by Simon Lythgoe
Organisational fit is not something that you can necessarily identify from a CV. Although you may have similar skills and experience to employees who are already working for a business, it’s the personality traits - and factors such as approach and outlook - that are more likely to be key when it comes to determining whether you “fit in.” It’s to the benefit of both an employer and an employee to assess organisational fit before any contracts are signed – so how do you do it?
1. Attend an informal event
Many employers arrange informal events, such as lunches or drinks, as a way to get more insight into potential employees. This is also a good opportunity for candidates to see how people from the organisation you’re looking to join interact outside of the office. Do you feel like you’re on the same level as others at the event in terms of chat and interaction or do they spend the entire time checking in on work emails or worrying about being called back to the office?
2. Expect to be asked to take pre-employment assessments
This could be something as simple as a questionnaire to see whether your values and objectives are aligned with those of the business. Many organisations today employ pre-employment assessments, as they are a great tool in determining factors such as organisational fit.
3. Spending time in the workplace
If you’re offered the opportunity to do a graduate scheme, internship or work shadowing then this can be a really simple way to see if you feel at home within the business that you’re looking to join. You’ll get insight into how it functions on a day-to-day basis, the work that goes on as well as the way that issues or opportunities are handled by the team that you could be working with.
4. Ask questions at interview
Many businesses today will have designed questions specifically intended to uncover how well your approach is aligned with their own. However, if that doesn’t happen you can always do this yourself. Questions about working environment and culture, as well as employees becoming friends, social events outside the office etc can all help to shed some light on whether the ethos at the heart of a business is going to be right for you.
5. Meet people from all levels of the company
The way you’re treated from the moment you step through the doors can be a clear indication of an organisation’s attitude and priorities. So, it’s a good idea to meet as many people as you can from right across the organisation, whether that’s those who work on the tech team, managers or potential colleagues.
6. Carry out reference checks on the business
Although you can’t exactly ask a potential new employer for references you can do your own research to establish what others think. Online employer review sites can be useful, as well as speaking to former employees.
Great organisational fit paves the way for a profitable and satisfying working relationship within a business – it’s worth taking the time to ensure that all the right components are there.