How to hire a manager

At one point or another, your growing business will need to hire a manager to manage your team and daily operations. In addition to these two main tasks, they’ll also be responsible for your finances, planning ahead and strategizing, and ensuring everything runs smoothly in your business. 

There are many types of managers out there, so who you hire depends on your industry and business needs. Great managers will be excellent communicators and problem solvers, and will be able to think outside of the box. 

In this article, we’ll cover the main types of managers out there. We’ll also discuss the skills to look for in a good manager and how to evaluate them, where to find managers to hire, and how much you can expect to pay for a manager’s salary.

What is a manager?

A manager is an individual who oversees your employees or a department within an organization. 

Managers are responsible for planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling various aspects of their team’s work. They are often required to make critical decisions, delegate tasks, provide guidance, and ensure the efficient execution of projects. 

Effective managers possess strong leadership qualities, excellent communication skills, and the ability to motivate and inspire their team members.

Some of their main responsibilities include: 

• Leadership. Managers provide guidance, direction, and support to their team. They set goals, communicate expectations, and motivate employees to perform at their best. 

• Planning. Managers engage in strategic planning to determine the long-term goals and objectives of their department or team. They develop plans, establish timelines, and allocate resources to complete a project in time.

• Organizing. Managers structure and organize work activities, tasks, and resources to achieve desired outcomes. 

• Decision making. Managers are responsible for making informed and timely decisions. They analyze information, make evaluations, and choose the best course of action to address challenges and solve problems.

• Communication. Managers act as a link between higher-level executives and their team members. They will gather information from their team and report back to C-level executives. Vice versa, managers will communicate what C-suite managers want and plan with their teams to achieve those goals. 

• Performance management. Managers evaluate employee performance, provide feedback, and identify opportunities for growth and development. 

• Problem-solving. Managers are responsible for identifying and resolving challenges that arise within their area of responsibility. They analyze problems and implement the best possible solutions.

As you can see, managers play a crucial role in your business. It’s important to note that hiring a bad manager can cost you billions of dollars per year. Indeed, according to Gallup, 82% of companies fail to hire the right manager, which ends up costing them more than they are gaining. 

Finding the right person for the job is vital for the success of your business — at TestGorilla, we’re determined to help you hire excellent managers for your company. 

You can sign up for your free plan today and ensure you find top candidates sooner, or continue reading to find out more about how to hire a good manager. 

Types of managers based on seniority level

When it comes to managerial roles, organizations often have a hierarchical structure with various levels of management, which include senior, mid-, and low-level managers.

Each level of management has its own set of responsibilities and functions. 

Senior managers

Senior managers, also known as top-level managers or executives, hold the highest positions within an organization and have years of managerial experience. 

They are responsible for making strategic decisions that shape the overall direction of the company. Senior managers set long-term goals, establish policies and procedures, and allocate resources to achieve organizational objectives. 

They work closely with the board of directors or owners and have a significant influence on the company’s vision, mission, and core values.

Middle managers

Middle managers are responsible for implementing the strategies devised by senior management and translating them into actionable plans. 

Middle management oversees specific departments, such as finance, marketing, operations, or human resources. They coordinate the efforts of their teams, ensure effective communication, and monitor performance.

Middle managers act as a link between senior management and front-line employees, providing guidance, support, and feedback.

Lower managers

Low-level managers, front-line managers, or supervisors are directly involved in the day-to-day operations of a department or team. 

They oversee the work of front-line employees and ensure that tasks are completed efficiently and according to standard operating procedures. 

Front-line managers play a vital role in implementing organizational policies and procedures, assigning duties, and providing training and guidance to employees. They act as a point of contact for addressing employee concerns, resolving conflicts, and fostering a positive work environment.

Common types of managers based on business function

Now that you know the various management levels, we can delve deeper into some of the most common types of managers you’ll most likely need to hire. 

While this is not an exhaustive list, you can start thinking about what kind of manager you need to hire by going through the manager types below.

Marketing manager

A marketing manager is responsible for the marketing of a product, business, or service. They develop marketing strategies to promote new products and drive customers toward making a purchase.

Marketing is essential for every business; having the right marketing manager is the best way to drive more sales.

Read our in-depth guide on how to hire a marketing manager to learn more. 

Talent acquisition manager

The talent acquisition manager is the one who finds new talent, trains them, and develops their skills over time. If you have a large company that often finds itself with open positions to fill, then hiring a talent acquisition manager is the way to go.

Read an in-depth guide on how to hire a talent acquisition manager to learn more. 

HR manager

An HR manager is responsible for sourcing, recruiting, training, and overseeing the well-being of all employees. Your HR manager should also be able to comply with labor laws and regulations and create, maintain, and enforce workplace policies and procedures. 

