By Michael Cruz
The hardest part of hiring is determining fit. By fit, we mean will they work well within this company. That means – Do they fit our culture?
Even people who have the competence for the job, sometimes do not work well within your company. If you have a hard driving culture, someone with a more laid-back personality might find the environment stressful. Perhaps you have a culture that prides itself on detailed analysis before acting. Then someone with a bias to fix things, may feel stifled.
That does not mean you want everyone to have the same personality traits. In fact, personality diversity will help your company in many situations. It does mean that you need to see how the personalities will blend.
I have been working with one of my clients – StoredTech – to help figure this out. We have been using a system from a company called CultureTalk. (www.CultureTalk.com) StoredTech requires candidates to take the assessment prior to a second interview. Now they are better able to ask questions that demonstrate how candidates have been able to react to situations that might have made them uncomfortable. Often, they can show how they have positively reacted. Sometimes, not.
