What is "cultural fit"?

Have you ever been for a job interview and then been told that you were not offered the job on the basis that you were not the right “cultural fit”. What does that mean? Are they just fobbing you off?

By Sarah Stimson

More and more companies are looking to hire people that not only have the skills and experience to do the job, but that also have the same attitude to work and values of their company. In fact, it is very easy to teach a new recruit new skills, but almost impossible to change their beliefs and standards towards work, so if a recruiter feels that one candidate is slightly less qualified, but a better fit for the company, it is likely that they will hire them.

Every firm has been there. An excellent candidate comes to interview. They have all the right experience and skills, they have glowing references and they sail through the interviews. They get hired and three months down the line the rest of their team is suffering from low morale and there is tension among their colleagues. This is almost always a result of poor cultural fit.

It may be that the recruit is highly competitive, while the rest of the company operates in a more collegiate manner, and so he is rubbing up his colleagues the wrong way. Or that he is extremely laid back, consistently late for meetings and joking about, whereas the rest of his team are much more serious and focussed. Hiring the wrong person for the job is an expensive mistake to make, so many hiring firms take cultural fit extremely seriously.

If you don’t get a job because of “poor cultural fit”, then you’ve probably had a lucky escape. Do you really want to work somewhere that has a totally different attitude to work to you?

To stop this happening in the future, before applying for any jobs you need to think about the sorts of corporate cultures that work for you, and then do some research on what communication companies and departments work in that way.

Have a think about your own work style. How do you like to work? Are you a 9 to 5 kind of worker, or do you prefer your hours to be more flexible? Do you like a structured environment where there is a clear hierarchy (and therefore chances of promotion) or a flatter organisation where people share the workload? Are you a jeans and t-shirt wearing person, or do you prefer a smart suit? Do you like to socialise with your colleagues, or do you keep your work and social life very separate?

Try to be honest with yourself. Lots of people feel that they should like flatter organisation structures with more flexibility and be out on the town with their colleagues every night. But that really does not suit everyone and some people are at their best when there are stricter boundaries and tougher targets.

The next step is to have a look at company websites. Websites are a firm’s way of showcasing themselves to the world. As such, they are usually a good indication of their cultural. Is it very formal? Does it use very familiar language? If there is a team page, have a look at what the people that work there are wearing.

If you can, talk to current or past employees of the company. Ask them to be honest about the environment and what kind of people work well there.

If you have been approached by a recruitment consultant about a position, pick their brains. A good consultant will have gone to meet the company to discuss their requirements and should have asked questions about the culture there. They may have also placed people there before, and if so will be well placed to give you hints and tips on what kinds of personalities fit well. They may also know the hiring manager, so can tell you about their working style and approach to managing their team.

Also ask your consultant about the benefits on offer, these can be a good indication of the type of organisation it is. Firms that offer duvet days, drinks on a Friday and £500 a year to spend on a hobby of your choice may have a very different culture to one that offers private healthcare, a pension and share options.

Finally, when you are in the interview, use the opportunity to ask questions about culture. Ask them how they would describe the working environment and what kind of people do very well there.

Don’t forget that recruitment is a two way street. A company is looking to see whether you can do the job, and fit into their team, but you are also trying to find out if it is the right job for you and cultural fit is an important factor in that decision too.