Forget Everything You’ve Ever Known about Hiring

Traditionally, hiring managers would focus on the cover letter, resume, and hard skills. Skills are easier to define and identify. And you’ve probably heard the statistic that most recruiters can decide if a candidate has the necessary skills for a job in as little as six seconds.

It just isn’t a lack of skills that are on a resume that can hurt a candidate’s chances. It can also be what is on it. There are plenty of articles out there that list some of the top things to avoid putting on your resume, like personal interests that are unrelated to the job you are applying for.

Back in the day, companies would even put up with employees with bad attitudes if they could get the job done efficiently. Personality was irrelevant then. But times are changing and people are looking for more than just a paycheck. They are looking for a place to belong and a job that allows them to contribute to something bigger than themselves.

In a perfect world, you could have both skills and cultural alignment. But we don’t live in a perfect world. Like we said, times are changing, and here is why you should forget everything you’ve ever known about hiring and focus on cultural alignment instead.

Skills are always something we can improve upon. And while people can change, it takes a long time and is hard to do (remember, we’re only human and we are creatures of comfort). And this is why you should focus on cultural alignment.

You can’t force someone to change their core values or personality. So if you want someone who is going to get along with co-workers, you need to find someone whose personality is more in line with the company. Training can always be done. Encouragement and feedback can always be given. And when you find someone who fits with the company and has a drive for personal growth and development, you’ll find that you’ll reap more benefits from it.

But wait, training costs money and time, you say! Sure, it can temporarily slow down the person who has to train the new hire. But when a person aligns with the company’s culture, they stick around longer. And that means you’ll spend fewer resources on hiring in the long run. You’ll also spend less on training too because you won’t be doing it every year or two with every new hire you have to make.

But it’s not just the resources you save on doing less hiring. First, your HR department will thank you for a decrease in stress levels that would have otherwise been caused by a constant cycle of hiring. And a happier HR department means less turnover in that office too! You’ll also find a decrease in stress in other departments because they aren’t constantly having to pick up the slack every time someone leaves.

The benefits so far look pretty good, right? Fewer resources spent on hiring, a happier HR department, employees who stick around for longer, employees who are less stressed from picking up the slack, and hires who stick around for longer. But the impacts on hiring for cultural alignment are even bigger.

When an employee is culturally aligned with the company, they have increased levels of job satisfaction, motivation, creativity, and productivity. This means employees who work harder and can help you find more creative solutions to challenges your company faces.

And if your company values diversity, you’ll see even more benefits of hiring for culture. You’ll hire candidates who also value that diversity and many of whom are diverse candidates themselves. When you have a variety of ideas and perspectives, your company can choose the best ideas.

So what does this all boil down to? It means that when you hire for culture, you reap the benefits of happier, more productive employees. So what are you waiting for? Start hiring for culture alignment today with the Workzinga Culture Alignment Assessment!