How to Evaluate a Candidate’s Cultural Fit During the Hiring Process
Avoiding a cultural misfit in the hiring process is more of an art than a science. The idea of “cultural fit” is a broad term that encompasses environment, behaviors, and attitudes; all of which affect productivity.
Consider this…
Katie is the Regional Marketing Director for a University. She is energetic, and outgoing; and leads with a creative spin. Katie prefers to be casual in the office. Jeans and a blazer are a staple look. She sometimes works from home and doesn’t keep strict office hours.
Katie’s office is in a part of campus where finance Professors also have offices. Each professor has posted office hours on their doors. Standard business attire is seen up and down the hallways. The Professors complain about Katie’s disruptive office habits; Katie feels like she needs to walk on eggshells, so she doesn’t upset anyone.
I’m sure you can relate to similar scenarios in your career. A clash of cultures means more than personal ideologies, but also workplace norms. According to Indeed, “workplace culture combines the principles and ideologies of an organization. It’s the environment, the sum of your organization’s traditions, interactions, attitudes, values, and behaviors. A healthy workplace culture aligns the company policies and employee behaviors with the company’s goals while focusing on the well-being of individuals.”
Determining if a candidate shares similar values, beliefs, expectations, behaviors, and attitudes will make your workplace feel more collaborative, inclusive, and engaging. One of the biggest challenges in determining cultural fit is overcoming bias. To avoid this, innumerate key characteristics that are imperative for your culture, and rank your candidates based on this list. When assessing a candidate, remember the idea of cultural fit isn’t just finding people who think, act, and look like your current employees; maybe someone who might bring a fresh perspective to the team, with new experiences and expectations, might be a perfect fit.
The result will be a lower turnover rate and an increase in your team’s productivity.
BUT FIRST…
Before you get too bogged down with determining if a candidate is a cultural fit, be sure your corporate culture is known and evident in all your branding. This includes your social media, website, and in your job postings. This may be a statement of the organization’s values, beliefs, and mission.
TalentSource Pro Tip: You will get more information in the casual conversation you have with a candidate than you get during a formal interview. Be sure to include this conversation time when scheduling interviews.
ASK GOOD QUESTIONS
Asking specific questions and evaluating the answers can give you a good idea if a candidate is a good cultural fit. Here are some examples:
- What is important to you in a workplace environment?
- What do you like most about working with a team?
- What would you tell a former manager about how he/she could have better supported you?
- Within the first 30 days of a new job, what are your goals?
- Do you prefer working by yourself, with a partner, or as part of a team?
Indeed has an extensive list of interview questions that may be helpful to you. LinkedIn also has some good questions to consider.
LISTEN TO THE ANSWERS
You are learning how candidates make decisions. You are also looking for how a candidate works best, and what kind of environment they seem to thrive in. If your company works best with a collaborative team, and the candidate works best independently, they might not be a good fit. Look for what action they would take in a conflict, what management style they need if they are a self-starter or need direction, and what their goals are.
TalentSource Pro Tip: When you are trying to decide between 2 seemingly equal candidates, offer them a ‘trial day’. This could be a ½ day (or even a few hours) where the candidate spends time in your office with your team. This will let you see how they fit in and can give you valuable feedback from your team.
Partnering with recruiting professionals, like us here at TalentSource, is a strategic part of your Human Resources department. We help you set realistic expectations with candidates, act as a bridge in communication, and gather valuable feedback about your recruiting process. We call it Smart Recruiting, and you can only find that here, at TalentSource.
Contact us at 574.968.8676 or contact@TalentSourceStaffing.com to schedule a discovery call and find out how we will help you bolster your corporate culture through your most valuable asset, your people.