Finding the hiring manager puts you ahead of applicants who just submit and hope. Use these methods: check who posted the LinkedIn job, search by title + company + department, look at recent hires on the team, and review the recruiter's connections. Once you find them, don't spam—build a relationship first.
- 7 methods to identify the hiring manager for any job posting
- Exact LinkedIn search operators to narrow down candidates
- The 'recently hired' technique that works when other methods fail
- How to find the hiring manager's email address
- Hiring manager vs. recruiter: the key differences
- What to do once you find them (and what NOT to do)
Quick Answers
How do I find the hiring manager for a job posting?
Start with the LinkedIn job posting—check who posted it and the recruiter's connections. Then search LinkedIn for the likely title (e.g., 'Senior Engineering Manager' at [Company]). Look at recent team hires to reverse-engineer reporting lines. Cross-reference with company leadership pages.
How do I find the hiring manager on LinkedIn?
Use LinkedIn's People search with filters: current company, title keywords like 'Manager' or 'Director' + the function, and location. Try Boolean searches like '"Engineering Manager" AND "Company Name"'. Check who posted the job, browse the recruiter's connections, and look at recent hires' profiles for manager mentions.
How do I find the hiring manager's email?
Use email finder tools like Hunter.io, Apollo, or RocketReach with their name and company domain. Try common patterns: firstname.lastname@company.com or first.last@company.com. You can also check their personal website, Twitter bio, or company team pages. LinkedIn profiles sometimes show contact info for Premium users.
What's the difference between a hiring manager and a recruiter?
The recruiter sources, screens, and coordinates the hiring process—they're the gatekeeper. The hiring manager is who you'll report to if hired—they make the final decision. Recruiters work across many roles; hiring managers own one team's headcount. Both matter, but the hiring manager decides.
Should I reach out to the hiring manager directly?
Sometimes, but carefully. If you have a warm intro, use it. If you're cold-messaging, build rapport first—comment on their content, connect with a personalized note—before mentioning the role. Don't bypass HR entirely or you may create friction.
What if I can't figure out who the hiring manager is?
When direct identification fails, reach out to someone adjacent: a team member, a recent hire, or even a peer manager. Ask who leads the team. People are often willing to share this publicly available information.
You found a job posting that's perfect for you. You tailor your resume. You craft a thoughtful cover letter. You hit "Apply."
And then you wait. Along with 200+ other applicants, hoping the algorithm surfaces your profile.
But what if you could find the person who'll actually make the hiring decision? What if you could build a connection before the interview process—or at least put a face to your application?
Most job seekers never try. That's exactly why this works.
Why finding the hiring manager matters
The hiring manager is the person who:
- Defines what "good" looks like for the role
- Reviews shortlisted candidates with the recruiter
- Makes the final decision on who gets an offer
The person who will directly manage the new hire. They own the decision on who to hire, though they work with recruiters to source and screen candidates. For most roles, this is a Manager, Director, or VP one level above the open position.
Knowing who this is lets you:
- Personalize your application by referencing their work or priorities
- Build a relationship before interviews, so your name isn't new to them
- Understand the role better by following their content and learning what they care about
- Make a better impression by mentioning specific details about the team
You should still apply through normal channels. Finding the hiring manager is about augmenting your application—adding human connection to what's otherwise a faceless submission.
Hiring manager vs. recruiter: who's who?
Before you start searching, understand who you're looking for—and who you're not.
The recruiter is your gateway; the hiring manager is your goal. Both matter:
- Recruiter: Treat them well—they decide who gets in front of the hiring manager
- Hiring Manager: This is who to build a relationship with for long-term impact
Some candidates try to go around recruiters straight to the hiring manager. This can backfire—recruiters talk, and being seen as "difficult" early on can hurt you. Engage with both, respectfully.
Method 1: Check who posted the LinkedIn job
When a job is posted on LinkedIn, you can often see who posted it.
Open the job posting on LinkedIn
Go to the job listing and scroll down. Under the company information, you may see a section showing the poster or contact person.
Check if it's the hiring manager or a recruiter
If the poster is a recruiter (titles like "Talent Acquisition," "Technical Recruiter," "Sourcer"), they're not the hiring manager—but they're your bridge to finding them.
If the poster has a line-management title ("Engineering Manager," "Director of Product," "Head of Sales"), they're likely the hiring manager or very close to them.
If it's a recruiter, check their recent activity
Look at the recruiter's LinkedIn activity. They may have posted about the role or interacted with the actual hiring manager. Check their comments, shares, and connections.
The job poster is often a recruiter, but they're connected to the hiring manager. Their profile and activity can point you in the right direction.
Method 2: LinkedIn search by title + company + department
LinkedIn's search is powerful if you know how to use it.
