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The Q Works Group has a unique background in that our Managing Director, Joe Woerner, is German born and raised and has spent his career learning the importance of understanding cultural differences in the workplace. He has seen first-hand the pitfalls that can occur when companies hire people based on resume material alone, such as having the right degree, experience or technical skills.  It became apparent to Joe that there was a gap in the usual hiring process when companies disregard the less obvious aspect of cultural fit between a candidate and company. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to force a square peg into a round hole, as the saying goes, which can and does cause much turnover.

Understanding that this issue needs attention, Q Works has developed strategic methods to address the importance of “fitting in” during the recruiting process.  Not only has this become a primary focus of our executive recruiting procedures, it has become part of the fabric of our office as well.  We aim to set ourselves apart in the world of executive recruiting by striving to establish strong “candidate/ company culture fit” for our clients. We also understand that it is crucial that we apply this same methodology when hiring employees within our own office.

With respect to the cliché, practice what you preach, here is an inside look into how we determine a “good fit” for the Q Works office.

Once we have narrowed down the candidates for a given position, such as an Account Executive (recruiter) or Project Coordinator, he or she must then go through a series of behavioral interviews both online and in person, in which they are asked to share their motivation factors to check that they match our company’s core values. They are asked to complete an online assessment which looks at a person’s strengths and how these can be used to be more successful in their profession. The information gathered can be used to coach or mentor the individual as needed and also helps with the on-boarding process. Basically, the analysis is a tool used to match people to jobs to get the right fit.

The next step is to introduce them to other staff members to see if they “connect” and seem genuinely able to fit in as a potential team member since so much of our work is based on mutual respect and transparency between one another. If at this point all of the factors seem to be in line, the individual will be invited back to participate in a Discovery Day, essentially a sneak peek into what a day in the office will consist of.  They will observe others in the same role, receive a crash course in the basics and even spend time working on specific tasks.

After all of this, we usually have a pretty good idea if the candidate will be a good fit both technically and culturally within the office, and we may or may not extend an offer.  This goes both ways in that the candidate now has a good idea of what to expect and can make a well informed decision. Once a candidate is hired at Q Works, we believe in a stringent on-boarding process in which the new employee can gain the necessary information, skills, and behaviors to become an effective team member. He or she will go through in depth training over the next several weeks.

The Q Works Group has a unique strength in our ability to match the right candidate to the right company.  We know how important this is and that is why we apply the same value when searching for candidates to hire within our own office. There are many choices available when working with an executive recruiting firm and that is why we set ourselves apart with our capacity to match technical skills and personality compatibility for both our own employees and the candidates we present to our clients.

Written By: Angie Barnes, Marketing Coordinator