Recruiting for a Cultural Good-Fit

By Priscilla Kohl, HRTools Staff Writer

Looking for Employee Attitude

No one would ever intentionally recruit and employ a prickly, inflexible, hostile or emotionally-immature individual. But, what if this same potential employee also has unmatched credentials, experiences and skills?

What should a forward-thinking employer do? Personality, behavioral and cognitive assessments certainly are valuable tools. In addition, a wise applicant interviewer will enlist ways to discover clues about difficult personality-types, who often end up as the proverbial “rotten apple.” It is up to the individual interviewer to discover the personality traits of the applicant, as well as verify skills, talents and experience.

As a Fidelity Insurance hiring manager said, “We look for passion, flexibility and excitement. We can teach them insurance.”

Similarly, Southwest Airlines spends a lot of time making sure they make the right hiring decisions. According to its president, Colleen Barrett, “We look for listening, caring, smiling, saying thank you and being warm.” During a recent global leadership conference, Barrett discussed the airline’s recruiting and interviewing approaches for finding compatible employees.

Passengers know this airline by its flight attendants serving coffee or tea with a joke or two. In order to evaluate an applicant’s sense of humor, for instance, the hiring manager might walk into the interview wearing pajamas. Reassuring the flying public, Barrett adds, "We tend to hire for attitude and train for skills—but don't get nervous, we don't hire pilots who can't fly a plane."

Looking for Compatibility

Employers also look for other signs of compatibility---that sense of chemistry or good fit--- which is an intangible, hard-to-define positive component of relationships. What can be more important than finding the best-matched people to represent you and your business? After all, you want people who naturally fit into your business culture. How do you do it?

Unfortunately, there are no short cuts. In addition to the other recommended recruiting steps, (collecting resumes, reviewing applications, running background checks and surveying personality types), employers can learn a great deal by pursing a comprehensive interviewing approach.

This approach begins with defining the attributes that will make an individual successful in the position. These attributes are then explored during the interview process.

Interviewers will want to keep the defined attributes or basic traits in mind as they look for successful employee clues. Keep in mind that these traits have little to do with work experience and previous work history.

Looking for Clues

Take a look and evaluate the following attributes or clues. Do they describe the people you want to hire? If so, these suggested interviewing techniques may help with taming the clues.

Optimism: Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Ask the candidate to describe two of their most challenging life experiences and how they handled them. (Hint: Do they come across as describing these experiences as valuable lessons learned and/or as opportunities for growth?)
Enthusiasm: You want to work with people who believe in your company mission, values and philosophy. Take them on a tour of the building and observe their reactions. Note their questions and interactions with others. The old adage, “actions speak louder than words,” is the qualifier in this scenario.
Loyalty: There is more to loyalty than simple longevity (employment history). You want someone who has exhibited a commitment to others, to a cause, or to a course of action. Ask the candidate to describe committed causes, major life milestones, childhood friendships and/or other long-term relationships.
Respect: How about looking for employees who exhibit “The Platinum Rule?” As keynote speaker and trainer Leslie Charles says, “Look for those who treat others as they wish to be treated.” When exploring this attribute, you may get feedback from the receptionist or the security guard. A form with specific questions could be developed and given to the receptionist or the greeter before the candidate arrives.
Maturity: How many of us know people who seem more mature at 22, than others who are 20-30 years older? Spending quality time with a person usually gives valuable insight into their maturity level. Make sure you have your own definition of maturity in mind before the interview. While education and credentials are important, educational degrees and sophistication can often be misinterpreted as signs of maturity. A better indicator of a person’s maturity may be responses to this question: Describe times when you delayed instant gratification for a long-term goal or purpose.
Intelligence: A formal education is not necessarily an indicator of intelligence. Aptitude tests and other formalized tests are designed to reveal individual abilities such as, verbal and logical reasoning and mathematical abilities. In addition, an employer can also ask a candidate to explain their approach to problem solving. In other words, how do they come up with solutions to “real-world-of-work” problems and client demands?
Work Ethic: Just because someone has an impressive work history, doesn’t necessarily mean they possess a strong work ethic. This trait is usually developed at an early age. Ask the candidate about their developmental years. Were they active in any volunteer activities as a young adult? How were they expected to help with household chores as a child? How did they come up with “mad money” as a teenager?

It's a Win-Win---for Employer and Employee

Getting to know the candidate and taking time to explore clues will pay off in the long run. Both employer and employee will be happier and productive. No one performs at their best when expected to behave like someone they’re not.

In today’s highly-competitive global economy and a constantly-changing work environment, it is more important than ever to find that “good fit.” Someone who is mature, intelligent, respectful, and positive can always be trained and developed.

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