A new job is often associated with positive changes, but it can also cause a lot of tension. There is no surprise that with the benefits of a new job, comes also much stress. The good news is that you can effectively minimize it yourself before you actually even apply for the role!
You may already know that it is worth doing proper research about the company before applying, like reading the reviews, following the company’s social media or checking some facts from their history. Not many people know that from the perspective of a new employee, it is even more important to spend this time learning more about the core values of the company. Why? It will help you predict what you can expect after you decide to work there. It will help to answer questions such as: What will the style of communication be like? Whether you’ll get along with the people there? If you may actually enjoy your time and agree with the work ethos on a moral level? Learning more about the cultural fit of a company is a true game-changer when it comes to accepting any job offer!
For us, recruiters, verifying the cultural fit – so hiring the people who will get along with the team and relate to the company’s team spirit – is equally important. After all, we don’t want to have on board anyone who will be “killing the vibe” ;) we would like the new person to only add to it and help us strengthen the organization, not the other way round... But it works both ways. If you know the core values it will be easier for you to decide if you want to carry on with the recruitment process.
What is the cultural fit and how to check it?
According to the definition, cultural fit is “the likelihood that a candidate will be able to conform and adapt to the core values and collective behaviors that make up an organization”. It is a factor that the People and Culture team consider when evaluating candidates for employment. In other words – cultural fit is a coherence between your values and those of the company. But here is the tricky bit –while the company has the values usually defined, the candidates may find it difficult to interpret them correctly.
What affects the company’s image and therefore makes the whole image blurry is the fact that there are a few elements that shape the company – like policy, mission, vision, strategy. Also the message the company is sending across may also be confusing for you as a candidate. The image, which a company wants to have among their clients, sometimes is not compatible with their core values and therefore with the company’s internal culture. It all happens, as in their communication brands use certain archetypes – a certain way of communicating and building relationships with the customers. It often happens that candidates mistake company’s core values with the brand archetype (or the product brand with the organization brand, but yet if these two elements are way different, then it’s not the best sign either ;)
So how to make sure that you understand what the company’s culture is?
Below you can find some tips how to establish if the company’s culture is right for you:
- Check out the Career website.
Usually, every company has a tab called Careers on their website ;) It contains information about benefits, the history of the company, and open recruitment processes, but it is also a space where you can read about core values. Look for the information, it is there. In our case just visit this page 👉Our Values.
- Follow the company on social media.
Scroll their photos and posts to analyze the way they communicate. You can pay attention to employees' comments as well. Does the company participate in conferences and training? What about team building? What do they joke about, or are they more serious? Look for the things that are important for you.
- Be yourself and let the recruiters do their job.
Do not be afraid of the questions checking your soft skills or those about your interests/passions.. There are no good or bad answers here. First of all, be honest. I know it sounds cliche, but it can prevent you from working for an organization you don’t want to. To prove the point, if the company has a hectic work environment, and you are the person who likes peace, quiet and a small team, working for such a company could soon become a nightmare for you.
- Ask questions!
Every person involved in the recruitment process will answer your questions with pleasure. Do not hesitate to ask about anything you want to know. It is an opportunity to deepen your knowledge about the company’s culture. What should you ask about? For example, possibilities to grow. It is worth asking about feedback culture, style of work, team building as well. Or just anything that you feel is important for you!
Ok, so you went through the company’s pages, asked your questions and found something that prevents you from continuing the recruitment process? Great! You just saved yourself a lot of time now and in the future. The company didn’t offer you the jobs? Remember, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are a bad candidate. It is only a sign that both sides are looking for something different right now and there is no match. And that’s ok too! In the end, the most important thing is to find a perfect place for you, not for someone you are not.
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