When it comes to hiring, many managers focus primarily on qualifications, skills, and experience. A key ingredient that too often flies under the radar is culture fit. Developing culture-fit questions and strategies is essential to both hiring and retention.

Such approaches will level up your hiring process and give you a much clearer picture of how a candidate will mesh with your team. Bringing in candidates that align with your company’s values, mission, and vibe is the secret ingredient to long-term success. The right culture-fit candidate will help ensure employee retention, improve work productivity, and promote a positive work environment while attracting top talent and keeping your current employees encouraged and motivated.

When an individual candidate is a strong culture fit  that aligns well with your company values, work style, and team dynamics, you greatly improve your opportunity for long-term success. The right candidate will possess strong communication skills while being adaptable and open to feedback.

Corporate culture is a direct reflection of your company’s values and mission. It shapes the ways in which your employees approach their work. Hiring an employee who fits well with your culture, will accelerate the achievement of business goals and help you foster an engaging work environment. In addition, its positive effect on your job retention rate cannot be overestimated.

Here are some questions that will help you hone in on the right culture-fit candidate:

1. Do you prefer to work alone or part of a team? Why? These questions will help you assess the candidate’s preferred working style/environment in order to determine whether it aligns with your company culture.
2. What do you hope to achieve during your first three months here? This one will allow you to determine whether the candidate’s short-term goals align with your company’s objectives.
3. What would make you quit a job in the first month? A great question that will help you assess those factors that could make the candidate a poor culture fit.
4. What’s one thing you like about your current job that you wish you could take with you to your new company? This is an effective way to identify what  aspects of company culture are most important to the candidate.
5. If your manager were to assign you a big project before the end of the day, how would you reply? A good question for determining a candidate’s adaptability and time-management skills.
6. What motivates you to do your best work? The candidate’s answer to this question will help you identify whether or not his temperament is compatible with the culture your company embraces.
7. What would your ideal work schedule look like? This question will allow you to see the kind of flexibility the candidate is looking for, and how well that aligns with what your company can offer.
8. What type of learner are you (e.g., visual, auditory, kinetic, etc.)  His or her answer will help you understand the type of training the candidate needs to be successful. You can then determine whether it aligns with your onboarding process.

Don’t hesitate to ask simple follow-up questions, such as “tell me more about that” or “what made you decide to do that.” Such questions will provide insight into a candidate’s values and work style.

Some additional tips you might want to consider to ensure the right culture fit:

• Bring to the interview one or two of your culture champions – team members who understand and live your core values. Post-interview, these employees can offer valuable insights into how well the candidate will mesh with your existing team.
• Encourage candidates to ask meaningful questions. Empower the candidate to ask questions about your culture, and don’t be afraid to share stories yourself that speak to “living the culture.” You will quickly see what resonates with them.
• Use a personality assessment tool to gain insight into how well a candidate is likely to align with your corporate culture.

By utilizing these strategies, you’re not just predicting how happy and productive a candidate might be; you are also showing them what makes your company unique. Your culture is your secret sauce. Deploying strategies that help you ensure the right fit will enable you to attract and keep the best of the best.