We often talk about collaboration between recruiters and hiring managers — but where does one draw the line?
🔹 FOR: They know the team dynamics and performance needs best.
🔹 AGAINST: Recruiters bring market insights, skill mapping, and unbiased evaluation to the table.
What’s your take?
💬 Drop your thoughts below – we’re featuring the TOP 3 responses on our LinkedIn and community pages (with credit, of course!).
Let’s open the floor to a debate that matters — who really owns the final “yes”?
“Should hiring managers have the final say in every selection decision?”
They know the team dynamics and performance needs best.
Recruiters bring market insights, unbiased evaluation.
It depends upon the level of hiring you do. For jr level yes hiring manager can be accountable for middle level it should be a joint discussion between the L1 and Department head for sr. Level or leadership hiring HOD and cross functional viewpoint should be taken into consideration.
Hiring managers should generally have significant influence and often the final say in selection decisions, as they are best positioned to assess fit for their team and are accountable for the hire’s success. However, the most effective and equitable hiring processes are collaborative, structured, and incorporate input from HR, recruiters, and sometimes broader panels or committees to ensure decisions are fair, unbiased, and aligned with organizational goals
Hiring managers should have a powerful voice — but not unchecked authority. A healthy hiring system balances manager judgment with organizational safeguards.
Let's break it down:
Why the Hiring Manager Should Have Significant Say:
• They know best what technical skills, team fit, and performance traits are needed.
• They will be directly accountable for the person’s success or failure, thereby impacting overall team performance.
• They understand the daily realities of the role better than anyone else, hence can be a better judge of fitment.
Why the Hiring Manager Should Not Always Have the Final Say:
1. Bias Blind Spots:
Even experienced hiring managers may unconsciously favor candidates who are their mirror image, prioritize comfort over competence, or undervalue diverse perspectives.
2. Short-Term vs. Long-Term Fit:
Hiring managers may just keep the current short-term needs in mind while taking selection decisions. On the other hand, HR, TA, or leadership may have a broader view on culture, succession planning, or long-term organization health, which have a larger and long-term org impact.
3. Compliance & Fairness:
Legal, ethical, DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion), or policy concerns may require checks beyond one person’s judgment.
4. Stakeholder Inputs:
Some roles require cross-functional collaboration. Input from peers, skip-level leaders, or customers may reveal important strengths/risks not obvious to the hiring manager alone.
Ideal Approach: Shared Decision-Making
• Hiring manager: strong input on capability, team fit, role expectations.
• HR / TA: strong input on process integrity, policy, fairness, culture alignment, and long-term organizational health.
• Panel interviews / stakeholders: additional perspectives.
Final decision as a consensus or weighted decision — not a unilateral one.
Recruiter: The Talent Scout and Process Coordinator
Recruiters are responsible for managing the front end of the hiring process. Their main duties include:
Identifying staffing needs, often in consultation with hiring managers
Creating and executing recruitment strategies, such as posting job ads, networking, and attending job fairs
Sourcing, screening, and shortlisting candidates based on the requirements set by the hiring manager
Acting as the first point of contact for candidates, providing information about the company and role, and handling initial interviews or assessments
Coordinating the logistics of the hiring process, such as scheduling interviews and managing communications between candidates and the hiring team
Conducting background and reference checks and, in some cases, negotiating offers
Recruiters are typically part of the HR or talent acquisition team, and their focus is on building a strong talent pool and ensuring a smooth recruitment process.
Hiring Manager: The Decision-Maker and Team Leader
The hiring manager is usually the future supervisor of the new hire and is responsible for:
Defining the specific requirements for the open position, including skills, experience, and team fit
Collaborating with the recruiter to craft accurate and compelling job descriptions
Reviewing shortlisted candidates presented by the recruiter and conducting in-depth interviews
Making the final hiring decision—selecting the candidate who best fits the team and organizational needs
Negotiating the final offer, approving the offer letter, and overseeing onboarding
Managing and developing the new hire once they join the team, including training, performance management, and retention
Hiring managers are internal to the department or team with the vacancy and have a direct stake in the new employee’s success.
Conclusion
The line between recruiters and hiring managers is clear: recruiters own the process up to candidate selection, and hiring managers own the decision and subsequent management of the new hire. Both roles are essential, and their collaboration is key to successful hiring
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