Don’t hire for cultural fit
Because it’s much harder than that
One of my first articles on Medium ever (I think it was 2015?) was about how company culture is bullshit. Well, not much has changed about that opinion of mine in the past (almost) decade. I don’t believe in company culture. I believe in hiring and promoting the right leaders who will in return hire the right people.
And I believe there are a few things that need to be done right for that cause-and-effect to happen.
Before I dive in, I want to answer the question on your mind right now: what can she possibly have to say about company culture? Well, sit tight because, girl, do I have a story for you.
Not only did I start my career in Sweden working for culture-is-everything Hyper Island, but I labored my way up working for over 100 startups as well as for some of the most heavily company-culture-shilling organizations in this industry.
Plus, I have created value-based tone and voice documentation for over 30 companies which always require a close look at culture, too.
I’ve seen it all up close and center.
So how do you hire the right people for the job who also vibe with the general feeling of the company? Let’s dive in.
Don’t hire an asshole.
Yes, it’s that simple. But also, it’s not simple at all. In fact, this is the hardest point on my list and it cannot always be avoided. I have a few things I look out for but they aren’t bulletproof and I know others check for totally different factors.
If you do end up hiring an asshole, the most important thing is to not ignore it and set that birdy free.
Here’s what I do to try to avoid assholes:
- Ask a lot of questions about their behavior and who they are during interviews. The responses tell me plenty.
- Make a few jokes. How do they react?
- As I’m well-connected I usually know a few people who know them. I will ask them for red flags. Some people share a lot, others do not. This too, tells me something.
- Generally, I trust my gut (ok, recruiters hate this as they want the process to be as unbiased as possible but my gut has never let me down ever).
Sounds easy. Is quite hard. Maybe this point should be try your best not to hire an asshole.
Hire someone at the right time.
I’ve seen some of the best people I know let go under the guise of ‘not a cultural fit’ when what happened was that they weren’t hired at the right time.
Some roles are limited by weird constraints. This could be OKRs, budgets, reporting lines, or even their team (if you’re hiring a manager). Especially skilled individuals will quickly try to push their way through these constraints but if a company isn’t person-first but culture-first, leadership may find issues with this. In the best case, they realize their mistake and restructure the team. In the worst case, they burn the hired person out and then let them go because they’re not a cultural fit. So before you open a role, make sure you understand its constraints and more importantly, communicate those constraints when you hire because…
Hire someone who actually wants the job.
I am guilty of taking jobs I hated. But I didn’t know better. Turns out most companies have no idea what or who they’re looking for.
Many look for builders or people with X years of experience, when they should be taking a look at the networks and dynamics surrounding a role. Do you need a change-maker? Someone eager? Someone patient? A great communicator? Someone charming? All these traits are usually found in different types of people and can vastly impact the success someone has in a role.
I know myself pretty well. So if you know the role and we talk, I can pretty much tell you if I’m a good fit or not. And I will. Of course, some people see challenges and will still take the job because they at least want to try or because they, ya know, need the money. In those cases, it’s on the hiring manager and recruiters to push back. Because you really do want someone who wants this job. Otherwise, it will lead to all kinds of problems as they try to make the role something it’s not — to fit their needs.
Honestly, I’ve experienced this as the root of frustrated employees way too many times. Do not sleep on it.
Don’t promote shitty managers.
Shitty people can be great ICs (individual contributors). But they cannot ever be great managers. There, I said it.
I’ve seen plenty of people let go for cultural fit. Often, they just didn’t get along with their manager. But is that their fault? Usually, not. However, the company will always back the manager. Yes, even bad managers. It’s simply cheaper and easier for them to do so. And, it usually takes much longer for leadership to recognize a bad manager than for a manager to build a narrative that an IC on their team isn’t performing. I’m sad we don’t find this spelled out in articles on the internet more because it’s such a common reality. I believe it would help people in these scenarios feel less alone and not take such a big hit to their confidence.
Think twice before you join a culture-first company.
I mean, you do you, of course. But I’ve started to find culture-advertising companies a little sus. The whole concept is great when it works and you fit the desired culture. But it’s terrible if you don’t.
And honestly:
It’s simply not inclusive.
Because any culture we build always carries our bias. How many of these culture-loving companies have a diverse leadership team or board designing and actively building their culture? I’d argue it’s close to 0.
Most cultures are built by a very homogeneous team and therefore simply don’t take the needs, experiences, and opinions of a diverse group of employees into account. This is a real problem and I’d argue, one of the many things that upholds systemic oppression.
We need to talk about this more.
I’m sure most companies have great intentions when they focus on creating a specific culture for their employees. But we need to make sure culture is built with inclusivity and diversity in mind and upheld with fair measures — especially when companies grow.
It should never be an excuse to get rid of people with different work styles or different attitudes. We still need to evaluate each individual’s behavior. And we need to have measures in place to evolve culture as different people join.
What are your experiences with company culture? Let’s discuss.
Nicole is a Content Design Lead and host of the Content Rookie pod. She lives in Sweden, where she writes poetry and chases her 1-year-old around her clover lawn. Website. Twitter.