Identify the likely hiring manager title
Look at the job level and guess the manager's level:
- Entry-level/IC role: Manager or Senior Manager
- Senior IC role: Director or Senior Manager
- Manager role: Director or VP
- Director role: VP or SVP
Search LinkedIn with filters
Use LinkedIn's People search with these filters:
- Current company: [Company name]
- Title: Keywords like "Manager," "Director," "Head of" + the function
- Location: Same as the job posting (if specified)
Use Boolean search for precision
In the LinkedIn search bar, try queries like:
"Engineering Manager" AND "Company Name""Director of Product" AND "Company Name" AND "San Francisco""Head of Marketing" AND "Company Name"
"[Title Level] of [Function]" AND "[Company Name]" Examples: - "Senior Manager" AND "Engineering" AND "Stripe" - "Director" AND "Product Management" AND "Airbnb" - "Head of" AND "Design" AND "Figma"
You may find 2-3 people who could be the hiring manager. That's okay—you can narrow down using the next methods.
Method 3: The "recently hired" technique
This is one of the most reliable methods—and often overlooked.
Find the team by searching for the role title
Search LinkedIn for people with the same title as the open role at that company. If the role is "Product Manager at Notion," search for current Product Managers at Notion.
Look at who joined recently (1-2 years ago)
Filter by people who started within the last year or two. Check their profiles.
Check their profile for manager mentions
Many people thank their manager in "about" sections or recommendation endorsements. Look for phrases like "reports to," "team lead," or shout-outs in posts about their first day/year.
Cross-reference with your title search
Compare the names you found in Method 2 with any manager mentions from recently hired employees. The overlap is likely your hiring manager.
Recent hires often reveal their reporting structure in their profiles or posts. This is free intelligence hiding in plain sight.
Method 4: Company website leadership pages
Many companies publish their leadership structure on their website.
Check the company's About or Team page
Look for pages like: /about, /team, /leadership, /our-people
These often list department heads and executives with their names and photos.
Look for org chart tools
Some companies (especially larger ones) have public org charts or department directories. Check for links like "Our Teams" or "Engineering at [Company]."
Cross-reference with LinkedIn
Once you have a name from the website, search them on LinkedIn to confirm they're still in the role and to see their recent activity.
Leadership pages sometimes lag behind actual changes. Always verify on LinkedIn that the person is still in the role.
Method 5: Check the recruiter's connections
If you identified the recruiter from the job posting, their LinkedIn can reveal the hiring manager.
View the recruiter's connections
If you're connected to the recruiter, or have LinkedIn Premium, you can browse their connections.
Filter by company and title
Look for connections at the same company with manager/director titles in the relevant department.
Check recent activity
Has the recruiter recently interacted with someone at the company? Liked their post? Commented on an announcement? That person might be the hiring manager.
Method 6: The "who's interviewing" hack (Glassdoor/Blind)
Interview reviews often reveal who candidates met during the process.
Check Glassdoor interview reviews
Search for interview reviews at the company for similar roles. Reviewers sometimes mention names or titles of people they interviewed with.
Check Blind (for tech companies)
Blind is an anonymous forum where tech employees discuss interviews. Search for the company and look for interview threads that mention the hiring manager or panel.
Look for patterns
If multiple reviews mention interviewing with a "Director of Engineering" or "Senior PM," you can search for who holds that title at the company.
Method 7: Just ask
Sometimes the simplest approach works.
Ask the recruiter directly
If you're in contact with a recruiter, you can ask: "Who would this role report to?" It's a reasonable question that helps you understand the opportunity.
Ask a current employee
If you know anyone at the company—even casually—you can ask: "I'm applying for [role]. Do you know who leads that team?"
Ask on LinkedIn
If you have a connection who works there, a brief DM works: "Quick question—do you know who manages the [Function] team? I'm exploring a role there."
Asking is often the fastest method. Most people are willing to share this information because it's not confidential—it's just hard to find publicly.
How to find the hiring manager's email
Once you've identified the hiring manager, you may want their email—for a more direct or formal outreach. Here's how to find it.
Try email finder tools
Services like Hunter.io, Apollo.io, RocketReach, and Clearbit Connect can find professional emails when you input a name and company domain.
Most offer free tiers with limited searches—enough for targeted outreach.
Guess the email pattern
Most companies use predictable email formats. Common patterns:
firstname.lastname@company.comfirstnamelastname@company.comfirstname@company.comflastname@company.com
Use Hunter.io's "Email Finder" to verify which pattern the company uses before sending.
Check their public profiles
Some hiring managers list their email on:
- Their personal website or portfolio
- Twitter/X bio
- LinkedIn profile (visible to Premium users or connections)
- Company team pages
- Conference speaker bios
Use LinkedIn's contact info feature
If you're connected or have LinkedIn Premium, click on a profile's "Contact info" section. Some professionals share their email there.
LinkedIn is often better for initial contact—it's expected. Cold emails can feel more intrusive, especially if you bypassed their LinkedIn to find a personal inbox. Use email when: (1) you have a referral, (2) they're not active on LinkedIn, or (3) you're following up after applying.
Finding the email is easy with the right tools. The harder question is whether email is the right channel. For most job seekers, LinkedIn outreach is more appropriate first.
What if there are multiple potential hiring managers?
