How You Help Hiring Managers Even When They Don’t Ask

It’s easy to overlook the essential role you play as a recruiter in navigating the invisible side of recruiting. I hope this will help you in that navigation as well as making your consultative recruiting value more visible.

I also hope some of these questions can be useful additions to your question library!

You can probably relate to being handed a pile of vague job descriptions, rushed timelines, and a hiring manager who’s secretly stressed out. It’s like walking into a storm with no umbrella. Every hire comes with stress: team dynamics, project outcomes, and sometimes even the company’s future are all at stake.

So while they may not say it, your hiring manager may be asking themselves:

"What if I hire the wrong person? What if I’m just guessing here?"

That’s where you come in. And no, you’re not just a resume-matching machine or someone who throws resumes at hiring managers hoping they will be a fit. You’re a consultant, a strategist, the trusted advisor they didn’t even know they needed. Your expertise is about leading to clarity and agreement.

Here are some areas your hiring manager needs you most—even if they don’t ask for it or even realize how much they need you.

1 The Big Picture

Hiring managers are often buried in the granular details—skills, qualifications, certifications—but those are just puzzle pieces. They need help seeing the whole picture, and you’re the only one to do exactly that.

Start broad. Ask why the role exists. Seriously, when you dig into the why, it’s like a lightbulb goes off. Maybe the “urgent need” is less about hiring and more about restructuring workflow. Or maybe it’s a growth position they haven’t fully conceptualized yet.

Some useful questions:

• “What’s the core problem this hire is solving?”
• “What’s their role in the larger team’s success?”
• “If we hit a home run here, what does that look like in 90 days?”

These aren’t just questions—they’re door-openers to a real conversation with the hiring manager. Remember also that the one asking the questions is leading the conversation to where they (you) want to go.

2. “Must-Haves” vs. “Nice-to-Haves”

Job descriptions are so often misleading. You know the type: an endless list of qualifications that makes you wonder if they really know what they want. Or worse, a painfully short list that says nothing useful.

Here’s where you come in: guide them through and to what truly matters.

Some useful questions:

• “What’s absolutely non-negotiable?”
• “What can this person learn on the job?”

It’s a subtle shift, but asking the right questions makes them pause and think. Suddenly, “10 years of experience” becomes “someone who’s adaptable and eager to learn.” That’s when you see the hiring manager exhale—it’s like you’ve just taken 50 pounds off their shoulders.

Navigate the Tug-of-War Between Stakeholders

One team wants a data wizard, another wants a people-person. And you’re in the middle, trying to make sense of it all. This is your chance to play mediator.

Some useful questions:

• “Can we agree on three key priorities for this hire?”
• “What’s one skill you cannot compromise on?”

Yes, it might feel like herding cats at first, but you’ll bring clarity. When everyone’s aligned, the process moves faster—and the hiring manager will see you as the person who pulled it all together.

4. Define Success—Right From the Start

Here’s the thing: most hiring managers are flying blind. They don’t have measurable success metrics in mind. And that’s where things go sideways.

Some useful questions to help them clarify their expectations: .

• “What’s the most critical goal for their first 30 days?”
• “What milestones should they hit by month six?”

This exercise doesn’t just reduce their anxiety—it makes your job easier because now you’re hiring for outcomes, not just qualifications.

5. Offer Market Reality Checks

Maybe you have a hiring manager with big dreams about what the ideal candidate looks likeThey want that “purple squirrel,” but they don’t realize the talent pool (and budget) might not support it. Be the voice of reason.

Share what you know:

• Salary benchmarks
• Talent availability
• Realistic expectations for the role

Lead them:

• “Here’s what the market looks like right now. Let’s talk about what’s realistic.”
• “If we focus on potential over perfection, we’ll find someone great and invest in their growth.”

The shift from “impossible” to “achievable” builds trust—and reminds them you’re on their side.

6. Tackle the Fear of Hiring Mistakes

Let’s name the elephant in the room: the fear of getting it wrong. It’s not just about filling the position; it’s about the hiring  manager’s fear of wasting time, resources, and not looking good to their boss.

Your job? Diffuse that fear by sharing how the two of you are going to make this a very successful process.

• “We’re in this together. We’ll define what’s needed to make sure to attract a  candidate you will be happy you hired..”
• “The process you and I are building with this discussion is designed to attract the best candidates and successfully fill this role together.”

It’s reassurance, but also confidence—your confidence in the process and in your ability to guide them because you know exactly that. That confidence is contagious.

The Bottom Line

When you step into the role of their trusted advisor, you lead hiring managers to clarify their needs, align their teams, and build a clear path forward. I want to help you shatter any old (and undeserved) order-taker stereotype. You’re not just filling positions—you’re solving problems.

So next time you’re handed a vague job description and a stressed-out hiring manager, remember you are exactly the expert they need.

Thank you for reading. If you would like a free copy of my new book, Navigating the Invisible Side of Recruiting just inmail me. Best wishes for your epic recruiting results!