Hiring Manager

The person who will be your future boss — the one deciding who to hire.

A hiring manager is the person directly responsible for filling a specific role, usually the future boss of whoever gets hired. They're the one who writes or approves the job description, interviews candidates, and makes the final hiring decision. Hiring managers are distinct from recruiters (who source candidates) and HR (who handle the paperwork).

When you're tailoring your resume or cover letter, you're really writing for the hiring manager — not the ATS, not the recruiter, not HR. Understanding what this person cares about (What does their team struggle with? What would make their job easier?) helps you emphasize the right experience and skills.