Strategic Communication with Hiring Managers

I’ve been a recruiter for 5+ years, and I’ve closely seen how Hiring Managers make decisions. If you’re looking for a job in the U.S., these strategies are GOLD. I’ve been in dozens of debriefs where the candidate looked great on paper, answered questions well, and still didn't get hired. Because hiring managers aren’t just asking, “Can they do the job?” They’re asking: → Do they understand the role? → Can they think through messy problems? → Will they communicate clearly with the team? → Are they coachable? → Will they take ownership? Here’s how you can show hiring managers that you are the right fit. 1. Show your thinking, not just your answer. When walking through a project or technical solution, don’t jump straight to the outcome. Walk through the decisions you made, what tradeoffs you considered, and what you’d do differently now. That shows maturity and reflection, which managers love to see. 2. Ask better questions. Skip the generic: What’s the culture like? Instead ask: What does success look like in the first 90 days? What challenges is the team currently facing? Hiring managers remember candidates who sound like future teammates. 3. Own your gaps. You don’t need to pretend to be perfect. In fact, the best candidates I’ve seen are the ones who say: I haven’t done X before, but here’s how I’d approach it. That shows adaptability. Most roles evolve, so this matters more than checking every box. 4. Match your energy to the team. If the team is collaborative, curious, and fast-paced, show that you work the same way. Not by saying it, but through your tone, your responses, and the way you engage. You don’t need to perform. You need to connect. That’s what makes hiring managers say, “Let’s bring them in.” Repost this so others crack interviews. P.S. If you are a job seeker in the U.S. and found this post helpful, follow me for more honest job-search advice. Let's get you hired in the next 90 days.

Want a new job? STOP talking like it. Top performers speak like solution providers. After 20 years as a hiring manager and now as a coach, I've noticed clear patterns in how successful candidates communicate. Here are 5 power phrases that transform interviews into offers: "I'm curious how this role supports [recent product launch/company news]." ↳ This immediately positions you as someone who's invested beyond the job description. You're connecting your potential role to the company's high-level priorities. "You mentioned [specific problem]. In my previous role, we faced a similar challenge - here's exactly how we measured success..." ↳ Notice how this focuses on the measurement framework, not just actions. Hiring managers want people who know how to define and track success. "Could you walk me through how decisions get made on this team?" ↳ This one question reveals more about the real working environment than hours of standard interview exchanges. It also shows you care about process and culture. "I've prepared some ideas on how I'd approach [specific challenge they mentioned]. Would it be helpful to discuss them?" ↳ Most candidates are reactive. This positions you as proactive and prepared, demonstrating how you'd actually work on their team. "The aspect of this role that most excites me is [specific responsibility], because that's where I've consistently delivered the strongest results." ↳ This aligns your strengths directly with their needs, creating a perfect match in the interviewer's mind. The difference between good candidates and exceptional ones isn't just experience. It's how they frame that experience as a solution to the company's specific challenges. Your interview is your first work product. Make it reflect how you'll perform in the job.

🎯 Don’t just prep for interviews. Map the decision-makers - and tailor your message for each one. This is where strong candidates become the clear choice. Because here’s the truth: Most people prep for the questions. Top performers prep for the audience. 👇 Here’s how: 👤 1. The Recruiter What they care about: → Are you qualified on paper and in person? → Are you aligned with salary and expectations? What to highlight: ✅ Relevant titles, skills, company types ✅ Clear communication and professionalism ✅ No red flags, good culture fit 💬 Example: “I’ve worked in similar fast-paced environments and understand the expectations around stakeholder management and delivery speed.” 👤 2. The Hiring Manager What they care about: → Can you solve their problems? → Will you make their life easier? What to highlight: ✅ Business results tied to your function ✅ Thought process behind decisions ✅ Experience with similar challenges 💬 Example: “When I joined X, we were struggling with [similar pain point]. I led [strategy] which resulted in [outcome] - and freed up my manager to focus on strategic work.” 👤 3. Cross-Functional Peers (Product, Ops, Finance) What they care about: → Will you collaborate well? → Do you understand their world? What to highlight: ✅ Communication style ✅ Experience working across silos ✅ Empathy and clarity 💬 Example: “I partnered closely with Finance to redesign our forecasting model - that alignment helped us prioritize more accurately and cut wasted spend by 18%.” 👤 4. Senior Leadership (VPs, C-level) What they care about: → Do you think like a leader? → Can you represent us externally and internally? What to highlight: ✅ Strategic thinking ✅ Business acumen ✅ Executive presence 💬 Example: “When our team hit a ceiling with user growth, I reframed the goal - shifting from acquisition to retention - and drove a cross-functional initiative that lifted net retention by 12 points.” 🧭 The mindset shift: - Don't prep the same way for every round. - Prep with stakeholder influence in mind. They’re not just evaluating your answers. They’re deciding: Can I see this person leading here, with us? 💬 Which type of stakeholder do you find most challenging to connect with in interviews? Follow me for more advanced job search strategies that help experienced professionals stand out - not burn out.

