Hiring for cultural fit: Assessment based on the company's core values

At the beginning of November I was lucky enough to attend the fantastic Nushuvention 2024, an inspiring gathering of women who want to create more visibility for women in business (Nushu Network).

Part of this leadership networking was a workshop on core values led by Lorenz Hartung from Scale Up. Having worked in talent acquisition for 7 years, I know how important it is to hire in line with your company's core values. But this often feels like an "intuition" that you build up over the course of working in recruitment.

Lorenz was able to put the theory behind it, which gave me a great 'aha' moment. It also raised the question in my mind: Are companies connecting the dots between their core values, hiring and building high performing teams at the end of the day? Do companies understand how to assess their core values and do their 'cultural fit' interviews really reflect this?

In this article, I'll give you a quick guide on how to structure your cultural fit interview to objectively assess a candidate's fit with your organisation, to build high performing teams, but also to set your organisation up for long-term success.

What are company core values?

Core values are the fundamental principles that define a company's identity and guide its behaviour. Think of them as your organisation's DNA. These values influence everything from decision-making and leadership styles to the way employees interact with each other.

Common examples include:

• Integrity: Acting ethically and honestly in all dealings.

• Innovation: Encouraging creativity and continuous improvement.

• Teamwork: Promoting co-operation and mutual respect.

• Customer focus: Prioritising excellent customer service.

  
  

By articulating your core values, you provide a roadmap for employees to align their efforts with the company's vision.

BUT BE CAREFUL: Don't just use buzzwords that sound trendy or don't reflect the reality of the CEO/founder's or leadership team. If you hire people for core values that are not there - they will quickly leave or you will be frustrated. For example, you are a conservative company that likes to do things the way they have always been done. But you position yourself as an innovative employer who likes to challenge the status quo, and you hire someone who fits in perfectly and loves change. As soon as that person starts coming up with all their ideas for change, the manager and the rest of the team may start to get irritated. This will lead to tension and frustration on both sides.

Your company values should be realistic and a snapshot of current behaviour, not ideal future behaviour.

Why are company core values important?

Core values are more than just words on a website - they are the backbone of a strong organisational culture. Here's why they're important:

1. Attract the right talent: Candidates are increasingly looking for workplaces that align with their personal values. Communicating your core values helps attract people who are more likely to thrive in your environment.

   
   

2. Employee retention: Employees who align with your values feel a greater sense of purpose and are more likely to stay engaged. Another important aspect to consider: If you focus your energy on C-players, you run the risk of losing your A-players down the line. If you focus more energy on people who perform well but do not play by the company's rules and values, your top performers will become frustrated because they may not get the attention they need to develop.

   
   

3. Guiding decision making: When tough decisions need to be made, core values act as a compass for leaders and teams.

   
   

4. Shaping your brand: Your company's reputation - both as an employer and as a business - is rooted in its values. Customers and partners are drawn to organisations that stand for something meaningful.

5 Steps to build your own cultural fit interview

5 steps to build your cultural fit interview

Too often, cultural fit interviews are conducted on a "gut feeling" basis, which often comes with a bias: Of course we like people who are "like us". But a company full of mini-me's is the antithesis of a diverse company, and certainly not the best way to build one.

Once your core values are clearly defined, the next step is to integrate them into your recruitment process. A cultural fit interview matrix ensures that new hires not only have the technical skills for the job, but also embody the values that will drive your business forward. Additionally, you ensure that not everyone during the process from the recruiter, over hiring manager and team members are asking the same questions. It’s great if three people ensure that someone “is getting things done”, but what is with the rest of the company values? Not to mention the candidate experience if they have to answer the same question multiple times.

Here's how to create one:

1. Define what cultural fit means for your company 

   Review your core values and translate them into specific behaviours and attitudes. For example:

   • If innovation is a core value, look for candidates who enjoy problem solving or have a track record of coming up with new ideas.

   • If teamwork is key, identify candidates who thrive in a collaborative environment.

     
     

2. Prepare targeted questions

   Use behavioural interview questions to discover how candidates align with your values. Examples include:

   • "Tell me about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours." (teamwork)

   • "Can you describe a situation where you challenged the status quo to improve a process or outcome?" (Innovation)

     
     

3. Involve multiple stakeholders, spread questions across interviewers 

   A cultural fit interview should involve multiple interviewers throughout the process, ideally including team members, to get a well-rounded perspective on the candidate's alignment with your values. Be sure to spread out the questions based on the expertise and maturity of the interviewers to assess the values, but also what is important to them. The priorities of the hiring manager will be different from those of a future team member.

   
   

4. Score the alignment 

   Use a scoring rubric to rate candidates based on how well their answers align with your core values. This minimises bias and ensures consistency across interviews.

   
   

5. Stay transparent

   Communicate your core values early in the recruitment process - on your careers page, in job descriptions and during interviews. Candidates who share these values are more likely to self-select into your organisation.

Free Template

Here is a free template that you can use as a first starting point to build your own cultural fit interview, including score matrix.

If your business is looking for tailored Talent Acquisition Setup Services, or if you need an Interim Head of Talent Acquisition to guide you through a recruitment transformation, feel free to sign up for a first getting to know chat to see if I can help you.