Before an applicant even walks through the doors of your business, they should have a clear idea of your company culture. And, part of recruiting qualified employees should be your company culture. If you effectively market your company’s culture, you can grab the attention and recruit the best of the best. If a high-level candidate experiences a culture shock when they reach the in-person interview, it could prove to be a waste of time for both you and the applicant as one won’t see the other as a fit. Company culture influences the way a business is run and is in part a reflection of the way employees interact with one another. Because it’s the high-quality candidates that fit with your company culture that are often the most successful in the office, use it to attract and recruit the best.

Job Postings

When it comes to job postings, the benefits employees get should apply directly to the candidate’s culture fit. The key is to identify the characteristics and skills you are targeting for the position and identify what aspects of your company culture appeal to the best candidates the most. If you outsource HR responsibilities, make sure to communicate exactly what those are to the firm you work with and that nothing is lost in translation.

• Ask the manager who would oversee the new hire, as well as the employees would work closely with this individual, who their dream candidate would be in terms of skill set, personality, and values. Use the common threads in their answers when creating job listings.
• In your company’s introduction section, note what the foundations and vision of your company are. Candidates who align with these same principles will feel a connection to your business and culture right away.

Social Media

Social media is a great way to share your brand and culture with potential candidates. When you have company events, share the best images on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. Great company culture comes across well in pictures and it could be the final push the best candidates need to apply to your company.  A great company culture is developed in the office, but should transcend the workplace into the everyday lives of your employees. Use social media, where new employees can be found, to share just how great your culture and business are.

• Use funny images from your office or company outings to show job seekers where they could be. Tweeting an image of current employees having fun, with a great caption, link to the job posting, and “#dreamjob” or "#job" is one way to promote your culture and employment opportunities.
• If your business is on Pinterest, create a board dedicated to your employees, what your business does for the community and the office as a whole. Show off how your business encourages employees to be well-rounded and develop as individuals; your company will be more attractive to applicants.

Interviews

Some people suggest going with your gut when it comes to life decisions. However, you shouldn’t do so when it comes to hiring decisions. Because a company is successful when each sector of the business is able to work cohesively as a unit, it’s important that employees all fit well within the company culture you’ve been working hard to establish. During an interview, be sure to ask what drew that person to your company or what motivated them to apply, culture could play a big role.

• When a candidate arrives for the interview, let them wait a few minutes and watch how they interact with your office manager, secretary or other employees. While nerves are common, they should be friendly and having some form of positive, professional interaction with their potential coworkers.
• Once someone has made it past a phone interview or two and is invited to the office, make sure they interview with more than one person. Unless you’re running a company solo, you should try to get insight from others every time an in-person interview is taking place. Culture is a cumulative effort so you should aim for the input of a few others before hiring.

Use your company culture to recruit the best. From promotion of your employees and their collaboration on social media to in-person interviews with more than one current employee, connecting with the right candidates can have a lot to do with your culture. Because businesses work hard to create a productive, yet fun place of employment, it is important to showcase that to job seekers from the beginning of their entire application through the end of the interview process.