“Cultural fit” has always been considered a buzzword during the hiring process. HR Directors and Hiring Managers always consider cultural fit, but without knowing the qualifications of what defines cultural fit, they are more so using your personality to determine if you would get along with your new manager. BINGO, cultural fit. However that is not the case and it is not highly effective when you consider why cultural fit should be a larger deciding factor.
You spend an average of nine hours per day at work. Over a lifetime that number grows so large that we don’t care to look at too much, but what it does do is give us a defining factor of why being in the right culture is so important. When you are happy and satisfied with your job, you are more efficient, want to stay longer, and have a higher morale which in turn maximizes the company as a whole. Having a positive culture that all works collectively will therefore maximize a company to its fullest potential. This means less of your coworkers will quit or get frustrated.
When interviewing for a job, understanding the job requirements and company culture will put you on track to determine if it is a good fit or not. Knowing the correct questions to ask during your interview is key. How do you know what to ask? This all hinges on understanding the company’s culture and your own personality first and foremost. With a well-defined culture, companies easily attract the correct candidates and protect themselves from competitors during the hiring process. As a candidate, you should know what you want financial, professionally and culturally.
Lastly, knowing that you will be happier if you fit the culture of the company, you should reject or highly reconsider a position that may fit financially, but is a poor cultural fit. If you accept the position, you may become unhappy or not get along with your coworkers. Each one of these outcomes cost you time, money, and your own morale (especially if you have to quit)—three things a you don’t want to give up, if you don’t have to.
To prepare for your next interview, our suggestions are simple:
- Try to use social media and the website to understand the company’s culture before the interview
- Ask the company to explain their company culture to you during the interview
- Ask follow up questions to clarify the company culture as it relates to your personal values, perceptions, and wants as an employee
- Only accept the position if it is a good fit both with your job qualifications and cultural requirements