Read our in-depth guide on how to hire an HR manager to learn more. 

Construction project manager 

The construction project manager is in charge of executing a project and acts as a liaison between the project organizers and front-line workers. They are also responsible for budgeting, finishing the project on time, and ensuring all safety regulations are followed.

Read an in-depth guide on how to hire a construction project manager to learn more. 

IT manager

The IT manager leads the IT team and oversees all computer-related operations of an organization. They are in charge of building a solid and functional website, ensuring all systems work properly, and are responsible for the safety of your systems and customer data.

Read our in-depth guide on how to hire an IT manager to learn more. 

Account manager

The account manager plays many roles, from customer and product representative to financial advisor and strategist.

They are in charge of maintaining good customer relations and responding to any queries customers might have, nurturing your business’ relations with customers and retaining them long term.

Read our in-depth guide on how to hire an account manager to learn more. 

CRM manager

The CRM manager is in charge of customer relations. Customer relations management is no small task, and having the right person to lead your customer relations team is a crucial step to maintaining strong professionalism and business ethics. 

Read our in-depth guide on how to hire a CRM manager to learn more. 

Logistics manager

If your business is dealing with transporting goods and/or people, having a stellar logistics manager is the only way to provide excellent service.

The logistics manager needs to have top organizational skills to be able to move products from one place to another in a timely fashion in order to meet deadlines. They are also responsible for the supply chain and are a key factor in having an efficient business model.

Read an in-depth guide on how to hire a logistics manager to learn more. 

Sales manager

A sales manager drives sales, finds new clients, and closes deals. They will manage client communication and train the sales team to generate as much revenue for your company as possible. The sales team works closely with the marketing team to create, market, and sell new products. 

Read our in-depth guide on how to hire a sales manager to learn more. 

E-commerce manager

E-commerce managers have been on the rise recently, with more businesses selling their products online through platforms such as Shopify. The e-commerce manager is responsible for the online store and overall reach of a business.

They create your company’s online strategy and are in charge of customer acquisition and retention. 

Read this in-depth guide on how to hire an e-commerce manager to learn more. 

Social media manager

The social media manager is in charge of your business’s social presence on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and more.

With more and more customers joining social media platforms, a good social media manager will know which strategies to implement to engage those customers and prompt them to make a purchase from your website.

Read our in-depth guide on how to hire a social media manager to learn more. 

Business operations manager

The business operations manager is in charge of operational activities. This professional will procure resources, work with teams to improve customer service, create budgets, hire and recruit staff, and more.  

Our in-depth guide to writing a business operations manager job description can help you find the right talent.

Operations manager

An operations manager ensures that the day-to-day functions of your organization run smoothly. They manage and enhance work processes, increase productivity and profits, and help teams work together.

Learn more: How to hire an operations manager

Why hire a manager?

Hiring a manager may seem like an obvious solution when you have a business and need someone to oversee your business operations. 

If you’re still unsure whether you need a manager, consider the following top reasons for hiring a manager. These can also help inform your hiring decision.

1. Your business is growing

If you’re experiencing a boom in business, you’re opening more venues or departments, or you simply have too many personnel that need managing, you might need to hire a manager. 

The manager will take charge of your new enterprise while you keep to your own duties of overseeing your business. You can delegate important tasks to the manager and needn’t worry about staff and managing daily operations yourself. 

2. You and your team can’t cope with the workload

As your business grows, so will the workload. If you find yourself and your team struggling to keep up with the increasing demands of your business, it may be a clear sign that it’s time to hire a manager. 

A manager can help distribute responsibilities, streamline workflows, and ensure that tasks are completed efficiently and effectively. By relieving your team of excessive workloads, a manager enables them to focus on their core responsibilities, improving productivity and overall performance.

3. You need to take a step back

Hiring a manager allows you to take a step back from the day-to-day operations and focus on the strategic aspects of your business. 

As a business owner, your time and energy are valuable resources. By entrusting a capable manager with the operational aspects of your business, you can dedicate more attention to long-term planning, business development, and other high-level activities that contribute to the growth and success of your business.

Manager hard skills

When looking to hire a manager, you need to find people with strong management skills that can be measured and tested. 

We’ve divided our list of managerial skills into two groups: hard and soft skills. Both are equally important, so make sure to test for as many skills as you can. 

Some hard manager skills to look for include:

Business ethics & compliance

Having a manager with a strong ethical compass who is able to adhere to business policies and standard operating procedures will save you headaches in the future. 

Our Business Ethics and Compliance test will help you screen candidates who have excellent business ethics and understand how their role and behavior can impact both internal and external company situations and relationships.

