3 Traits to Look for When Hiring an HR Manager

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Every hire your company makes is important. Each individual within your organization plays an important role in helping your team work toward its goals. A good hire can help move your company forward for years to come. A bad hire can cost you time, money, and morale.

 

If hiring is so important, then finding the right person to be in charge of the hiring is even more important. You might even say it’s the most important hire you can make! We’re talking, of course, about the HR Manager.

 

Your HR Manager will play a vital role in your company in a number of different ways, so it is worth your time and effort to find the right person to fill this position. We’re hoping to make that job a little easier as we discuss three traits you should look for when you’re hiring an HR Manager.  

 

  • Strong values and ethics. An HR manager sets the tone for your organization in many ways. Because of this, you need to make sure that the person you hire for this job has values that align with your company values. This will help ensure that they’ll be on board with your strategies and processes, which will help everything run more smoothly.

    Similarly, your HR manager should have a strong sense and understanding of ethics. HR managers often face difficult ethical decisions and “gray area” situations. Knowing that your HR manager is an ethical person can help you have confidence that these situations will be handled appropriately and according to company standards.
  • Great communication skills. First and foremost, an HR manager deals with people. It’s her/his job to make sure the people within the organization are both happy and accountable to performance. This requires a constantly open line of communication with both employees and management, as the HR manager needs to know the situation at all points on the spectrum. Further, the HR manager also has to communicate to management and employees as problems or criticisms arise.

    An HR manager is also heavily involved in the hiring and onboarding process. This too requires excellent communication skills, as the HR manager must communicate the job description and terms with the potential hire, and remain in contact with the candidate throughout the hiring process. The HR manager will also need to communicate any findings about the candidate to management. This requires clear, timely communication in order for the hiring process to go smoothly.

    For these reasons, and many more, it is vital that your HR manager is an excellent communicator, capable of handling day-to-day situations as well as crises.
  • Organized and skillful. An HR manager is more than a nice, approachable person (though those things are important, too). They also need to be someone who understands HR as a vital part of an organization. The ideal candidate would be someone with experience and training in HR specifically—someone who is familiar with effective strategies, common pitfalls, and industry standards. This person would be able to bring a level of expertise to your organization that can help you avoid major problems down the road, and handle those problems correctly if and when they do come.

    Along with this, HR Managers should be highly organized. They are in charge of a lot of important information, including sensitive information. Keeping that information organized, secure, and appropriately accessible, is a critical job. When hiring your HR Manager, look for someone who values neatness and organization. This will pay off as you find your HR department to be efficient and easy to navigate.

 

 

The right HR manager for your company will possess many outstanding qualities, but these three traits should help you narrow down your search. Keep them in mind as you seek to hire a new HR manager, and good luck with your search.

 

If you could use a little more hiring expertise, contact EDI Staffing. We have years of experience finding qualified HR candidates and connecting them with the right companies. We can help you make your search easier and more efficient. Contact us today!

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