I’ve read that hiring biased for “cultural fit” is a huge no-no.
At first it makes total sense: diversity is great, we shouldn’t just hire people we want to have a beer with, don’t promote a monoculture, etc.
So most places rework cultural fit into something like values fit or cultural add, where common goals and unique perspectives are valued more than maintaining existing ones.
Ultimately, these “value fits” and “culture adds” still add up to a culture comprised of similar-minded people.
In my slice of Tech, I’ve found these people tend to be:
I recently saw a candidate apply to a healthtech company. Once informed of the company’s vaccine mandate, which the candidate disagreed with, they withdrew. They may not have been a values fit, but I think that means they weren’t a cultural fit, either.
Admittedly, I belong to this new culture that’s aware of the original “cultural fit” bias. Teams of all white nerdy male wizards or all newly-minted compsci brogrammers seem too… un-diverse. I would have serious reservations working next to someone who refuses to respect a coworker’s gender, is too closed-minded to new ideas, or is willingly unvaccinated.
Somehow, in trying to avoid a monoculture, I’ve arguably found myself in another, broader monoculture!
Despite this culture’s awareness of “cultural fit” bias, some people’s values are still too different to culturally fit with it.
I think I’m alright with that.