‘Company culture’ may be an elusive thing to define at times, but neither employers nor candidates are in any doubt as to its importance.
A survey cited in The New York Times found that eight in 10 employers worldwide considered ‘cultural fit’ to be their top hiring priority. Meanwhile, ‘people and culture fit’ was the top thing that Millennials looked for in an employer, according to research cited in Harvard Business Review, above even ‘career potential’ and ‘work/life balance’.
So, once you have undergone all of the stress of applying for science jobs, passing through the interview and then finally securing your dream role, how can you ensure you are that ‘cultural fit’ your employer is likely to desire so much?
Thoroughly research the organisation
The more you know about the culture of your employer before you walk through its doors, the more proactive you can be in adapting to and embodying that culture – so be sure to do your homework well in advance.
Have you discussed the company culture with the contacts that you already have within the organisation, such as the HR staff that interviewed and hired you? Do your friends have any contacts that have worked for the company before and can give you some tips?
The Internet is also a good place to research companies, but be careful here – with Glassdoor reviews being anonymous, you can never be completely sure as to their authenticity. It may therefore be better to thoroughly immerse yourself in your new employer’s website first, paying particular attention to any ‘vision’ or ‘mission statement’ pages.
Take an open approach
It can take a while to fully acclimatise to the culture of a new employer, and organisations tend to be understanding of this. Indeed, in your early days, you should focus just as much on becoming accustomed to the company’s culture and people as you do on the work itself.
Be observant, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if necessary, of co-workers as well as your boss. Make any notes that you need to make of people’s names, job titles and contact details, as forgetting this information will be much more embarrassing later on than it will be during your first days and weeks at the company.
Maintain engagement over time
Don’t presume that you are automatically embedded into your company’s culture once the first week, month or even quarter has passed. The truth is that fitting in with the culture of your new employer will require continual effort, not least as culture naturally shifts over time with changes in workload and priorities.
So, take every opportunity that you can, even when you have spent a year or more in your new position, to ingrain yourself further into the culture of the company, such as by attending and participating in any weekly meetings, annual conferences and holiday parties.
The more steps that you can take to fit into the culture of your employer, the less likely you are to be among the 89% of hiring failures – according to one Forbes article from a few years ago – that are attributable to poor cultural fit.
Are you looking to partner with a science recruitment agency with the strongest track record in enabling ambitious people like you to secure the best science jobs? If so, simply get in touch with Hyper Recruitment Solutions today, or read more about the many sectors in which we have hiring expertise.
