Help Us Help You: Hiring For Fit Can't Be Automated
Help Us Help You: Hiring for Fit Can’t Be Automated
In Part 1 of our ongoing series Help Us Help You, we encouraged clients to stop treating their recruiter like a resume machine and start asking better questions. In Part 2, we explained how strong internal processes lead to better hiring outcomes. In Part 3, we focused on what a consistent, candidate-friendly interview experience looks like. In Part 4, we outlined the anatomy of a great offer. And Part 5 acknowledged that fees matter—but so does value. In Part 6, we explored what makes a staffing relationship truly work: partnership.
Now, in Part 7, we are talking about culture fit.
“Culture fit” is a term that’s used to describe a person whose values, communication style, approaches, expectations, and other “soft” characteristics align with that of other people at the company. What constitutes a good “culture fit” will vary across organizations. For example, at some companies, professional grooming and dress code might be part of “culture fit”; at other companies, it might not. Some companies might stress punctuality and day-to-day execution of tasks, while others might have a creative, project-oriented culture. There is no “correct” or even “ideal” firm culture. In fact, that’s the entire point of “culture fit”: matching the right person to the right culture.
Companies care about “culture fit” because, when everyone on a team is aligned, it promotes cohesion, efficiency, and high-performance. When employees resonate with a company’s mission, work environment, and leadership approach, they’re more engaged, productive, and likely to stay long-term. Conversely, a mismatch in cultural fit can lead to miscommunication, low morale, and costly turnover.
The Challenge of Culture Fit
The biggest challenge for employers when hiring for culture fit is that it’s REALLY hard to screen for this during the recruiting process. Many companies have trouble even defining their culture. While they might have a mission statement or core values, those things can rarely define an entire culture. In many cases, culture is more like a vibe than a set of rules.
Clients will often say they can recognize a good culture fit after a 15-minute conversation, but they can’t effectively describe why or screen for it on a resume. Despite this challenge, most employers also report that the right “person” is even more important to them than the right “experience.”
It Takes People to Assess People
Because they only “know it when they see it,” most companies have no effective way of screening for culture fit during the recruiting process. Some have tried pre-screening questionnaires or personality tests. And while algorithms and keyword-matching tools may streamline the screening process, they can’t accurately gauge a candidate’s values, communication style, emotional intelligence, or potential for team synergy. At the end of the day, employers find most of these tools to be terribly ineffective when used to screen for culture fit. This speaks to the essential human element in hiring.
In general, the only way to screen for culture is to actually talk to someone. It requires human interaction, intuition, and experience. And this is where your skilled staffing partner can help you: let them ask the right questions, read between the lines, and understand the subtle cues that reveal whether a candidate will thrive in your unique environment. Let them do the high-touch groundwork on culture fit before you even have to review a single candidate resume.
Communicating Culture Fit to Your Recruiter
Of course, before someone can screen for culture fit, they need to understand it. The two best ways to ensure your recruiter understands your culture is to: (1) bring them physically onsite, and (2) give them direct hiring manager access.
(1) Onsite Access
Staffing partners firsthand insight into your company’s culture, environment, and expectations—and these things that can’t be fully captured in a job description or Zoom call. When recruiters visit the workplace, they experience the energy of the team, observe how people interact, and see the physical space where candidates will work. They feel the “vibe.” This deeper understanding allows them to more accurately identify candidates who will not only meet technical requirements but also thrive in a specific environment.
A staffing partner visit often reveals intangible but critical details—like the pace of the team, leadership style, or even whether the office is collaborative or heads-down. Armed with this knowledge, staffing partners can fine-tune their search, vet for culture fit during initial screening, and present candidates who are more likely to fit both skill and culture requirements. This alignment reduces back-and-forth, improves candidate retention, and directly impacts the speed and success of the hiring process.
Still not convinced? Statistically, we are 4x more likely to fill a job for clients who have given us onsite access. This has nothing to do with our recruiting skill. It has to do with our ability to screen more effectively for culture fit.
(2) Hiring Manager Access
Hiring managers set the tone for their teams and departments. Giving your recruiter direct access to speak with the hiring manager helps them understand the culture of a specific team or department, in addition to the company as a whole. When recruiters have timely, open access to hiring managers, they gain critical insights into the nuances of the role, team dynamics, and what “culture fit” truly looks like within the department. This clarity allows recruiters to tailor their search and vetting process more effectively, ultimately surfacing stronger candidates faster.
Moreover, real-time feedback on submitted candidates helps recruiters course-correct quickly, preventing wasted time on mismatches. As we talked about in our article on partnerships vs vendors, we know firsthand that direct hiring manager access builds a collaborative partnership, where both sides are aligned on expectations, timelines, and priorities. The result? A more efficient hiring process, better candidate experiences, and a higher likelihood of making the right hire the first time—ultimately boosting the fill rate and reducing time-to-hire.
The Right Person vs. Right Experience
At the end of the day, most companies agree that hiring the right person is often more important than hiring someone with the right experience. Skills can be taught. But mindset, values, work ethic, and other soft characteristics can be impossible to teach. A candidate with a strong culture fit, a growth mindset, and the ability to collaborate will often outperform someone who checks every technical box but lacks adaptability, passion, or alignment.
What is the right person? The right person is someone who’s coachable, motivated, and genuinely invested in your company’s mission. They’ll grow with your organization, contribute to a positive work environment, and help elevate the performance of those around them. While experience matters, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. The best long-term hires are those who bring both potential and purpose—the kind of people who may not know everything on day one but have the drive and character to figure it out, contribute meaningfully, and stay committed for the long haul.
In Closing
In today’s competitive hiring landscape, finding the right talent takes more than scanning resumes—it requires a people-first approach that prioritizes cultural alignment, communication, and potential. That’s where a strong staffing partnership becomes invaluable. Real recruiters assess real people, bringing insight and intuition that no algorithm can replicate.
Through direct access to hiring managers and on-site client visits, your recruiter can develop a deep understanding of what “fit” truly means for your organization. This enables them to go beyond the one-dimensional resume and identify candidates who align with your values, thrive in your environment, and contribute long-term. After all, hiring success isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about finding the right person who will grow with your team, elevate your culture, and drive your business forward.
(IMPORTANT NOTE: Culture “fit” has a troubled past. At some organizations, “culture fit” has been used as a basis to exclude qualified candidates on dubious (and sometime illegal) grounds, including discrimination based on protected characteristics. While “firm culture” and “culture fit” are very real things that impact hiring and performance, companies should be vigilant that their own definition of culture fit doesn’t drift into questionable territory—whether explicitly or in practice.)