Peter Trombetti – How does Company Culture fit in the interview process?

Recruiters talk a lot about company culture when it comes to finding the right candidate. Check out a previous blog post we have on the subject. We focus on how important it is to have the “right fit” when it comes to personality and values. But as a hiring manager, it’s easy to decide if a potential candidate has the right credentials, experience or skill. However, trying to navigate those more intangible qualities can leave some scratching their heads. Here are a few questions to ask potential candidates to help hone in on those that have the right qualities for your company’s culture.

How and when do you do your best work? Someone who needs total silence to complete a task will not excel in a group environment. Someone who requires constant supervision wouldn’t work well in a company set up to work remotely.

What excites you most about this company? The best candidates won’t mention compensation or benefits. They should bring up your company’s processes or other approaches that make your company unique.

Who was your favorite boss or mentor and why? This will help you figure out your potential candidates best learning style, as well as how they work with leaders and managers.

What makes you uncomfortable at work? Finding a candidate that can honestly, and effectively, open up about both their likes, and dislikes, ensures that they will be straightforward with you as well as their coworkers and bosses.

What would you like to do more of at work? This will help you see what fulfills them on a day-to-day basis. Can your company provide that for them?

Cultural fit is a tough thing to not only define, but to find in a potential candidate. However, taking the time to ask some more detailed questions can help you really see if they will get along with fellow colleagues, build rapport in the office, prove a valuable resource to the company, and be happy coming to work every day.

Peter Trombetti is the owner of Oficio Group, located in East Greenwich, RI. Specializing in sales and marketing within the specialty chemicals industry, Peter can be reached through the  oficiogroup.com website.