Did you miss Part 1 of the series? No worries! Get caught up right here.

Now let's get to Part 2 of 'How to Hire Managers' with TPD Recruitment Manager Michael Offutt!...

TPD: How do you determine someone’s success in a management role?

Michael Offutt: A major factor is how they lead their team, and what successes their team achieved collectively. I don’t want to hear about how they did something – their responses should be ‘I lead my team to do xyz’.

I also look at how encouraging they were to their team, the overall success of their department, but am less focused on their individual success. Everyone can be a worker bee, not everyone can be a leader.

TPD: How important are references?

Michael Offutt: References are great for a very specific purpose – to solidify what you already know about someone.

I also think they are sometimes irrelevant. When someone gives you a reference, they’ve already prefaced it to this person. While some people still swear by references, I think it’s just better to have an open conversation.

TPD: How important is culture fit for someone in a management or leadership role?

Michael Offutt: Your leaders are the champions of your culture. If they aren’t a fit with what you’re trying to create, they will either contradict your desired culture or create a false one – so culture fit is absolutely crucial!

TPD: When should someone consider outsourcing the hiring?

Michael Offutt: It depends on the size of your team. If you are hiring a director or a high-level manager, it really does take someone with tenure to do it properly. A candidate with a lot of experience knows exactly what to do and say, so it takes a tenured recruiter to see through their polished words.

TPD: How does hiring an entry-level supervisor differ from hiring for a more senior role?

Michael Offutt: I see entry-level positions as stretch opportunities – meaning they can be filled by an internal rockstar or someone external who might not be ready for the position, but could be ‘stretched’ into the role.

I can teach skills, but I can’t teach attitude or aptitude. The entry-level supervisor position is perfect for someone who is focused on learning and developing.

Senior level management roles are not stretch opportunities – This person should have it all. You can’t have inexperienced talent in this type of position.

Interested in additional tips to help you perfect your hiring process? Check out one of our free resources below!