What everyone is looking for: Culture.

What everyone is looking for: Culture.

Last month, I had a candidate decline a competitive job offer from one of my favorite clients. After really diving into why he went with another offer, it ultimately came down to “culture fit” for him.  

I am almost embarrassed to admit that when my candidate shared how impressed he was with the other company’s core values –even asking him to do a final presentation at the end about how his personal values align with theirs - I encouraged him not to get too caught up in the presentation of everything. There is a lot more to culture than the mission, vision, values (MVV).

Don’t get me wrong, I give major kudos to the company my candidate went to. Their HR team has been able to create an interview process that allows them to effectively communicate who they are, what it’d be like to work there, and that they care about hiring quality people that align with their MVV. My worry, however, is that we live in a world where the better video or soundbite trumps logic sometimes. The truth of the matter is that millennials and zoomers (Gen-Z) look to be and feel connected; both generations are suckers for buzz words and a good presentation – we all know it. I know firsthand most people are searching for something very specific in their next employee/employer, but not everyone knows what to ask during the interview process to find the right match.  

Let’s discuss culture at a high-level, and some questions prospective employees and hiring managers can use to determine culture fit a bit better.  

Culture fit is a two-way street.

Finding the right culture fit is a two-way street. According to The Balance Career, workplace culture is made up of “…values, beliefs, attitudes, expectations, and behaviors shared by employees in your organization, from management down to entry-level workers.”

The interview process is not only meant for employers to determine who they want to hire. Many of us find it important to work with people we like, for a company that values similar things that we do, and feel like we’re doing some meaningful work. Asking the right questions and actively listening to the responses should hopefully get you everything you hope to know.

When putting together a list of questions to assess fit, very similar to a behavioral based interview, you want to ask open-ended questions that would give insight into what this individual finds important in the workplace, how they handle tough situations, what they expect from their teammates, etc.

As a candidate, here are examples of cultural interview questions you can ask during an interview to help you get started:

• How would you describe the work environment?

• What is your company's approach to team building and career development?

• How does your company respond to and overcome failures?

• What’s your management style?

• How are employees recognized for their efforts?

• What is the work-life balance like here?

• Does the company host social outings or events for employees?

• What personality traits do you look for in your ideal team members?

• What are your company values?

• Is the company's strategic approach driven by processes or results?

• What role does a good manager play in his or her relationship with reporting staffing members?

• Do the company's different departments ever collaborate with one another? If so, could you provide me with an example? If not, how come?

• What kinds of people seem to succeed in this company/department?

As a hiring manager, here are examples of cultural interview questions from TalentLyft for hiring managers:

• Describe the type of work environment in which you can really give your best and be most productive.

• Did you become a really good friend with any of your colleagues at your previous (or current) workplace? What do you think about having close relationships with your coworkers? Is this a good or a bad practice?

• Describe a situation where your colleagues disagreed with your ideas. What did you do?

• Do you prefer working alone or as part of a team? Please explain your answer.

• What is your opinion about taking work home with you? Do you usually take your work home? Is it good practice in your opinion?

• Name three things that you like the most about our company.

• Describe a challenging situation you have faced recently at work, and how you tackled it.

• What are you passionate about?

• What does your ideal work day look like?

• What are, in your opinion, the key ingredients in maintaining successful business relationships?

• Tell me about the most stressful situation you faced at work. What happened? How did you handle it?

Whether you are a candidate or hiring manger, hopefully you can take one or two of these questions and use them during your next interview. Culture is beyond what the company showcases online, or how many perks you receive at a company. Culture fit is not about the right look a candidate may have, or how prestigious of a university they attended. Make sure you align yourself with the right people and the right opportunity by asking the right questions. The questions you ask should get you the answers you’re looking for. Time to think outside of the box if you have not yet done so!

 What is your go-to interview question as a hiring manager or candidate? I’d love to hear from you.

Get noticed at work, while #WFH.

For those of you that are already in full blossom mode despite this pandemic, I salute you! In part, I am starting this website because I need to find a way to get back into my type-A, overachiever rhythm. I won’t explain on how to better handle stress while working from home (WFH) because that’s a topic for another time. Instead, I will focus on some of the best practices of standing out while working virtually.

During these past few months, I have had a lot of conversations with friends that are struggling with ways to standout during this pandemic when there is no actual opportunity for face time. Personally, I think nothing has the magnitude of influence like 1:1 facetime, but there are still plenty of ways you can standout while telecommuting. Here are my top five tips that I find to be practical and easy to implement:

1.   Identify the KPIs (key performance indicators) established by your manager and organization for working from home. Focus on the ones specifically for your role and the aim is to shine. Nothing less than meeting them is acceptable.

·       Once the KPIs have been defined, plan your days around those deliverables. If your team hasn’t defined on how they will evaluate your performance while working from home, schedule a 30-minute 1:1 with your manager to review your deliverables and how you will be accountable virtually.

2.   Bring solutions to the table.

·       People riding the bus are never prepared for a global pandemic, nor have they ever experienced something similar. As you navigate through the new realities of your role, you WILL come across unforeseen roadblocks. Make sure to discuss these with your manager during your 1:1s; think of ways to overcome them. You will certainly stand out for being proactive, as well as for being forward thinking.

If you have a manager that is disinterested in hearing what you have to say (and let’s be honest, we all have those), then at least YOU are creating a new roadmap for yourself on how to be successful in this new landscape.

3.   Do your homework and try to get ahead of it.

·       Being a student of your trade is never a bad thing. With everything that has happened in 2020, I encourage you to find ways to learn what other thought leaders in your space are doing. You have a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips through social media (LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter), podcasts, and books.

Having the ability to speak intelligently regarding your business, or learning how to identify trends, will set you apart. With a vested interest in what is going on around you, will demonstrate your commitment to succeed in any environment.

4.   Be reliable and add value to other internal stakeholders.

·       Find a way to build relationships and add value to key people within your team. By no means am I encouraging you to pester anyone but identify those around you that are willing to collaborate. Whether that be taking on a special project recently introduced or offering to assist mentoring new hires for your virtual team. virtual new hires. Relationship building will allow you to strengthen your internal brand, help others, and position you as a leader on your team - even if indirectly.

5.   Lead by example. It never goes out of style.

·       SHOW UP EVERY DAY. I know it’s hard - trust me. Be that person on the team that does great work and does not exploit the system. The one that comes prepared, even if leadership is present. More than ever, organizations are really evaluating the talent they have onboard. Stand out by being an A+ player, even when those around you perform below average.

Have you done something recently that has helped you stand out while working from home? Please comment below!