Integrate Culture Add Interview Questions
The best way to screen applicants for culture is by asking questions. Adding the right ones to the interview—and really listening to the answers—can help you identify the right candidate.
When brainstorming and creating questions, you want to make sure they’re tailor-made to help you pinpoint the culture add.
Include all the departments involved in company hiring practices. Additionally, check with managers and team leads to gauge performance, current strengths and weaknesses, and any additional insights they may have.
Depending on what you’re looking to add, the questions you ask should be centred around gaining insights into each candidate’s diversity of thought, adaptability, problem-solving skills, ways they can positively impact the team, teamwork in general, etc.
Here are some examples of questions to assess if someone has the qualities you’re looking to add to the team:
Questions Related to Teamwork and Collaboration
“What unique skills or experiences do you have that could benefit the team?”
This question provides insight into the candidate’s past experiences and what they believe are important lessons they’ve learned. The examples provided don’t have to be employment-related.
“What’s your experience learning about and collaborating with people who have different cultural backgrounds or perspectives in the workplace?”
The perspective and approach someone takes when working with people from different backgrounds says a lot about that person and whether or not they’ll contribute positively to a multi-cultural or otherwise diverse team.
“Has there been a time when you took the initiative to improve team morale, and if so, can you provide an example?”
The answer to this question gives insight into a candidate’s:
- Emotional intelligence
- Their understanding and interpretation of what low morale is
- The solution or tactic they chose to remedy it
“If you were asked to put together a team building exercise, what would that look like?”
The answer can reveal the candidate’s approach, attitude, and feelings about being part of a team.
“What do you believe are qualities that lend themselves to success within a team?”
If teamwork is integral to your organization, this question is valuable. The answer reveals the depth of understanding and experience someone has as part of a team. It showcases their participation and general knowledge of the sometimes quite complex dynamics within organizations.
Questions Related to Career Growth and Aspirations
“You are assigned a task that requires you to learn something new. What steps would you take to figure it out?”
This question is designed to provide insight into problem-solving. Listen for an answer that indicates they have what you’re looking to add to the team.
“How would you respond (and feel) if someone had constructive feedback on a project you thought you’d aced?”
This is an excellent question to help gauge how a person handles constructive criticism and how motivated and open they are to continuously strive for excellence.
“Have you ever felt incredibly stressed out and overwhelmed with a work-related project, and if so, what did you do?”
How a candidate responds can be quite telling. Most hiring managers look for someone who communicates their predicament, and seeks assistance or support.
“What new skills are you hoping to learn?”
This question may provide a peek into someone’s aspirations — and consequently offer a clue into whether they’re a culture add.
“How do you handle career setbacks?”
For most, the path toward any type of success is not linear. Asking this question can be quite telling in how the candidate deals with disappointment, including their perspective and framing of such occurrences.
“What type of company culture motivates you and makes you feel supported in your career aspirations?”
A question that yields a straightforward answer about the culture the candidate is looking for.
“If you were not chosen for this position, what would you do next?”
This is an excellent way to get a candidate to unknowingly share whether or not they’re a culture add. For example, if they stated that they’d take an honest look at themselves and saw an area that needed improvement (maybe even taking a class or course on the topic), and you’re looking for more candidates who are introspectively analytical, their answer is an example of them being a culture add.
Remain Flexible
Culture add is dynamic, and the exact qualities you’re hoping to add may change with both employee and company growth.
Do your best to stay flexible. Update what culture add looks like in the wake of that growth and change, and keep an eye out for what works and what doesn’t.
How to Facilitate Cohesion Within Teams to Maximize Culture Add
Most people are pretty good at working well with others, even if members of the group are different from them. However, that doesn’t mean you should just neglect team building altogether.
Here are a few examples of methods you can use to make strong teams even stronger:
Team Building
Many groan when they hear “team building,” thinking it will involve something cheesy or reckless, such as a trust fall.
The reality is team building can take on many forms … and it doesn’t have to be awkward or uncomfortable. The type of activity you choose should reflect company culture, and be aligned with the objective you’re hoping to achieve.
Communication 101
Good communication and active listening are integral to workplace success. Educating employees on the different ways of communicating can be incredibly helpful.
When employees understand their communication style and that of others around them — and are given the tools to express what they’re feeling in a non-accusatory way — they’re less likely to succumb to conflict or a potentially damaging misunderstanding.
Acceptance
Creating a safe place where employees feel free to be themselves and can focus on the task at hand, unencumbered by hiding who they are, is a wonderful environment to work in.
Seek to maintain a good culture of acceptance and inclusivity.
Conclusion
Those looking to revamp their hiring practices and find the perfect candidates to help meet their goals achieve that by including culture add in their hiring process.
Luckily, platforms like Obsidi® are ready to help you get started.
