Read on to learn:
- What the phrase ‘hiring manager’ refers to when you see a job posting.
- Whether hiring managers are the ones reading the job applications.
- Whether hiring managers are conducting the actual interviews.
- Who ultimately makes the call on the job offer.
- What the phrase ‘under review by hiring manager’ really signifies.
You’re likely here because you’re asking:
- “What does a hiring manager do, exactly?”
- “What role does the hiring manager play in job applications?”
The Role of the Hiring Manager
The hiring manager is the individual ultimately accountable for deciding which candidate to bring on for a role.
After concluding there is a vacancy to fill, the hiring manager launches the hiring process, drafts the job description, and pinpoints the qualities that the ideal candidate should have.
This person is usually the one you would report to on day one if you’re offered the position.
Small Business vs Larger Companies
In a small business, the hiring manager often wears all the hats:
- Crafting the job ad
- Sifting through resumes
- Lining up interviewees
- Asking the interview questions
- Naming the finalist
- Delivering the offer
In bigger companies, the hiring journey typically involves a team rather than a single decision-maker. HR managers, recruitment specialists, and talent acquisition teams routinely handle different pieces of the puzzle, which means several eyes, and several processes, will likely touch your application. Unless you have clear confirmation that the person receiving your résumé is the hiring manager, assume more than one person will weigh in before you ever reach the interview stage.
Is There Value in Tracking Down the Hiring Manager’s Name?
Absolutely. For detailed steps, refer to our guide on locating the hiring manager’s name for your desired role.
Will the Hiring Manager Actually Look at Your Application?
The answer hinges on the organisation’s size and internal workflow.
- In a startup or small firm, the hiring manager is often the one sifting through resumes and deciding who merits an interview.
- In larger firms, that decision is often reserved for later stages—first, a recruiter or screening team may shortlist candidates, and only then does the hiring manager review the final slate.
And be aware that your application may have already been touched by technology. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) often pull your résumé apart, searching for qualifications, job titles, and particular keywords. A résumé can get a pass or a fail before a human ever sees it, so crafting your keywords with care is essential.
Employers turn to ATS software because it streamlines much of the hiring workflow, automating the filtering stage in a way that aims to keep personal bias to a minimum.
The Initial Review of Your Application
In practice, the first readers might be:
- Outside recruiters
- In-house HR managers
- Talent acquisition specialists
They’ll access your submission, scan your CV, and validate that your background, skills, and experiences align with the job requirements.
They’ll probably glance at your cover letter, too, weighing its content in their decision about whether to advance you to the next step, which could lead directly to an interview or something that falls shy of it. How this plays out varies with the organisation’s size and internal setup. You can’t skip any of these checkpoints, so your best gamble is to read and follow the instructions you see at each stage.
Does the Hiring Manager Sit in on Interviews?
In the vast majority of hiring processes, the hiring manager participates in the interviews in some capacity. They might meet you alone, or they might be one of a panel. The rest of the panel could include:
- Their own manager
- The department’s director
- A current team member
- An HR recruiter
- A talent acquisition specialist
In a lengthy interview process, various people might step into the interviewer role at different points or just once, depending on the setup.
In larger companies, human resources or talent acquisition specialists normally run initial screening talks. After those, they choose which candidates to send on to the hiring manager for a deeper discussion.
The screening talks mainly confirm that you:
- Possess the essential qualifications
- Have skills and background that fit the role
- Would likely mesh with the company culture
- Have a salary range that aligns with the role
Every business will run the hiring process in its own way, so you can’t know for certain what step will come next or when the timing will be. The person overseeing the process should explain the next stage at every checkpoint, but that’s not always possible. If you’re unsure, you should ask for details.
Does the Hiring Manager Make the Final Call on Who’s Hired?
Typically, the hiring manager will have the final say. In a larger company, they might consult their own manager or a department head, and the decision might be made as a team. Still, the hiring manager will generally have the largest influence on the outcome.
The scale and design of the organisation shape how quickly the application and hiring process unfold.
- In a small firm, you might move straight from the questionnaire to a conversation to an offer, often within days, because there’s just one person making choices.
- In a larger firm, the timeline stretches; several rounds of assessment, panels, and committees mean a longer wait before you hear any decision.
What Does ‘Under Review by Hiring Manager’ Mean?
If the business is using an Applicant Tracking System—software that helps them organise and process candidates—you might be allowed to see an online dashboard tracking your application’s path.
This label indicates that your papers are still being weighed. The hiring manager might be reading them directly, or an HR or talent acquisition colleague might be doing an early sift on their behalf.
Practices differ from one organisation to the next, and so do their choices about the ATS. Sometimes the system prompts a message that tells you when the next update is due. Other times neither the system, nor follow-up emails, nor phone calls confirm what to expect next.
Different applicant tracking systems use other statuses, like:
- “Under Review” – someone is looking at your materials, probably for the first time
- “Applicants Being Selected” for interview
- “Referred to Hiring Manager” – you’ve already cleared the basic filters
Some entries, like “Interview Offer” or “Job Offer,” are straightforward and require little interpretation.
Whether a company or the system itself, someone should clarify what each update means. When you connect with a recruiter or meet a hiring manager, it’s always smart to ask what the following step is and how the timeline will unfold from there.
