What "culture match" means in a job interview

There are many important factors when considering a new job - career progression, salary, vacation time, work/life balance, location, and many more.  But how often do you hear the phrase "culture match" during an interview process?  And what exactly does that mean?

Business management author and guru Peter Drucker once said that "Culture eats strategy for breakfast."  There are many ways to dissect this statement, but at its core I think he is trying to say that having a good company culture is always going to trump having a good "strategy" for conducting business.  So how exactly does one determine a company culture during the interview process?

The first thing I would suggest is ask everyone you meet in the organization.  If the answer varies dramatically with each new person you meet, there is likely not a cohesive culture that everyone adheres to.  Instead they likely go to the beat of their own drum, and that can cause many problems down the road should you decide to join the company in any capacity.  I know some companies that have such a top-down approach that everyone from the CEO to the receptionist would have a pretty similar answer to that question.

Next, I would do extensive research online and with social media.  What do others say about the company, including former employees?  Glassdoor is a newer resource for employee reviews that show the good, the bad, and the ugly.  While you certainly have to take those reviews with a grain of salt, you might be able to detect some trends.  See if your philosophies line up with what others say about the company and then ask follow up questions in an interview setting or as a follow up email with the hiring manager.

Another way to determine company culture is reviewing the overall benefits package.  One of my colleagues recently noticed that a few more companies have pet bereavement policies.  That is a new and innovative way to tell your employees how you care about them.  A company that says they care about their employees but have strict PTO policies, poor medical coverage, no retirement plan, and very few on-site perks probably don't really mean it.

Lastly, you have to really ask yourself if you can live with what you learn about a company's culture.  If you really like who you would be working with, but feel like the company is a little too strict with a dress code, is that something you can work through?  Or perhaps there is too much of a buttoned-up feeling with the management team, but the ability to work flexible hours is available.  The idea of determining culture match can prove to be a tough balancing act.  There is no such thing as a "perfect" culture, but learning as much as you can about a company's overall culture can be a huge determining factor in your decision to work for them or not.