"Fit" ...a Two-Way Street

What does it mean to find an employee that truly "fits" your organization?  What does a good "fit" look like from the perspective of the applicant?  Organizational fit, job fit, and motivational fit are key factors that drive how new employees will assimilate to the work environment, mesh with the corporate culture, as well as how the individual will perform in their role.

Meet Jim, an aspiring sales executive whose background is in the finance industry.  Jim is looking to gain exposure outside of the financial industry and to attain a role that moves him up the proverbial "ladder".  In the finance industry, Jim excelled in various sales roles, acquiring greater levels of responsibility very quickly.  He has thrived in the structured, regulation-driven environment in which his company operated within the industry.  Looking to expand upon his professional résumé, Jim is now exploring employment with organizations across various industries.  Although Jim's experience has primarily come within the finance industry, he believes that he can easily transfer his knowledge and skills to a different environment.

What is the best fit for Jim?  Organizations, of course, are very focused on finding the ideal fit for not only the position they are looking to fill, based on skills and experiences, but also for a good match to their environment and culture.  But how many companies focus on ensuring that their role, corporate environment, and organizational culture are truly an ideal fit for the applicant?  It is easy to assume that if we, the organization, find the ideal fit for the role, then the organization must be a perfect fit for the individual as well.  Unfortunately, this assumption may be inaccurate at times.  Applicants are eager to make a good impression during their interview and may have the propensity to sacrifice concerns or misgivings of their fit to the role or the organization in order to give the "correct" answer or tell the interviewer what it is they think they want to hear.

Going back to our friend, Jim...Jim is interviewing for a sales manager role with a successful computer system design company.  The company is a trend-setting, forward-thinking organization focused on innovation and leading the way in the industry.  Jim has had some qualms over whether or not he would be comfortable working in such an "outside the box" environment.  His previous experience was in a very structured, guidelines-driven environment that he thoroughly enjoyed and felt comfortable.  Although he questions his fit to the computer system design company, he goes forward with the interview and is hired.  Nine months later, Jim is living in a land of ambiguity and is surrounded by creative minds who are more comfortable "bending the rules" than abiding by them.  Jim is not comfortable in his position nor in the organizational environment, which is a stark contrast to his ideal work situation.  Jim is back on the search for a role and company that is truly a good fit for him.

Jim's situation is not an uncommon one.  This "mis-fit" between applicant and environment results in reduced morale, job satisfaction, as well as increased absenteeism and turnover.  This costs the organization time and money on hiring, on-boarding, and training processes, while costing the employee stress, time out of work, and emotional well-being.  But how in the world do companies figure out if the two-way street of "fit" is in alignment? 

Interviews and supporting hiring tools, such as personality inventories, can be invaluable to ensuring this alignment.  Although neither is a "magic elixir", asking very detailed, targeted interview questions that uncover the individual's work and style preferences can elicit critical information needed to determine fit.  Moreover, personality inventories, such as the Behavioral Insight^®, provide the interviewer with information about the candidate that extends beyond the skills and experiences commonly found on the résumé.  Personality assessments allow the hiring manager to gain insight into the innate behavioral tendencies of the applicant, including information regarding natural motivators and drivers.  Where these motivations strongly differ from the work environment or characteristics of the role, the interviewer can probe to gain a better understanding of the potential misalignment between the candidate and the role/organization.

"Fit" issues are a major concern for organizations due to the tremendous costs companies incur after a “bad hire”.  It is important for organizations to take a holistic approach and consider concerns of "fit", not only from the company’s perspective, but also that of the applicant.  For more information about job, organization, or motivational fit, or the Behavioral Insight^®, send us an email or give us a call.