Devoted to recruiting, finding top recruits, and hiring tips and advice

Every hiring manager has a dual and equally challenging role. They are also the firing manager.

Sooner or later, you will be involved with delivering the news for a layoff, a reduction in force (RIF) or simply the firing of an underperforming employee. But, weilding this kind of 'control' over someone's employment destiny can--and should--give you chills, unless you're prepared.

The good news is, with practice and understanding, you don't have to go down in history as the worst manager ever.

Scarlet, an HR pro in Silicon Valley blogged about how to deliver the layoff news as succionctly--and empathetically--as possible: Read the whole post, but here's the 10-second cliff's notes:

• Deliver the news – get to the point, don’t expand.
• Pause, to let it sink in. Let the employee speak next.
• Provide more detail, but keep it focused on the employee.
• Start directing the conversation away from the firing and into the next steps. Think short sentences, and simple concepts.
• Refer the employee to HR or other resources for the questions that will come up once the shock wears off.

All in all, remember that the employee won't remember a thing other than they're fired. It's best not to sugar-coat and get the tough part over with. In the end, this is not the time to drone on about company direction blah blah blah. They don't care--you just let them go.

However, trying to clearly keep your now-previous-employee's best-interests at heart, you can truthfully deliver the news of their career speedbump with compassionate-honesty--be clear, precise and direct, but be empathetic and understanding at the same time.

This will go a long way to ensure that they are able to move forward productively, and it will decrease the chances that a hate-blog will be christened in your honor , or that your company's dirty-laundry will be aired over at SimplyFired's forums.