Culture Fit (for Job Seekers)

Having recently changed jobs, this article contains details of the some real (and funny) experiences from my search. Granted, when you are employed at a great company (shoutout to IPIC Entertainment), it is easier to explore options then when you are unemployed. For those individuals, my advice may not be helpful (unless you've listened to Jean Chatzky and Suze Orman about saving 6-8 months of salary for when you need it).

So much is written about "culture fit" as a criteria for hiring decisions, with experts on both sides of the issue telling us either:

1) it is essential to only hire people who will "fit in" to the existing culture (which may translate into "perform well in an obedient fashion with minimum disruption...") OR

2) it is vital to hire a diverse pool of candidates who bring unique and different points of view to the table (potentially means hiring various types of people who will challenge the status quo and add to the existing culture.)

As an experienced corporate leader in Human Resources -- I've watched this debate unfold in several companies and across the news for three decades. I am not sure which side is currently winning.

What I do know is that "culture fit" should be a priority for the job-seeker.

Apologies to those who find themselves in this story, I'll protect your identities. My passive job search turned active when Recruiters and colleagues recommended me for interviews last year. Across these experiences there was an inner voice that sometimes whispered, "you would not like working here..." and I ignored it. That's the truth.

During the interview process itself, there were some "red flags" and situations that wouldn't appear in my ideal culture. For example:

• One interviewer ordered a cocktail and spoke unfavorably about several colleagues in the organization for over two hours. This person never asked me one question about my professional experience or accomplishments.
• A decision maker expressed desire to make me an offer and asked me "When can you start?" before ghosting me (and the Headhunter) for two weeks. Recruiter told me the offer was coming and then alerted the client "put the job on hold."
• I met about 10 people in one company and they shared that they work 24x7, some expressed fear of the CEO and company's future, several people ridiculed an executive on my interview schedule. Following my visit, not one person replied to my "thank you" emails.
• A CEO told me on our phone call that he was replacing the top HR person for a variety of reasons. I asked how the incumbent would likely react and he told me the person would be shocked since no one had given him any feedback in over a year.
• A company engaged an Executive Recruiter to fill the "top job" and I was a target candidate, but they were simultaneously hiring the entire team that would be reporting to me before making the decision.

Saving the best for last:

• One position I applied to would have me reporting to a Chief HR Officer who routinely makes derogatory and inflammatory "You are a loser" posts on Glassdoor in response to employees posting unfavorable reviews of the company.
• An Executive Recruiter (often criticized by my professional circle) contacted me about a fantastic job opportunity and when I expressed interest, she fired off a string of poorly written, slightly illegal emails demanding that I share personal information with her before we even schedule a phone call.
• Another Executive Recruiter works for a firm that "likes to have a complete dossier" on candidates -- so she asked me questions about my marriage, husband's employer, children (ages, residence, occupation). If that wasn't enough, she also asked where my parents were born (for what possible reason?)

I've debated for months if I'd share these stories. I'm doing so to say: when the right opportunity shows up, you will know it.

From my first contact with ShipMonk, I was talking to smart, engaging peers who I wanted to work with. I met our CEO and wanted to jump in to solve organizational issues and help him achieve the vision. After the in-person job offer and whirlwind first month on the job -- I knew this is a place where I can make a contribution, learn and grow with smart colleagues, build a strong team, and get SH*T done. That's what it's all about for me at this stage of my career.

The situations described here were uncomfortable but led me to a stronger belief that:

Candidates need to define the people, environment, and business practices needed for success and walk away from the situations that do not match...

Everything about the interview process tells you who you will be working with, how (if) they communicate openly, and how they treat others. Your carefully prepared questions can provide insight into what the company values, what they expect from the role, and how honest they are about sharing the organizational strengths and challenges.

I have no sour grapes about my job search. I feel certain the positions not offered to me were not ideal. Same for the ones where I (eventually) pulled out of the search. I don't want to work in a culture where people speak poorly of colleagues to candidates, where the boss does not give any feedback, where someone else hired my team before I got there, or where the C-suite insults former employees on Glassdoor...

If you are in an active search where you sense that, "I would not want to join this team..." take action to drop out and find opportunities elsewhere. You owe it to yourself to find your culture fit.