Sometimes you'll find 2-3 people who could plausibly be the hiring manager. Here's how to narrow down:
- Check the job description for team name or focus area that matches one person's scope
- Look at recent LinkedIn activity—who's been posting about hiring or team growth?
- Check if one person is tagged in the job posting comments
- Look at reporting lines from recent hires in that department
- When in doubt, connect with multiple people (but don't spam the same pitch)
If you still can't tell, it's fine to build relationships with 2-3 people on the team. Just personalize each message—don't send the same note to everyone.
What to do once you find them
Finding the hiring manager is step one. Here's what to do next:
DON'T immediately pitch yourself
The worst thing you can do is send a message like: "Hi, I applied for the [Role]. I'm the perfect candidate because..." This feels transactional and often backfires.
DO build rapport first
- Follow them and engage with their content authentically
- Comment thoughtfully on their posts (not "Great post!")
- Share or react to their work before reaching out
DO use a warm connection if you have one
If you have a mutual connection, ask for an introduction. Warm intros convert far better than cold outreach.
DO apply through normal channels
Submit your application normally. Then reach out with a connection request mentioning you applied—and ask a thoughtful question about the team, not just "please look at my resume."
"When someone reaches out after applying, I notice them. But if the first message is 'I'm perfect for this role, here's my resume'—I ignore it. If they ask a genuine question about the work or the team, I'm much more likely to respond."
What NOT to do
Common mistakes after finding the hiring manager
- Sending a long pitch about why you're perfect for the role
- Messaging them on LinkedIn, email, AND Twitter simultaneously
- Asking them to 'look at your application'—they can't speed up HR processes
- Bypassing the recruiter entirely (this can create friction)
- Being pushy or following up multiple times in one week
Finding the hiring manager gives you an edge—but only if you use it to build a relationship, not to spam them with self-promotion.
How to find the hiring manager: the checklist
- 1Check who posted the LinkedIn job (recruiter or manager)
- 2Search LinkedIn by title + company + department using Boolean operators
- 3Use the 'recently hired' technique to reverse-engineer reporting lines
- 4Check company leadership pages (but verify on LinkedIn)
- 5Browse the recruiter's connections and recent activity
- 6Read Glassdoor/Blind interview reviews for name clues
- 7When in doubt, just ask—recruiters or connections can often tell you
- 8Find their email using Hunter.io, Apollo, or common email patterns
- 9Once found: engage with their content, then send a thoughtful connection request
- 10Remember: the recruiter screens, but the hiring manager decides
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it creepy to look up the hiring manager?
No. Hiring managers are public professionals on a professional network. Researching who you'd work for is responsible career behavior, not stalking. Just don't be weird about how you use the information—focus on building genuine rapport.
How do I find the hiring manager contact information?
Start with LinkedIn—check who posted the job, search by title + company, and look at recent hires' profiles. For email, use tools like Hunter.io or Apollo. You can also check company team pages, the hiring manager's personal website, or their Twitter bio.
Should I contact the hiring manager before or after applying?
Either can work. Before: you might get intel that helps your application, and they may remember you. After: you have a concrete reference point ('I just applied'). The key is quality of outreach, not timing. Don't delay applying while searching for the hiring manager.
Should I mention that I found them when I reach out?
Keep it natural. You don't need to say 'I did detective work to find you.' A simple 'I applied for the [Role] and wanted to learn more about the team' is enough. Focus on the question or insight, not how you found them.
What if the hiring manager doesn't respond to my message?
Don't take it personally and don't follow up aggressively. One polite follow-up after a week is fine. If still nothing, your application will need to stand on its own. Not everyone responds to networking outreach—that's normal.
Can I address my cover letter to the hiring manager?
Yes, if you're confident you've identified the right person. 'Dear [Name]' beats 'Dear Hiring Manager' every time. Just make sure you have the right person—addressing the wrong manager is worse than using a generic greeting.
What is a hiring manager?
The hiring manager is the person who will directly supervise the new hire. They define what success looks like for the role, review shortlisted candidates with the recruiter, and make the final decision on who gets an offer. For most positions, this is a Manager, Director, or VP one level above the open role.
What if the company is very small and it's obviously the CEO?
At startups under 50 people, the CEO or a co-founder often is the hiring manager for many roles. Treat them the same way: research their work, engage with their content, and send a thoughtful—not salesy—outreach.
Does this work for remote/global job postings?
Yes, but the pool of potential hiring managers may be larger. Focus on the functional area (e.g., 'Head of Engineering') rather than location. Remote companies often have distributed leadership—look for whoever leads the relevant team globally.
Should I reach out to the hiring manager on LinkedIn or email?
LinkedIn is usually better for first contact—it's expected for professional networking. Email can feel more intrusive for cold outreach. Use email when: you have a referral, they're not active on LinkedIn, or you're following up after applying. When in doubt, start with LinkedIn.
Researching Job Market & Building AI Tools for Job Seekers since December 2020
Sources & References
- How Hiring Managers Actually Review Applications — Harvard Business Review
- LinkedIn Help — Understanding Job Postings
- The 2-Hour Job Search — Steve Dalton (2020)