Candidates who do well on this test will show an understanding of policy and legal violations, know how to avoid conflicts of interest and follow anti-harassment and anti-discriminatory practices. 

Business judgment 

When looking to hire a manager, you want them to make the right trade-offs and decisions when it comes to your business.

The Business Judgment test will evaluate candidates’ abilities to strategize and innovate, improve company performance, and know their way around sales and marketing.

This test will help you find candidates who are able to make the right decisions in difficult business scenarios to improve the competitive advantage of the company. 

Numerical skills

Strong numerical reasoning is an important skill to have for any manager.

Since they’ll be dealing with numbers, reports, and charts, managers need to be able to use numbers and find patterns at a glance. 

TestGorilla’s Numerical Reasoning test will evaluate someone’s abilities to interpret numbers, text, tables, charts, graphs, and diagrams.

Those who do well on this test will show strong numerical aptitude, and they can use numbers to solve problems, read patterns, and predict trends.

Tech expertise

Every manager needs to be tech-savvy to perform their duties properly. This includes knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google platforms like Google Docs and Ads.You can test for these skills with our Microsoft Office tests and different Google tests.

Candidates who do well on these tests are able to use various platforms that are essential for the everyday running of a business. 

Social media expertise

If you’re hiring a marketing or social media manager, they need to have core social media knowledge to be able to prepare campaigns and run ads on your various channels.

Our Social Media Manager test will evaluate applicants’ abilities to strategize, write copy, manage a social media community, and engage customers with interesting content.  

Those who do well on this test will know when and how to deploy social media strategies that can increase brand awareness, grow loyalty, and achieve a wider reach and engagement with the online community.

Manager soft skills

Apart from the many hard skills you need to look for when recruiting a manager, here’s a list of key soft skills to test for as well:

Communication

Your manager needs to have excellent communication skills to delegate tasks, communicate goals with employees, and liaise with clients. 

The Communication Skills test will evaluate someone’s ability to listen and understand written and verbal communication, communicate effectively, and use professional etiquette.

Applicants who perform well on this screening test are able to communicate with confidence and get their ideas across the table with ease. 

Time management

Every manager should be able to meet tight deadlines and work under pressure. This enables them to support their team in staying organized, define priorities, and distribute resources efficiently.

Our Time management test will evaluate how well someone organizes their time, prioritizes tasks, and plans ahead. 

Leadership qualities

Naturally, a manager should possess leadership qualities. 

TestGorilla’s Leadership and people management test will evaluate your candidate’s ability to delegate authority, provide guidance and feedback to employees, and plan ahead. 

This test will help you identify leaders who have a real interest in developing others, can unite people behind important tasks, and understand goals and objectives that need to be reached. 

Problem-solving 

Problems are inevitable; a good manager will know how to handle them quickly and efficiently.

The Problem Solving test screens applicants based on their abilities to prioritize urgent and important tasks, analyze information, and interpret data to reach the best possible outcome and solve problems with ease.  

Negotiation

Finally, the ability to negotiate should come naturally to the manager you’re going to hire.

The Negotiation test will allow you to find candidates who can influence a discussion and reach favorable outcomes for your business. 

Negotiation is a great skill to have when you need to close deals and renegotiate terms with suppliers and clients, and you should definitely be looking for this skill in your manager candidates. 

How to test manager skills?

Now that you know which skills to look for when hiring a manager, you need to know how to test these skills properly. Naturally, the best way to test your candidates’ skills is through pre-employment skills testing.

Pre-employment skills testing is part of your recruitment-funnel strategy and is the most effective way to ensure your candidates possess the right skills to perform their duties. While candidates can inflate their resumes with superfluous skills and experience, TestGorilla’s skills assessments weed out unqualified candidates, leaving you with top professionals only.

Skills testing helps you avoid bad hires and remove biased hiring from your recruitment process. You will also streamline your hiring process, as you don’t need to go through each resume, and you can focus only on the best candidates you’re left with. 

Prioritize these skills tests when hiring a manager:

• Communication

• Problem Solving

• Negotiation

• Time Management

• Leadership Qualities 

• Business Ethics & Compliance

• Project Management 

• Account Management 

• Social Media skills 

• Business Judgment

• Numerical reasoning 

• Microsoft Office proficiency 

Where to find managers for hire

There are several ways to hire managers for your company. You can decide to hire internally or find part-time or full-time managers. 

Hire internally

When it comes to manager recruitment, there’s perhaps no better place to look than within your own company. 

Employees already working for you will know the ins and outs of your company so they can follow standard operating procedures and be familiar with the other departments and senior management. The knowledge of how each team works is an asset that external employees don’t have the luxury of possessing.

