From First Touch to First Day | 5 Ways to Embed Culture in Your Hiring Process
SHIRLEY SMITH | Regional Manager | Adecco Kansas
Culture isn’t just something employees experience once they’re hired — it’s often what attracts them in the first place. Candidates are more intentional than ever in their job search and culture frequently becomes a deciding factor.
To stand out, employers must think beyond job descriptions and interviews. Culture should make an impression from the very first touchpoint and remain consistent throughout every interaction in the hiring process.
Here are five practical ways to make sure your culture shines throughout the candidate journey.
1. WRITE A CULTURE-DRIVEN JOB DESCRIPTION
A job posting is a sneak peek into what it’s like to work at your company. Instead, keep it simple and focus on what makes your company values, making that clear from the start.
To reflect your culture, use language that goes beyond tasks and technical skills. For example, if you value collaboration, describe how your teams work together to overcome challenges.
But don’t oversell it. Making claims that aren’t true may land a hire, but it can also lead to early attrition when reality doesn’t match expectations. Authenticity wins every time.
2. ALIGN YOUR COMPANY BRAND WITH REALITY
Long before candidates apply, they’re researching your company online. Your website, social media and reviews are shaping their perception of your culture, often before they even see a job posting. If there’s a mismatch between what you promise and what they experience later, trust will be broken.
Show real employee stories and team moments that reflect daily life at your company. Use social media and career pages to provide a behind-the-scenes look at how teams collaborate, celebrate wins and support each other. This kind of transparency builds trust and helps candidates self-select for the right reasons.
3. INTERVIEW FOR CULTURE, NOT JUST FIT
When planning interviews, think beyond whether a candidate will “fit” your culture today. Instead, focus on alignment with core values and job-related behaviors, while appreciating the unique experiences and ideas they can bring to strengthen your organization.
To do this, start by defining your company’s core values: clear, specific statements about what your organization stands for and how work gets done. Then, during the interview process, use behavior-based questions to uncover alignment. For example, you might ask candidates about the best culture they’ve ever worked in and why, or how they handled a work situation where they had to adapt to a major change.
This approach helps ensure you’re building a team that shares your organization’s principles while bringing fresh ideas and perspectives to help your company grow.
4. ONBOARDING SHOULD REINFORCE, NOT INTRODUCE CULTURE
By the time a new hire reaches day one, they should already have a clear sense of your culture. That early impression should continue into onboarding. You don’t need a large team or an elaborate program to make this happen.
Simple steps go a long way, such as assigning a cultural ambassador or buddy to guide new hires through their first few days or longer. They can offer their perspective on what it’s like to work at the company and create space for the new hire to ask questions. Personal touches like friendly team introductions, shared lunches and open conversations can make a big difference.
When onboarding reflects the same values promised during the hiring process, it sets the tone: helping new employees feel connected, valued and set up for success.
5. TURN YOUR RECRUITERS AND HR TEAM INTO CULTURAL STEWARDS
The hiring journey often starts with recruiters, so it’s essential they understand and reflect your company’s culture in every interaction. Equip them with talking points about your values and real examples that bring those values to life. Align on what makes your workplace unique so that recruiters can accurately represent your brand to candidates.
Internal recruiters can share why they enjoy being part of the organization and which company values resonate most with them. For external recruiters, framing your company’s mission and team culture clearly gives them the tools to engage the right candidates. These personal touches make culture tangible and relatable from the very first conversation.
WHY LIVING YOUR CULTURE MATTERS
When culture is communicated authentically, from the first job post to the first day on the job, it helps attract people who truly connect with your core values and purpose and want to stay for the long term.
Building this experience takes intention and consistency. In our work with clients, we’ve seen that when every candidate touchpoint reflects these principles, it can lead to stronger engagement and improved retention.
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