Getting the right fit is about more than skills and experience
A strong CV can tell you a lot about someone’s experience, but it doesn’t always tell you whether they’ll be right for your business.
At C3Talent, we’ve always believed that getting the fit right matters just as much as finding someone with the right technical capability. That means understanding how someone works, what they value, how they lead and how they’ll fit within the wider team.
Peter Murphy, Director at C3Talent, has seen first-hand what can happen when that alignment isn’t there.
The Cost of Getting It Wrong
Peter recalls working with a client who had made a senior leadership appointment that looked right on paper.
The individual had the experience and technical capability, but ultimately, they weren’t the right fit for the organisation.
The impact went well beyond having to recruit again.
The business lost around 18 months of momentum, while the team experienced the flow-on effects across morale, culture and performance.
“It wasn’t about skills. It was about fit. The cost wasn’t just financial, it was cultural.”
A poor hiring decision can be expensive, but the biggest cost isn’t always the salary attached to the role.
It can be the people who become disengaged, the progress that slows down and the confidence that is lost along the way.
As Peter puts it:
“It’s far more than just salary. They impact team morale, stall momentum and can damage reputation.”
Looking Beyond the Job Description
When a business needs someone quickly, it’s easy for the recruitment process to become focused on ticking boxes.
Do they have the right experience?
Have they worked in the right industry?
Can they start soon?
Those things matter, but they shouldn’t be the whole conversation.
The better question is whether that person is going to work well within the organisation they’re joining.
That means understanding the team, the leadership style, the culture and what success actually looks like in that particular business.
Two people can have very similar experience on paper and have completely different levels of success in the same role.
Cultural Fit Doesn’t Mean Hiring the Same People
Cultural alignment isn’t about finding people who think, act or work exactly like everyone else.
Different perspectives and experiences are important.
It’s about finding people whose values and behaviours align with the organisation, while still bringing something new to the table.
The right person should be able to challenge thinking, contribute fresh ideas and add to the culture, rather than simply replicate what already exists.
Sometimes the Best Advice Is to Keep Looking
Recruitment can come with pressure to move quickly, particularly when a role has been vacant for some time or the team is stretched.
But filling a role quickly and filling it well aren’t always the same thing.
Sometimes the right decision is to take a little longer.
For us, recruitment isn’t simply about introducing someone who can do the job. It’s about helping our clients make appointments they can feel confident about well beyond the first few months.
That means being open about what we’re seeing, asking the right questions and, when needed, being prepared to say that someone might not be the right fit.
Because getting the right person into the right organisation can make a real difference to the team, the culture and where the business goes next.
Looking for the Right Leadership Fit?
If you’re thinking about your next key hire and want to talk through what the right fit might look like for your business, connect with Peter Murphy at peter@c3talent.com.au. He’s always happy to have a conversation about your team, the market and what you’re looking for.
