How to find the hiring manager for a job
The short answer
Read the job post for who the role reports to, then search LinkedIn for that title at the company. If the post doesn't say, look for a leader posting about the opening, check the team page and recent announcements, or ask someone who works there. The hiring manager is the person who owns the problem the role solves and signs the offer. It's usually not the recruiter.
Why the hiring manager matters more than the recruiter
A recruiter's job is to filter. They have a list of requirements and a stack of applications, and they're looking for reasons to say no fast. That's not a criticism. It's the only way to get through four hundred résumés.
A hiring manager has a different job. They have a problem on their team, and they're the one who lives with it until the seat is filled. A note that speaks to that problem gets read by someone who wants it solved.
That's why the H comes first in HIREME. Until the person who owns the hire has seen your work, you're waiting on a filter.
Six ways to find them
Work down the list. Most of the time you'll have a name by step two.
Read the post for the reporting line
Most job posts say who the role reports to, even if it's buried in the second half. "Reports to the VP of Marketing" gives you a title to search for. If the post names a team instead, like "join our growth team," the hiring manager is whoever leads that team.
Search LinkedIn for that title at that company
Search the company's people page for the title from the post. One result is usually your answer. With several, pick the one whose own role sits directly above the opening. A Director of Demand Gen hires Demand Gen Managers. The CMO usually doesn't.
Look for someone posting about the role
Hiring managers often announce openings themselves. Search LinkedIn posts for the company name plus "hiring" or "my team," sorted by date. A leader who writes "I'm hiring a" followed by your role is telling you who they are.
Check the team page and recent news
The company's about page, recent press releases, and funding announcements tell you who leads what. A newly hired leader is a strong signal. New leaders build teams, and the opening is often one of their first hires.
Ask someone inside
If you know anyone at the company, ask them who the role would report to. It's an easy question to answer, and it turns a connection into an insider. That's the I in HIREME, and you'll want one anyway.
Confirm before you reach out
Make sure the person you found still works there and still runs that team. Check that their profile shows the current title, and that their recent activity is at the same company. A wrong guess sent to a senior person costs you very little, but a wrong guess sent to someone who left last year costs you a week.
What to send once you find them
Apply through the normal channel first. Then send a short note the same day. Lead with their problem, show you've thought about it, and give them one link to look at.
Four sentences is plenty. The page does the arguing so the message doesn't have to.
Mistakes that cost you the reply
- Messaging the recruiter's boss. The head of talent doesn't own the problem. Find the person the role reports to.
- Asking for a job in the first line. They already know you want the job. Open with their problem instead.
- Attaching a résumé. They've seen thousands. Send one link to something built for them.
- Following up the next day. Give it four or five business days. Then follow up once with something new.
- Going around a "please don't." If a recruiter asked you not to reach out directly, don't.
Questions people ask
Should I contact the hiring manager directly?
Yes, once you've applied through the normal channel. A recruiter screens for fit against a list. A hiring manager owns the problem the role exists to solve, so a short note that speaks to that problem gets read differently. Apply first, then reach out the same day.
Is it OK to message a hiring manager on LinkedIn?
It is, as long as the message is short and about their problem rather than your need for a job. Send a connection request with a note, or an InMail if you can't connect. Keep it to three or four sentences and include one link.
What if the recruiter told me not to contact the hiring manager?
Respect it. Some companies run a strict process, and going around a recruiter who asked you not to will hurt you. Put your energy into the recruiter instead, and ask them what the hiring manager cares about most.
How do I find the hiring manager's email address?
Most companies use a predictable format, like first.last or first initial plus last name. Find the format from any public email at the company, apply it to the name you found, and verify it with an email checker before you send. If you can't verify it, use LinkedIn instead.
What if the job post has no reporting line and I can't find anyone?
Go one level up. Find the head of the department the role sits in and send them a short note asking who's hiring for it. Senior leaders forward these more often than you'd think, and a forwarded note arrives with their name on it.
Where this fits in HIREME
The hiring manager is the H in the HIREME framework, six things to establish for every job you go after. Finding the name is the start. The H is established once you've actually reached them.
The other five letters:
Found them? Send a Hiremé.
Hiremé builds a page for the job you're going after, shows you who to send it to, and tells you when they open it. Your board marks the H established the moment you reach them.
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