6 Interview Questions to Assess Cultural Fit

When finding the right candidate for your open role, you’re probably focused on someone’s skillset or experience. While those are certainly valuable things to consider, it’s also important to assess how well they’ll fit in at your company. After all, someone who can perform the expected tasks but sticks out socially like a sore thumb isn’t likely to stick around. Then you’ll be right back where you started, only after you’ve spent even more time and resources on recruitment efforts. It’s better to know as soon as possible whether or not someone is able to mesh well with your company culture.

Luckily, this is simple to achieve through the interview process. If you’re looking for someone who can be a positive addition to your team, you just need to ask the right questions. Here are six questions to consider asking in order to assess cultural fit while speaking with new candidates.

Can You Describe a Previous Work Environment Where You Felt Happy?

Why this question’s important: By asking someone to recall a time when they felt happy, you’ll see what contributes to a positive experience for them. You’ll get a real, practical example of a time and place where they were fitting in well.

What to look for: You’re looking for an answer that’s fairly similar to your own company culture. For instance, if your company tends to be more laidback with frequent social activities and a set-your-own-pace type of environment, and someone responds that they’re happiest when they can be in a professional setting with clear guidelines, it should be a beige flag. Similarly, if your business is in a more buttoned-up industry but someone describes how they loved the ping-pong tournaments in their last job, it should be noted. Neither of these are better or worse than the other, and they aren’t dealbreakers, either! It’s just something to be aware of as you continue.

Can You Provide a Time in the Past When You’ve Received and Implemented Feedback?

Why this question’s important: Nobody’s perfect, and you’re surely going to need to provide less-than-positive feedback to this employee at some point. You’re trying to figure out how open they are to challenges and growth, versus if they’re a person who tends to be more stuck in their ways and stubborn.

What to look for: Be on the lookout for specific examples of when this candidate interpreted feedback and implemented it properly. They should be able to recall an actual time this happened, not just how they would implement feedback if given it. Otherwise, it may be a sign that they weren’t open to constructive criticism in previous positions.

What Motivates You to Come to Work Every Day?

Why this question’s important: Someone’s “why” can be a huge indicator of where their priorities lay. By understanding why someone comes into to work every day, you can get to know them on a deeper level, even in an interview setting. Again, there aren’t necessarily right or wrong answers here—but it’s just one more datapoint as to whether or not they’ll fit in with your company.

What to look for: You’re searching for something that aligns with your particular company’s values. For instance, if you’re a very family-focused business, saying something about working for their kids’ future might be great. If you’re a company whose product is changing the world, a devotion to the larger cause could be important. If you’re focused on increasing your bottom line this year, you’re looking for someone who’s focused on the hard and fast numbers of money making. Above all, you want enthusiasm: somebody who knows their purpose.

Has There Ever Been a Time When You Had a Disagreement with a Colleague, and If So, How Did You Handle It?

Why this question’s important: Conflict resolution skills are a must in nearly every single industry. At the heart of company culture is how employees interact with one another. Are they respectful, understanding, and positive? Or are they critical, stubborn, and untrustworthy? You want to be able to accurately assess how the candidate will respond to conflicts, which are bound to happen in even the healthiest of work environments.

What to look for: Ideally, here you’d see some self-reflection and how the candidate learned from the experience. Furthermore, you’re looking for a way that they were able to seek constructive solutions and come out on the other side feeling both heard and collaborative.

How Would Your Former Colleagues Describe You?

Why this question’s important: Third party feedback can be some of the most important. No matter how we see ourselves, how we come off to others is most likely how we really are, especially in stressful settings.

What to look for: Contrary to popular belief, you’re not looking for a candidate who would only answer in the positive. That demonstrates a lack of self-reflection! Mixed in with any positive qualities, it’d be nice to hear something that colleagues understand they still need to work on. That shows humility and a willingness to grow.

Who is a Person You Admire, and Why?

Why this question’s important: Who someone admires is a giant indicator of what’s important to them. If someone admires Thomas Edison, they’re likely a very different person than someone who admires Dolly Parton, or someone who admires their grandpa, or someone who admires your governor. Or maybe not! But at the very least, it’s a conversation starter.

What to look for: You’d like to hear someone that aligns with your particular company’s values. Obviously, if someone gets very political here and you’re an extremely non-political company, that might be a warning sign. If someone isn’t able to think of anyone, that could also be negative: do they think they have all the answers, and there’s nobody they look up to? Lastly, can they clearly explain why they admire this person? It’s not so much who a person answers, but how they answer that can help you understand them.

Claire Swinarski is a Contributing Editor at HR Daily Adivsor.

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