In addition, internal hiring lets you tap into your employee’s potential and capitalize on the learning and development you’ve poured into your current employees. 

Of course, there are some pitfalls to be aware of when hiring internally, but it’s still advisable to explore the idea of finding your next managers from within your company ranks. 

Part-time 

If you have several one-off projects that need managing, then you might want to opt for part-time or freelance managers.

Let’s say you’re a hospitality venue that has an in-house events operations manager but is hosting several events at the same time. You’ll most likely need extra help to oversee all events at once, so using a staffing agency to find a part-time manager will be a great solution to your increased workload. 

Part-time managers are paid hourly, and you’ll benefit from their expertise without the need to train them and spend extra resources on benefits or bonuses.

You can look for part-time managers on websites such as Freelancer, Upwork, and Glassdoor.  

Full-time

As mentioned, if you’re expanding your business or are experiencing unprecedented growth, you should hire a full-time manager. 

You’ll need to provide training and allocate extra resources for their salary, bonuses, and benefits, but it’s a better and cheaper option than having a freelancer long-term. 

You can advertise your open position through your social media channels and on your website. 

Don’t forget to ask for referrals from industry colleagues and current employees, tapping into the professional networks of the people you trust. 

Manager job description template

One of the most important steps to finding a good manager is writing a compelling job description.

As you may only have a few seconds to capture a potential candidate’s attention, you want to have a clear, concise, and easy-to-read job description. If you're looking for a well-structured format to start with, our DevOps manager job description guide offers a great template to follow.

• Job title: [X] manager

• Job summary: We’re looking to hire a [x] manager that will lead our [x] team and be in charge of planning and executing strategies within the organization. This includes coordinating and optimizing processes, ensuring efficient resource allocation, and managing customer relations. 

• Main responsibilities: 

  • Lead and manage the [x] team, providing training, guidance, and feedback

  • Coordinate and oversee daily operations

  • Monitor and analyze performance metrics

  • Identify areas for improvement and implement necessary changes

  • Work closely with other departments and managers

  • Ensure quality control

• Experience:

  • 2-3 years of managing experience

  • Knowledge of operational procedures

  • Proven track record of leading a team

• Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in management or any related field

• Salary: See next section

How much does a manager cost?

The national average manager salary in the United States is $65,933 per year. Of course, you need to consider location and the type of manager position to get an accurate estimate. 

Don’t forget to factor in whether you want to hire a full-time or part-time manager, which will determine how much you need to pay them as well. 

Manager interview questions

Once you’ve completed the pre-employment phase of the manager recruitment process, you’ll be left with the most qualified candidates who need to go through an interview. 

At this point, you want to get to know your candidates better: how they react to certain situations, how they manage their team, and overall, how they approach the role of being a manager. 

We’ve compiled several interview questions to help you decide which candidate is best suited for the job:

1. Describe a situation in which you successfully led a team through a challenging project. How did you handle any obstacles or setbacks?

2. How do you prioritize and delegate tasks to ensure effective time management and optimal usage of resources?

3. Tell us about a time when you had to make a difficult decision that affected your team. How did you approach the decision-making process, what factors did you consider, and how did you communicate and implement that decision effectively?

4. Can you give an example of a challenging communication situation you faced, such as delivering feedback to a team member or handling a conflict within your team? 

5. Can you share an example of how you would motivate and support your team members in reaching their full potential?

These interview questions are designed to assess a candidate’s leadership, decision-making, time-management, and communication capabilities, as well as their approach to employee development and performance management. 

The responses provided by the candidates will help evaluate their experience, problem-solving skills, and alignment with the organization’s values and expectations for a managerial role.

For an optimal interview process, follow our in-depth guide on how to conduct an interview. 

Don’t forget to start your onboarding program as soon as you hire your new manager. The sooner they learn the ropes of the company, the sooner they can start providing value. 

Hire a quality manager with TestGorilla

Hiring a manager for your business is an important step every business owner needs to consider properly. You want nothing short of the best, as the manager you hire can either help your business grow or drag you down. 

Regardless of the manager position you’re hiring for, excellent managers need to have an array of skills, which include stellar communication, problem-solving, and negotiation skills, leadership qualities, and the ability to make sound judgments. 

While it may sound like a tall order, with the proper skills assessments, you’re bound to find the perfect candidate for your business.

TestGorilla enables you to streamline the skills-assessment phase of your manager hiring process and focus on those applicants who truly have the right skills for the role. Once you interview your best applicants, you’ll have plenty of data available to decide who is the perfect fit for your company. 

Don’t wait for the competition to scoop up the most qualified managers, leaving you with mediocre talent. Sign up for a free plan today or contact one of our representatives for a live, free 30-minute demo so you can easily make the best hiring decision possible.