Mike Gardner, president and co-founder of PerselGardner, has been authoring a series of articles on getting the right job in today's economy. Here's the third in his series:
My family is all about shopping at the outlets. We get possessed. It’s a natural high from all the bargains and deals that beckon to us through the big name store windows, each promising a ton of savings on merchandise we never knew we needed and could not live without. About two months ago, I wandered into a big-name clothing store, and was astonished at the sale they were having. Fifty percent off of the ticketed price and, today only, another 25% off. I could not believe my eyes. Now I am not a shopper, generally speaking, but when I see something that seems like a good buy, I’m usually on top of it, lickitysplit. That’s like five dollars for those pants, I thought, so I made a quick decision, and bought them in every color.
Except, the flies were stitched shut. And one pant leg was longer than the other. On every pair.
When I went to return the merchandise, the sign read, “no returns on sale items”. That’s what I get for acting quickly - pants with no flies and one leg longer than the other.
So how does this translate into this week’s Career Corner? Simple: To all of you hiring managers out there, I offer the following advice: when selecting a candidate, be careful what you buy because making the wrong purchase could be the difference between not getting one ounce of relief to your already hectic work life and constantly tripping over yourself in the process.
What is cultural fit, exactly? We define it as the personality of an organization; that unique energy that flows throughout the company that brings a brand to life from within. It encompasses everything from corporate beliefs and values, to how employees dress, how they work, the style in which they manage, what the offices physically look like, or how the company represents itself at virtually every single touchpoint. At the end of the day, it is the single most difficult thing to understand as a candidate and one of the hardest things to communicate if you are a hiring manager. If a candidate has the right experience, the right education, but lacks the chemistry that’s needed to work well with and blend into your team or organization, there will likely be a problem in the not so distant future. The newly hired employee won’t be happy, and neither will you.
So how to get it right? It boils down to understanding what you are looking for in a candidate, and what they are looking for in you. Here are a few ideas to try on for size, that might help you get just the right fit:
• Before you write up your job description, think about the things that make you and your organization unique, and make sure that those things shine through at the top of your description;
• Putting function aside for a minute, make a list of qualities you are looking for in a candidate- get as specific as possible. Ask people on your team, in your organization. And if you planning to have a candidate do multiple interviews, make sure the list is provided to all the interviewers, and that they agree with them too;
• Give the top-pick candidates the opportunity to decide if the fit is right for them. Perhaps invite them to a casual lunch with your team, or perhaps some other social type opportunity to see how they integrate with you and their future co-workers; and,
• Most importantly- be careful about your presentation to a candidate - your approach needs to be welcoming, educational, and embracing so they can understand who you are and how you operate- remember that they are interviewing you, too.
Good luck, and stay out of the returns-only aisle. Trust me, it’s so much easier to just try the pants on first, then trying to return them later…
PerselGardner (www.perselgardner.com) is an innovative staffing firm specializing in superior advertising, marketing and public relations talent based in Washington, DC. PerselGardner has a secret "special sauce" method of drawing out from candidates and clients exactly what their mission is, work style, preferences, and passions.