How to Hire a Business Manager

Why hire a business manager?

Hiring a business manager can be of great benefit to your business. The right hire will aid in setting and meeting company objectives as well as successfully completing daily tasks. A business manager will help build a positive image for your brand and increase your customer outreach potential.

Contributions of a great business manager:

• Driving business growth
• Training employees
• Customer service support

What are the ranks of business managers?

When hiring a business manager, the rank of the new position is essential. A small business might have one manager, but larger businesses have multiple levels of managers, each with different responsibilities. The three common levels of business managers are:

• First-line managers: This entry-level management position serves as the direct supervisor of the employees and reports to a middle manager. Titles include shift manager, assistant manager, warehouse manager or office manager. They serve as the first line of communication for employees and ensure company policies and procedures are carried out. 
• Middle managers: Middle managers are a step above first-line managers and include department heads, directors and general managers. They take a more strategic role, rather than providing direct supervision, and often facilitate communication between the lower and upper management teams.
• Top-level managers: These managers sit at the top of the managerial chain, and titles include chief operating officer, chief financial officer and chief executive officer. They manage the overall operations and set organizational goals to establish corporate direction.

Where to find business managers

To find the right business manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Promote from within. Identifying current employees with leadership potential is an easy way to find new managers. They already know how the company runs, and promoting from within can improve your employee retention.
• Network at business events. Attend business conferences to meet and recruit qualified managers. Speaking at a conference can generate interest in your business. Setting up a booth at a trade show is another way to interact with potential managers.
• Partner with business schools. Offer to speak in business classes, set up a booth at career fairs for business schools or post advertisements on campus. Offering internships to business students can also help you find entry-level managers.
• Post your job online. Try posting your business manager job on Indeed to find and attract quality business manager candidates.

What are the ranks of business managers?

When hiring a business manager, the rank of the new position is essential. A small business might have one manager, but larger businesses have multiple levels of managers, each with different responsibilities. The three common levels of business managers are:

• First-line managers: This entry-level management position serves as the direct supervisor of the employees and reports to a middle manager. Titles include shift manager, assistant manager, warehouse manager or office manager. They serve as the first line of communication for employees and ensure company policies and procedures are carried out. 
• Middle managers: Middle managers are a step above first-line managers and include department heads, directors and general managers. They take a more strategic role, rather than providing direct supervision, and often facilitate communication between the lower and upper management teams.
• Top-level managers: These managers sit at the top of the managerial chain, and titles include chief operating officer, chief financial officer and chief executive officer. They manage the overall operations and set organizational goals to establish corporate direction.

Writing a business manager job description

A thoughtful description is important to finding quality business manager candidates. A business manager job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position.

When writing your business manager job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on business manager jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Manager
• Business manager
• Management
• Business management
• Business administration
• Accounting
• Business
• Banking
• Sales manager
• Operations

Interviewing business manager candidates

Strong candidates for business manager positions will be confident answering questions regarding:

• Experience training employees
• Their teamwork strategy with other departments
• How they handle conflict in the workplace

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of business manager interview questions for examples (with sample answers).