Screening for cultural fit is an essential part of the hiring process. Discover questions to ask in your culture fit interview. When you select candidates on the basis of culture fit—in addition to job fit—they contribute faster, perform better and stay longer with the organization. Go to www.SheilaMargolis.com to learn more about culture fit.

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How to Hire for
Cultural Fit

2. You probably screen applicants for job fit.
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3. But do you also screen for culture fit?
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4. Cultural Fit:
Is this applicant a fit
with
our culture?
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5. •Meaningfulness
•Harmony
When a person is a fit with the culture, it
contributes to two important values:
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Meaningfulness
comes from
Purpose.

7. 1. Is the company’s Purpose meaningful to the
applicant?
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8. What is your company’s Purpose?
•Why does the organization exist?
•Why is the work we do important?
•What is our contribution to society
through the work we do?
• Go to this link for more questions to
decide your company’s Purpose.
• Go to this link for an explanation of
Purpose.
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Answer these questions, to clarify your company’s Purpose:
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9. Uncover what is Purposeful for the applicant,
by asking these interview questions:
• What are the things you love to do and find deeply
satisfying? Give examples of activities demonstrating this.
• What causes really matter to you? Give examples of past
activities in support of each cause.
• In what way would you like to make a contribution to
society through your work?
• Describe a past workplace that was meaningful to you.
• Why is this company’s work a fit for you? Be specific.
• Describe any event or experience in your life that has
driven you to care about our work?
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10. YES
NO
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Decide:
Is
the company’s
Purpose
meaningful to
the applicant?

11. 2. Are the applicant’s values in harmony with
the company’s values?
Individual
Values
Company
Values
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12. What are your company’s core values?
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Answer these questions, to clarify your company’s values:
•What values are fundamental and distinctive
to the organization since its founding?
• What are the values we must focus on and
pay attention to in order to thrive?
• Go to this link for more questions to decide your
company’s values.
• Go to this link for an explanation of Philosophy
values.
• Go to this link for an explanation of Priorities values.
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13. There are a number of values that might be
important to the applicant…
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14. Determine the values most important to the
applicant, by asking these interview questions:
• What values are most important to you?
• Give an example of a past situation in your life that
illustrates how each value is important.
• Which values are you seeking in a workplace?
• Why do you think this company is a fit with your
values?
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Decide:
Are the
company’s values
in harmony with
the
applicant’s
values?
YES
NO

16. Then, audit for cultural fit: Is the applicant a fit?
List the
Applicant’s
Purpose
and Values
List the Company
Purpose and
Core Values
Evaluate
Cultural Fit
Comments
Purpose: Purpose:
1 2 3
NO Somewhat YES
Values: Values:
1 2 3
NO Somewhat YES
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17. Hire for cultural fit so your company and
your employees thrive.
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For more information on how to define culture and hire for culture fit,
go to this link: