In talent recruitment, we focus heavily on talent sourcing strategies, hiring tools and resources, and time-to-fill metrics for placing professionals in the right jobs. These tools are essential in attracting top-tier job candidates, building strong client partnerships, and providing a rewarding recruitment process.  

But the most powerful competencies a talent recruiter or hiring manager can develop are the critical human components of talent acquisition. At the top of this list of recruiting skills is the art and absolute power of active listening.  

The hidden advantages of active listening for recruiters and hiring managers  

Active listening goes way beyond hearing someone’s spoken words. It involves the ability to read and discern what is unsaid and what is communicated through tone of voice, the pace of someone’s speech, and especially body language (including facial expressions). 

Are you familiar with the 55/38/7 formula? It describes how much communication in a conversation is nonverbal. Research shows that in a face-to-face conversation, communication is 55% body language, 38% tone of voice, and 7% spoken words.  

This is why the unsaid matters!  

When we truly listen, we discover what is not said out loud 

Active listing techniques enable us to pick up on the important things, like motivations, concerns, and opportunities that others miss.  

Active listening is what transforms recruiters and hiring managers into trusted advisors for both job candidates and hiring companies. It keeps the listener and speaker actively engaged in the conversation, resulting in more effective interviews and more successful new hires. 

There are four major advantages of using active listening techniques in talent recruiting.

1. The benefits of active listening with clients as they answer questions

Understanding the real need behind an open role

A client (internal or external) may hand their recruiter or hiring manager a job description, but the real story behind the job opening often sits between the lines.  

Great listeners dig deeper. They ask questions like these:  

• What problem is this candidate being hired to solve?  

• What does success look like for the new hire in their first 90 days on the job?  

• What type of person thrives on your team and in your workplace?  

Listening here is not passive. It’s active and curious. More effective communication allows recruiters and hiring managers to understand not just the role, but also the context, the team culture, and business goals. Clients often reveal more in their nonverbal communications than in their words.

Here are some telling nonverbal cues:  

• Leaning forward while giving responses to questions reveals excitement or urgency to fill a role.  

• Crossed arms can indicate hesitation or concern about some aspect of the job or type of candidate.  

• Pauses before answering can signal uncertainty or misalignment. 

Reading these cues helps recruiters and hiring managers clarify expectations early and mitigate misunderstandings that cause problems later. A great recruiter doesn’t just take notes – they observe. Those who truly listen and observe ask more questions to gain clarity during the interview and hiring process.

2. The benefits of active listening with candidates as they answer questions

Understanding aspirations beyond their experience

Every candidate has a story, and it’s rare for that story to be fully captured in a résumé or CV. A recruiter who listens with intent uncovers what matters most to a job candidate:  

• What motivates them?  

• What are they avoiding (or what do they want to avoid)?  

• What kind of environment helps them perform at their best?  

• What are their long-term career goals?  

Active listening is what allows us to match candidates not just to jobs, but to career pathways.  

During job interviews, a candidate’s body language is often the most honest communicator:  

• Erratic eye movement or hesitation before answering a question can indicate uncertainty.  

• Upright posture and open gestures project genuine confidence and engagement. 

• Fidgeting can suggest nervousness, or sometimes excitement. 

• Leaning back can be a sign of discomfort, disagreement, or lack of interest. 

These signals help recruiters and hiring managers dig further, ask better questions, and get closer to the truth behind nonverbal communication. 

3. The art of interviewing clients and candidates

Interviewing is not an interrogation; it’s a conversation guided by purpose.  

A great interviewer:  

• Creates psychological safety  

• Asks open-ended questions  

• Pauses intentionally to allow deeper reflection and time to respond  

• Summarizes what they hear to confirm or clarify understanding  

• Balances curiosity with structure  

The goal is not to rush to conclusions but to clearly and completely understand – the role being filled, the hiring company’s goals, and the candidate’s aspirations.

Talent recruiters and hiring managers must “interview” their clients, too!

Before we set out to represent a company to candidates in the job market, we must first understand:  

• The company’s core values  

• Their leadership style and company culture  

• Their communication preferences  

• Their expectations of a new hire  

• How the role and new hire will impact team dynamics  

Only with this deep understanding can we tell an authentic story to potential job candidates. 

4. Why active listening matters

It increases attention, trust, accuracy, and long-term success

When we listen (truly listen), we:  

• Build trust faster.  

• Reduce mismatches in filling open roles.  

• Represent clients and candidates more accurately.  

• Advise clients more effectively.  

• Create better hiring experiences for everyone involved in the talent acquisition process. 

Active listening skills aren’t just a crucial soft skill

They are a strategic advantage 

In a world increasingly impacted by artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and speed to market, talent recruiters and hiring managers who win are those who master and exercise our uniquely human skills, also known as emotional intelligence: empathy, attention, and genuine understanding.  

The best recruiters are great listeners, keen observers, and thoughtful interviewers who dive deep into a hiring company and job candidate’s full picture – never relying on just words in a job description or words spoken aloud.

Active listening is how our relationships and talent acquisition results become stronger, and it’s why new hires are more engaged, more honest, and more likely to accept a job – and stay. 

Work with a recruiting partner who truly understands your goals 

Whether you are a hiring manager needing to onboard top talent for key roles or a professional ready to make a career move, let’s start a thoughtful conversation about your success! 

My name is Jan Avena and I am a Recruiting Partner with Goodwin Recruiting, a Forbes Best Recruitment Company. I welcome the opportunity to partner with you and extend the benefits and insights of my nearly three decades of experience in talent recruitment and acquisition. 

Connect with me today.