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How evaluating job candidates can stifle diversity
in practice
Cultural fit is often difficult to describe but refers to how well an employee matches the environment and values of their organization. Despite its ineffability, fit can play a significant role in hiring decisions. A survey of academic librarians (bit.ly/AL-Fit1) found that cultural fit was valued more highly in hiring than previous experience, job performance, skills, and knowledge of professional trends. I once worked at an institution where I was a poor fit for the culture and can attest to how demoralizing that situation can be. I've also served on hiring committees where it was clear that our conceptions of cultural fit held nearly as much weight in decision making as did the stated qualifications.
A major issue with hiring for cultural fit is the potential to stifle diversity. We are all influenced by cognitive biases, the shortcuts our brains are programmed to take to help us make decisions. Those biases often lead us to value and want to...