounds or interests to themselves, limiting diversity within teams.

Training hiring managers to recognise these biases is the first step to reducing their impact, helping to create a fairer, more objective recruitment process.

The benefits of diverse and inclusive hiring practices

Not only does bias disadvantage applicants from other backgrounds, but it makes it less likely the person with the strongest skills and potential will be chosen. What’s more, diversity makes teams more innovative and effective; indeed, research shows that diverse companies are 40% more likely to financially outperform their competitors. This is probably because diverse teams bring together a rich variety of perspectives and approaches to problem-solving.

If that wasn’t enough incentive to diversify your teams, inclusivity helps you attract and hold on to talent too. When people feel listened to and valued regardless of their background, they’re more likely to stick around and do their best work, and your business will build a reputation as a forward-thinking employer.

Strategies for mitigating bias

To counter unconscious bias, train hiring managers to adopt strategies like structured interviews and diverse hiring panels. Structured interviews, where each candidate is asked the same set of questions, prevent managers from leaving out questions or veering off course based on assumptions about a candidate. This gives everyone an equal chance to demonstrate their experience and abilities.

At the same time, including different perspectives on hiring panels helps to balance out individual biases and make the selection process more inclusive.

How MHR can help

Our HR learning management system is the ideal way to manage and deliver hiring manager training at scale. E-learning materials can support in-person training sessions and give your managers round-the-clock access to resources, while our software lets you keep track of your training programme’s performance.

On top of this, our recruitment and onboarding software helps you give every candidate a positive experience that enhances your employer brand — all without breaking a sweat.