What Does It Mean To Be a Good Cultural Fit?

December 30th, 2013

Cultural fit is an over-used, yet vastly misunderstood, term utilized by corporate America.  Companies all over work very hard during the hiring process to determine whether or not a candidate is a “good cultural fit” for their company and/or department.

However, it is not up to the company to determine this.  It is the candidate.  The only way that the company or hiring manager can know is if the candidate tells them.

You see, a fit between company and the employee is something that only employee can know.  Only the person himself can know how well he can mesh with the already established structure.

High-caliber candidates fit in any organization.  The real question is whether, or not, they are motivated to fit.  If the person is motivated, then there will be a cultural fit.

This is why there needs to be one last planned meeting to judge motivation (and therefore fit).  During this meeting the company has to be in full-disclosure mode, giving the candidate as much information as he needs to determine his level of fit.  A candidate can only do this if he gets a good feel for the environment, management style, challenges, hurdles as well as things that need to get down.

This meeting is extremely important in judging a candidate’s motivation level.

The key for the company is to select high caliber candidates.  Lower level candidates cannot control their environment as much; they do not have the luxury of picking and choosing their job assignments.  High quality candidates do.  If they are motivated to come on board, then they will be motivated to adapt to the corporate culture.

Remember, the candidate has much more risk than the company does.  If the potential employee is an active candidate, then he is looking for a job.  If the person is employed, then he has something to lose…his current situation.  Therefore, it is extremely important to determine the candidate’s motivation in changing positions – of even entertaining the idea of changing positions.

If you attempt to avoid this situation, and only focus on active candidates, you are preselecting yourself out of a good portion of the talent pool.

At Honer and Associates, we can help you find the high-quality candidates you need.  We are experts at determining the motivation level of all candidates, and can help you devise a hiring process that is guaranteed success in brining on the best and brightest to your organization.  So contact us today!  We look forward to hearing from you.

Efficient Selection and Hiring Process Also Includes an Efficient Offer and Acceptance Process

December 13th, 2013

A successful talent acquisition and selection process can’t exist without an efficient offer and acceptance process.

Money changes the rules of the game – always has and always will.  When an offer is extended, decision-making gets emotional unless managed.  Money brings emotion.  When a hiring manager makes a hiring decision or when a candidate contemplates a new position, all focus (on any/all decisions) must be on keeping everything logical, and emotions at bay.

Most companies’ hiring processes prioritize screening, interviewing, and selecting the “right” candidate, even if ineffective.  In other words, focus is centered on “going through the list” and determining the best fit, the best candidate, the closest match, or the “one” that interviewed the best.

The process participants may calibrate judgment, but once a “yes” decision focuses on a particular candidate, a flurry of movement to formulate a salary offer is initiated, approved, finalized, and ultimately the result presented to the candidate.

Most of the people involved with this process flow simply bog down the process.  The offer – in many cases – is made by someone who has never met or even talked to the candidate before, but wants to control the decision.  Issues like 401K matches, at-risk bonuses, PTO days, etc. have never been covered.  Only a simple salary offer is made. One client stated that it was against Corporate Policy to discuss benefits before the offer was accepted. Does that sound sane?

However, compensation is so much more than simple “grocery money” salary.

As posted out in my last blog, one last meeting needs to be added to the process- before the formal offer is made.  This meeting, while used to judge the candidate’s fit and motivation, can also be used to pin down one of the most important pieces of the process, a fair and equitable compensation package in the eyes of the candidate.

Money and the offer package is intrinsically tied to value – the value that a candidate feels the company places on them.  A low-ball offer tells the candidate that there is no value placed on them and can completely deflate any excitement that the person may have for the opportunity.

Use the last meeting to ask some questions …with sensitivity…to get a feel for the candidate’s fit.  Can the candidate do the job and succeed?  Are you providing a challenging enough opportunity where the candidate can make a positive impact?  Assumptions and “blue-sky” or “too skinny” salary offers can derail the entire process.  The hiring manager, must have a grasp of the person’s needs and motivations. If not, a prize candidate may be lost to miscommunication and a misunderstood value proposition.

As mentioned before, a level of sensitivity needs to be brought to the candidate side of the equation, starting with sincere communication about an offer that will work, prior an internal process kicking off and making offers that are all driven by company needs and standards. Knowing where the candidate is coming from and what is in everyone’s best interest delivers value. That information will produce offers that will “work”, instead of numbers out of the air and a hope that the candidate thinks it is as good for them as it is for the company.

At Honer and Associates, we know how to quickly progress through the offer and acceptance process.  We have helped companies – of all shapes and sizes – hire the most motivated, talented people in the IT industry.  Contact us today!