Strategic Hiring- Who Makes the Hiring Decision?

Strategic hiring isn’t just about finding the right person, it’s about having the right process. This week, I’m focusing on the interview process from both the candidate and hiring manager perspective.

Today’s topic: Who really needs to be involved in hiring decisions?

There’s no such thing as a perfect candidate—because hiring is inherently subjective. Before interviews even begin, decision-makers need to align on the must-have skills, the dealbreakers, and most importantly, who has the final say.

The more people involved, the harder it becomes to reach consensus. Think about how difficult it can be for a group to agree on where to order lunch now imagine that same group trying to agree on the “perfect” hire.

We once worked with a client who was all about building consensus. Sounds great in theory until it stalled the hiring process entirely.

➡️ Their hiring team included 9 people.

➡️ Only 3 of them would actually work with the new hire day-to-day.

➡️ Yet all 9 had an equal vote—and a single objection meant disqualification.

It quickly became clear they weren’t looking for reasons to hire; they were looking for reasons to object. And one key decision-maker kept rejecting candidates for reasons that had nothing to do with hard or soft skills. In some cases, they saw strong candidates as a threat. In others, they dismissed someone simply because they knew someone from the same company who hadn’t worked out.

Eventually, we had to step away from the search. Because when the goal is to find the perfect candidate, instead of the right one, the process breaks down.

How to Avoid the Consensus Trap

Before launching a search, take time to define:

✔ Who actually needs to be involved? Keep the core decision-making group as small as possible: typically, the hiring manager and key stakeholders who will work directly with the new hire. Others can provide input, but not everyone should have veto power.

✔ Who makes the final decision? The hiring manager should own the outcome, not a collective vote where one dissenting opinion can derail the process.

✔ What criteria will be used to evaluate candidates? Define must-have skills versus nice-to-haves upfront to prevent personal biases from creeping into the decision.

✔ How many interviews are truly necessary? Streamline the process to avoid candidate fatigue and decision paralysis.

A well-defined hiring process isn’t about eliminating input. It’s about structuring it in a way that leads to the best hire, not endless roadblocks.