Does Your Candidate Fit Your Company Culture?

Marcianne Kuethen

February 8, 2016

It’s a bad feeling when your new employee doesn’t work out and you realize how much money, time, and energy you’ve lost. Here you are, starting the hiring process all over again, wondering what went wrong. The problem could’ve been due to a poor fit with the job or with the manager–both of which are usually preventable with clear and thorough communication in the interview process. It might also have been a case of incomplete onboarding in your new hire’s first 90 days. But another cause could have been a poor fit with your company culture. Before your next interview, you want to be sure: Does your candidate fit your company culture? How can you know? Here are a few tips to help you hire with confidence:

Define and know your company culture. Before you begin interviewing, it’s imperative to understand your organization’s culture. Do you run a tight ship or promote a flexible workplace? Do you expect workers to follow specific instructions or learn and innovate as they go? Do you wish your employees would quietly keep their noses to the grindstone or celebrate every success with a company party? Every organization is different, and its personality flows from the values, beliefs, and behaviors of your leadership team.  If you haven’t yet identified your company culture, take time to do this now.

Listen for clues. Interviewing candidates is a little like being a detective. You could start your sleuthing with a few behavioral questions like these:

“What did you enjoy most about your previous workplace? What interests you about working for our organization?””

“In the past, what kind of environment has allowed you to perform your best (or hindered you from performing your best?)?”

“When I call your previous manager, what will she tell me about your fit with her team?”

“Tell me about a time when you did or did not receive step-by-step instructions to complete a project. What was that like, and what happened on the project?”

Conduct reference checks.  Call your candidate’s previous managers to verify what you’ve learned, including what previously helped or hindered his or her performance. (For step-by-step instructions on how to conduct a reference check, click here.)

Try before you buy. If you’re not certain about the fit, start by hiring your candidate as a temp through your staffing partner to see how he or she fits in. A contract-to-direct trial period creates an extended working interview and allows you the opportunity to validate character, competence, and cultural fit before making a commitment. Another benefit is that your employment agency puts the employee on its payroll so you don’t have the expense and liability of a regular full-time employee.

Don’t hesitate too long. It’s a candidate’s market, and competition for knowledge workers is fierce. As soon as you feel your candidate is a good fit, be the first to make a job offer!

Does your candidate fit your company culture? You won’t know until you employ these tips! The hiring process is like launching an investigation. The more you learn about your candidate, the better your ability to find the best match.

Do you need help finding top professionals? Amtec can help you land the best people by actively marketing your opportunities, connecting you to active and passive job seekers, and assisting with offer negotiations. Click here or call (714) 993-1900 to get your search started.