Throughout my recruitment career, I've observed a consistent disconnect between what candidates emphasize and what actually influences hiring decisions.   Elaborate job titles might look impressive on LinkedIn, but they rarely drive hiring decisions.   What Hiring Managers Overlook:   Complex titles like "Senior Vice President of Strategic Digital Transformation" or "Principal Customer Experience Innovation Lead" sound important but provide little insight into actual capabilities or achievements.   What Drives Hiring Decisions:   1. Quantified Impact: Specific metrics that demonstrate business value - revenue generated, costs reduced, efficiency improved, problems solved. 2. Transferable Skills: Core competencies that apply across industries and organizations rather than company-specific role descriptions. 3. Problem-Solving Evidence: Concrete examples of challenges identified and solutions implemented with measurable outcomes. 4. Results-Oriented Communication: The ability to articulate achievements in terms of business impact rather than job responsibilities.   The Strategic Shift: Instead of: "I'm a Marketing Director" Position as: "I help B2B companies generate 3x more qualified leads through data-driven campaigns"   Instead of: "I'm an Operations Manager" Position as: "I streamline processes that reduce costs by 25% while improving quality"   Why This Matters:   Hiring managers evaluate candidates based on potential contribution to their specific business challenges. Titles describe past roles; results predict future value.   When you lead with measurable achievements rather than hierarchical labels, you immediately differentiate yourself from candidates who rely on impressive-sounding titles.   What strategies have you found most effective for communicating your professional value beyond job titles?   Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://lnkd.in/ei_uQjju   #deepalivyas #eliterecruiter #recruiter #recruitment #jobsearch #corporate #valueproposition #resultsdriven #careerstrategist

You nailed the interview. So did the other candidate. So how does the hiring manager decide who gets the offer? A client came to me recently after making it far in multiple interview processes. They made it to the final rounds and received great feedback, but no offers. This is exactly where I specialize and going through the hiring process again as a hiring manager has reminded me just how real this is… You typically get: • 30 - 60 minutes with the hiring manager • 30 minutes with each of the panelists • A handful of behavioral questions that every candidate is answering Let’s say you crush your answers. So does someone else. You’re both qualified. You’re both prepared. You’re both strong communicators. So how do hiring managers choose? The more information we have, the easier the decision. This is why internal candidates often have an edge, because we’ve seen their work. We know what they’re like in action. With external candidates, we rely on what’s in front of us: Interview responses, follow-up notes, the clarity with which you articulate your impact and whether you went the extra step to help us see you in the role. So, how do you stand out? Here are 3 things you can do:  1. Treat interviews like needs assessments.  Go beyond the surface and uncover the why behind the role. Use SPI questions (Situation, Pain, Impact) to understand what the team truly needs and then connect your experience directly to those pain points.  2. Include more information in your thank you note.  Don’t just thank them for their time – add value. Include a short work example, framework or insight that reinforces your fit. With each thank you note, you’re able to emphasize how your skills align with the role and demonstrate your proactive, thoughtful approach to the opportunity.  3. Create an interview summary and ramp plan.  This is your differentiator. After final rounds, summarize what you heard, the challenges this role will solve, and how you’d approach the job in your first 30-60 days. It shows you were listening, thinking strategically and already have a plan for how to approach the role. These are small actions that take you from being a strong candidate to being the obvious choice. If you’re getting close but not closing, you might just need a sharper strategy for standing out. This is part of my Hiring Manager POV series focused on real-time insights while I’m hiring and helping clients navigate the job market. If you’re hiring right now, what’s something a candidate has done that really stood out to you? If you landed the job, what worked for you? 

Let me share something that might be tough to hear, but will dramatically improve your message response rate from recruiters and hiring managers: Recruiters and hiring managers aren't focused on your job search journey - we're focused on finding the perfect match for our roles. Here's what this means for you: 👎 What doesn't work: 🔸 "I'm interested, here's my resume" 🔸 "What positions do you have?" 🔸 "Help me find a job" 🔸 Generic "I saw this position" messages 🔸 Mass-copied message with no personalization 👉 What ACTUALLY gets our attention: 🔸 Showing you've researched our role 🔸 Highlighting specific relevant experience 🔸 Explaining why YOU + THIS ROLE = perfect match 🔸 Demonstrating genuine interest 🔸 Sharing your unique value proposition 💡 Pro Tip: Before hitting send, ask yourself: "Have I shown why I'm the solution to their hiring need?" Your time is valuable - but so is ours. We get dozens of these messages every week so you need to stand out or stand in line. Make every interaction count by being purposeful and specific. 🔑 The key is to shift from "I need a job" to "Here's how I can add value in this role" What's been your most successful approach when reaching out to Recruiters/ Hiring managers? Share your experiences below!