Data-Driven Assessments and Culture Fit
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
In an age of big data, cultural fit is a critical component of hiring. In fact, cultural fit is a vital part of the business equation, and using data-driven assessments to assess candidate cultural fit is easier than ever. Assessments can ask people questions to gauge a person’s values and motivations, what type of working environment they prefer, and how they behave in the workplace. Such questions also serve as a springboard for a larger discussion. Furthermore, they can
also determine a candidate’s fit with existing co-workers. Managers then have a choice as to whether they want to hire people with identical or similar personality attributes, or complementary attributes that suggest diversity of thought, operating tendencies and more.
Behavioral questions and past experience can give a picture of someone’s abilities, and help hiring managers gauge how well they would fit in a position. However, cultural fit is a difficult concept to measure on a single level because everyone has their own opinion about what ‘fits’ within a certain company, department or group. Furthermore, many decision-makers have their own ideas about what makes a ‘good fit’ that may conflict with what the assessment determines. This can result in poor hiring outcomes.
The most effective culture fit measures have trouble impacting job performance and retention, but organizations insist on using them anyway. In addition, culture fit tests are easier to administer, because they allow organizations to evaluate everyone with the same test and avoid the need to conduct separate assessments for different job families. This means that cultural fit tests are far more convenient than panel interviews.
Ⓒ The Big Game Hunter, Inc., Asheville, NC 2022
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for more than 40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 2300 episodes. He also hosts Job
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