Job Seeker Manual: A Step-by-Step Guide for Using Culture Fit to Find the Right Workplace for You

Are you looking for a job that’s right for you? And when you find that job, do you know how to sell yourself as a fit not only for the job but also for the organization?

This job seeker guide shows you how to use culture fit to find the right workplace for you—a workplace where the culture is a good fit for you.

How well a job candidate fits the culture of a workplace can make the difference between job search success and failure.

Organizations screen candidates for culture fit. Don’t you think you should evaluate that fit as well? You can use culture to help you decide where you will achieve the greatest fulfillment in your work. Understanding how to diagnose the culture of an organization can guide you in finding an organization where you will flourish and be happy going to work.

This workbook will give you the knowledge you need to find an organization that is a fit, and to sell yourself effectively. You can share not only how your experiences and strengths position you for the job, but also how you fit the culture of the company. With this added knowledge, you can stand out and become the candidate who gets the job.

This workbook is divided into four sections.

• Part 1, the Introduction, covers why culture is important to you and the steps for evaluating your fit with a workplace culture.
• Part 2, Understanding Yourself, guides you in identifying your personal Ps—your purpose and principles—so you can create your Job Seeker Map.
• Part 3, Understanding the Organization’s Culture, introduces the three Ps of Core Culture—Purpose, Philosophy and Priorities—so you can map the Core Culture of each potential workplace.
• Part 4, Auditing for Culture Fit, helps you evaluate the right workplace for you. With an understanding of yourself and the unique Core Culture of a potential workplace, you can compare your Job Seeker Map with the organization’s Core Culture Map. By auditing the alignment of those maps, you can predict the degree of cultural fit you will have with each organization you consider.

Employ the information and activities in this step-by-step guide to better understand yourself and the culture of a potential workplace and to decide if the organization is right for you. Then, using your knowledge of the company’s culture, you can effectively demonstrate how well you fit. With this information, you can be in a much better position to get the job you seek.

Begin the journey to finding a workplace that is right for you. Discover how to find a meaningful workplace where people are making a contribution and practicing the principles and values that matter to you. Use culture to get hired because you are a total fit.

Sheila Margolis helps leaders build a culture that engages employees, retains top talent and prospers. She is an organizational culture and employee engagement expert. Sheila holds a doctoral degree in Human Resource Development and is President of Workplace Culture Institute, LLC. Sheila is the author of four books on organizational culture and change, including Building a Culture of Distinction (Facilitator Guide and Participant Workbook), Job Seeker Manual: A Step-by-Step Guide for Using Culture Fit to Find the Right Workplace for You and the business parable There Is No Place Like Work.

Sheila guides organizations in using culture as a core asset and a competitive tool. She conducts culture assessments to define an organization’s distinctive formula—a set of guiding principles and values—to unite employees and build a thriving organization. Through employee engagement surveys and consulting, Sheila helps companies foster a workplace where employees are enthusiastic about what they do and devote their energy and effort to helping the company succeed. Sheila also guides leaders in building cultural alignment where organizational Practices and Projections are aligned with the organization’s Core Culture.

Sheila has worked with a variety of organizations such as UPS, Coca-Cola, Philips Healthcare, and Cherokee Town and Country Club. She is a professional member of the National Speakers Association and speaks regularly at corporate and professional meetings and conferences. Sheila is also quoted in newspapers and magazines including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.