When the team at Potere Search begins a project with a client, we carefully listen to all the criteria the client has determined are must-haves for a new hire. These are the skills and capabilities needed to thrive in the position. However, our team also knows from decades of work in this industry that new hires will only deliver peak success when they are a good fit for the culture of the company. Over the years, we have refined our techniques for meeting this more ethereal need. Rarely will a CV or a job description reflect the facets of this aspect of the client’s needs or the candidate’s capability.
The Art Form Of Matching A Candidate With The Company Culture
At Potere Search, we begin gathering information regarding the person who could become a candidate from the first moment they begin interacting with our team. When they arrive for an interview, we see the person who thinks they are not being watched to gain a glimpse into the character and personality of the potential candidate rather than the professional side. If they arrive early or late, do they appear stressed or rushed? Are they polite to the receptionist? Are they outgoing and ready to make conversation, or do they sit quietly and try not to get noticed? All of these tells will help establish their capability to meld with the culture of our client’s company.
After that initial evaluation by the person who is not typically a receptionist but a staged evaluator, the interviewer arrives in the lobby, makes an introduction, and leads the candidate to the conference room. But along the way, there are a few additional introductions to seek how they handle the process on their feet while they could be thinking solely about making a great impression in the formal interview space. The ability to act naturally, present a casual and friendly demeanor, and not look like a deer in the headlights provides great insight into the people skills and often less measured talents that will impact the new hire’s ability to interact with peers immediately, speak to clients and work in a team setting without a long transition or introduction period. This is a critical indication of their ability to mesh within a company culture and reduce the learning curve and downtime before they take action and begin to provide that desired and needed ROI.
The Critical Relocation Test
When our candidates are relocating to take the position, we arrange a time for them to tour homes with a realtor to see the area and provide our experts with more information about the person they really are beyond their work skills. The realtor provides feedback after the tour about the relaxed person’s actions, concerns, and the general conversations they shared. This reveals a great deal about their personality and what motivates them. Nothing is more personal than discussing the features you want in your home and what is needed to create your personal retreat that will await you after a long day at work. In most cases, we find that when asked, the realtor will select the same person we feel is the ideal choice to blend well into the culture and business of our client.
Finding The Right Candidate For The Company Culture
Canned questions in an interview related to company culture are not a true challenge for the candidates considered by Potere Search. We provide high-level selections who are well-educated and know the “right” answers to the questions about conflict in the office or working as a team. Our approach is to interview the person before we meet the candidate, so to speak. We need to see who they really are and if they have the basic skills and level of desire that will allow them to blend seamlessly with our client’s company culture. Our a-typically process of evaluating the person behind the professional has served Potere Search and our clients well for many years.