We have all been there. Stressful recruiting situations demand the quest for finding fit. It is the essence of all we do. Regardless of what fit is defined as, the real truth is there are so many with a different understanding of what it truly means, the reality of the process is that quest for fit really comes down to a few factors quite honestly. And defining "Fit" in your organization is really the backbone of each and every hire, fill, and staffing outcome result.

Fit is dictated in organizations large and small by many of the following factors:

• Culture
• Skill-set (Hard Skills)
• Interpersonal/Personality and Soft Skills
• Industry Knowledge
• Career Trajectory (stable work history, in some cases short work history, growth demonstrated from role to role and Performance in that role).
• Career Motivations
• Education
• Involvement in Industry and Trade Organizations.
• Leadership Ability
• Business Acumen
• Work/Life Balance Concerns
• Compensation
• Local and Macro Environmental & Economic Conditions

Organizations Filter and Establish "FIT" by way of the following:

• Job Analysis/Job Investigation and Information Gathering
• Job Description Writing
• Commitment to Compensation/Benefits Package
• Defining Job Characteristics and Legal Ramifications (Exempt vs. Non-Exempt FLSA Classification for example)
• Their own ethos and internal value statements.
• The Interview Skills/Screening Skills of the Managerial Ranks
• The type of demographics they hire into their organizations.

And so the ultimate question from the "C-Suite" & the managerial team, and individual contributor arenas really is the commitment of organizations to see "FIT" in their organizations almost like a giant puzzle. Finding the right place in a big picture is seeing how each piece really "FITS". It is remarkable how some organizations are allowing themselves to be reactive in a job marketplace that is shifting everyday. Is it really that hard to step back and take a look at the big picture? Could recruiting organizations benefit from such?

In many ways organizations show their commitment to winning the talent war by pulling out the HR Road-map and HR Discipline strategy discussion with first emphasis on the Hiring area of the business. Great "FIT" starts when everyone is committed to making that happen. If an organization is experiencing a state of flux, if turnover is high, and engagement low that has domino effects. The biggest problem of turnover may not be really anything more than the top management forming a new culture and finding a way to help existing staff redefine the role of "FIT" for their area of the organization. It starts with the following:

1. A Clear Organizational Mission Statement
2. A Clearly Defined Values Statement
3. A Clearly defined Strategy for Success.
4. Management and Executive Support and Buy-In.

These key areas while in sum don't make up the complete culture it sets a game plan to achieve that. FIT is the number one reason people stay. Culture of your company must be such that individuals see how they are aligned to the organizational direction you are going towards. Nothing matters more than this. Truth is if you don't define fit you really are pounding a square brick into a round hole. Which honestly can be VERY painful. Why would you subject yourself to that in your own life let alone your own business? Hence - all the advances in technology, and all the candidates in the world, as well as all the employers in the world can not effectively match up to each other unless FIT is firmly understood in your organization. How about it. How does your organization define fit? Truth is - the definition is the solution, and that starts from the top down.  Engage, Inspire, Reinvent, or lose the talent war.  YOUR CHOICE.