How to Show Company Culture Fit in an Interview

Being a good “company culture fit” is an oft-cited criterion that candidates for a job are supposed to meet. Hiring managers and job seekers alike value their ideals of good company culture. According to TeamStage, 94% of entrepreneurs and 88% of job seekers say that a healthy culture at work is vital for success. And despite the difficulty in defining it, a “good fit” is often believed to be a piece of that puzzle.

So what does it mean to be a good company culture fit and how can you show an interviewer that you've got what they're looking for?

What is Company Culture Fit Anyway?

If the term feels nebulous, it's because it is. There's no definition of the idea that applies to every workplace. Ultimately, hiring managers are looking for someone who they happen to like and who has a personality and background which they think will be productive and easily fit in and get along with the group they already have.

Fitting in with company culture shouldn't mean changing your personality or pretending to be someone you're not. But every situation has its own norms and unwritten rules, and showing that you can identify and play nice with them without too much prompting will go a long way in giving them what they're looking for.

Company Values, Mission Statement, and Current Employees

A great place to start in identifying the culture of a company is to look up their written company values and mission statement. These are almost always listed on their website. There, you'll find a summary of what the company is trying to achieve and the things they care about when it comes to doing business.

Pay attention to these qualities and the tone and language they use to present them, and see if any of them align with your own values. Those that do are probably good sides of yourself to share at this workplace.

Keep in mind that the values and voice expressed there are put forward by management, so they're more aspirational than perfectly representative of the rank and file who work there. Still, understanding the kind of image management wants to present and cultivate will tell you what they're hoping for from applicants.

If you know someone who works there already, that's the best window into the company of all. Ask them how best to prepare for the interview and what the culture and mood at work are like.

Harmonize with their Behavior and Language

If you give it some thought, you'll probably see that you don't act the same way in every situation. Whether you're at a sporting event, the grocery store, the dentist, or your favorite restaurant, each place has its own atmosphere and set of expectations. This doesn't mean you're true to yourself in one situation and not another – just that each has their own range of norms for you to interact with.

Professional environments are the same way. Each one has its own tone and customs. Try to identify the kind of place they want to create and look for ways to reinforce it.

During the interview (and if possible, before), pay attention to how members of the company dress, carry themselves, greet one another, and speak. Then from within your own personal boundaries, see what you can do to participate in the same way. In short, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Show Interest and Familiarity

Show interest in the company and their way of doing things. Ask follow-up questions and express pleasure at anything that they share that you like or find interesting, and when appropriate, share how the things you learn are similar to places where you've been successful before.

Pay particular attention in this way to anything that they seem to consider a point of interest themselves. These are things that they feel are unique, defining, or important.

Showing that you enjoy and are comfortable in the environment they've created will make it that much easier for them to picture you as a fixture there.

If Company Culture Is Cited in a Rejection, It May Have Little to Do With You

Company culture is largely a matter of preference by hiring managers, so even if you do everything you should, the interviewer may still cite a “company culture fit” when giving a reason that they passed on a candidate and chose someone else. If that happens, don't be too discouraged or take it as strong evidence that you failed in your attempts to fit in.

“Not a fit for the culture” could mean that they're looking for someone who'll have more in common or get along better with the group they already have. But it's also fairly common as an intentionally vague catch-all that gets used in the absence of having substantial criticism to offer. In either case, if it's all they share, they're probably not going to offer anything more constructive as feedback, and the phrase should probably be interpreted as the business equivalent of “it's not you – it's us.” Don't despair – keep moving forward and find a workplace where the excitement and appreciation for the fit are mutual.

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