Demand for skilled IT professionals has never been higher. Current abilities in analytics and related fields are top-value commodities. But when hiring for IT success, employers need to be mindful of more than just technical prowess. Cultural fit is equally – if not more – critical to retention and long-term productivity.

• Recruiting a candidate without considering how they fit your culture may solve your short-term hiring need but in the long term, you’ll be missing a key element for success.
• This is especially true among younger Gen X employees. This population tends to prioritize meaningful work over pay and won’t hesitate to leave if their new employer’s values fail to align with their own.

 
Defining Culture

Companies that are most successful at attracting and retaining top talent have a clearly identified employment brand. It’s impossible to recruit for cultural fit unless you know what your culture is.

• Culture is defined in terms of a company’s work environment, core values and the principles that drive key decisions. Other defining elements are the attitudes and mindsets that create a sense of belonging for all team members. This is fundamental to performance, productivity and morale.
• Every company has a culture that encourages some people and discourages others. When you hire, you don’t just acquire skills. You welcome a new belief system and way of doing things. To be sure the candidate’s way is your way, it’s critical to clearly define every desire attribute and what they mean to your organization.
• Companies that effectively manage their culture attract people who fit better. This shortens the new hire learning curve and enhances staying power.

 
Job Fit + Cultural Fit = A Successful Hire

Job fit is the degree to which a person can perform the responsibilities of their position. Cultural fit signifies an individual’s level of compatibility with the core values and norms of an organization. For a hire to be successful for the long term, you need a balance between the two.

Consider these statistics from a recent CareerBuilder poll:

• 41 percent of companies surveyed had experienced a bad hire cost of at least $25,000. And 24% had incurred more than $50,000 as a result of a single hiring mistake.
• 67 percent of failed hires were attributed to poor job fit, while 60 percent resulted from a lack of cultural compatibility.

Successful hiring managers identify the cultural characteristics their desired candidates are seeking and incorporate them into their recruitment strategy. If necessary, they use any differences as an impetus to improve company culture for the sake of building long-term bench power. Their tactics include:

• Building a careers page that reflects corporate culture. When potential candidates visit a company website, they get a clear picture of an organization’s work environment.
• Enlisting their current workforce. Who better to recommend candidates who will fit your culture than those who live it every day?
• Optimizing use of social media. Utilizing venues such as Facebook photo albums and a LinkedIn home page, companies grab candidates’ attention and give them an understanding of how they work.

Even as many employers struggle to find highly-skilled IT professionals, it’s important to keep cultural fit in the forefront.

 
If you are looking for information technology recruiters in Philadelphia PA, contact our team today.