How to Show Your Cultural Fit in a Job Application

How to Show Your Cultural Fit in a Job ApplicationHow to Show Your Cultural Fit in a Job Application14Successful job seekers take the time to tailor each resume and application to the specific job for which they are applying. The best resumes and applications provide specific examples and proof of accomplishment that match the job description. But, while the right skills and experience are important, being the right cultural fit, and proving your values match those that are important to the employer, can be equally important.In many cases, the person who gets the job is not necessarily the most qualified, but instead, the one who is the right fit for the company culture, or who most closely aligns with the company mission and values.Heres how to show your cultural fit in a job application1. Preparation Learn about the company missions and values.It can seem difficult to show that type of fit on a cover letter, resume, or job application but it can be done. It starts with preparation and research, sayscareer coachBethany Wallace. Dont just randomly peruse the company website for 30 minutes and think thats enough to understand the companys mission or values.Be strategic in your approach, says Wallace, who also has an extensive background in higher education, having worked for nine years as an adjunct English instructor at the college level, a director of career services, and an academic advisor.When on the company siteLook for a company media kit, an In the News page, or a community involvement or social responsibility page, says Wallace. Find information, news releases, or stories that provide examples of that companys social or community involvement. Follow the companys Facebook or Twitter page, where itslikely to engage and promote photos, articles, and news related to itssocial/community involvement. Become as familiar as possible with not just statistics, but also with information about how the company is posturing itself in the community or world, says Wall ace. How is the company selling itself and branding itself? This is important. This helps you gain insight on the pulse of the companys ethics and values- the corporate culture.When you find those items, be sure to note them, and fill your cover letter, resume, and application with examples that match itsculture, mission, and values.2. Look beyond the company website for relevant information.Denise Felder, a Minneapolis-based career adviser who works with individuals and employers to close opportunity gaps in education and employment, also recommends researching business blogs or other online resources (Glassdoor, LinkedIn) to learn how thosewho currently work, or have previously worked, for the company align with the company culture and values.Says Felder What values and social issues do they promote through their own absatzwirtschaft? What are industry insiders, competitors, and current and former employees saying about their culture? If you like what the company stands for, then match the keywords and phrases on your resume, cover letter, and social media profiles to align with their priorities.3. Provide specific examples on your cover letter, resume, and application.If you were part of a team that spent a volunteer day working for Habitat for Humanity, or were part of an employee group that volunteered for the Special Olympics, list that on your resume. If you were on your employers social committee or active with your employers cultural diversity employee resource group, add that to the resume or write about it in the cover letter. Better yet, provide specific examples of the types of things you did on those committees in both the cover letter and resume.List projects, research, or other activities that youve done that demonstrate your values, says Felder. Include work activities, school projects, and community involvement. Give concrete examples of committees you served on, events you participated in, or other projects you were a part of.4. Highlight pa st experience- even if its not your current job.During your research, did you learn that a company is a nonprofit organization thattends to hire employees with strong backgrounds in the nonprofit sector? If you have related experience, whether it be part-time, full-time, or volunteer, play up that experience and that one nonprofit gig on your resume.Even if you dont normally emphasize that position heavily, this might be the time to add a few more accomplishment statements to describe your work in that position, says Wallace.Adding a sentence about this related experience in a bulleted profile list at the top of your resume, before your experience, is a good place to reference this related experience. Also mention this in the cover letter.If you do get to the interview stage, be prepared to talk about behauptung experiences at a more in-depth level. Be sure to be able to provide concrete examples. If the interviewer is asking, they are seeking to really learn how you are a cultural fit.Then, if your employer asks for references, take it a step further and ask your references to talk about your social awareness if contacted by the employer.With each application, you can coach your references to highlight your skills and experiences relevant to the position, says Felder. Choose references who are familiar with your work related to whichever values you want to highlight. Ask your references to mention these activities in written, online, and phone recommendations.5. Sell yourself as the right fit.Remember, part of applying for a job is selling yourself as a candidate. Sell your skills and experience, and back it up with examples of how you fit the company values and culture tohelp you stand out amongst other job seekers.To sell yourself well, you need to convince the person reading your cover letter and reviewing your resume that you are not only a great fit for the position, but that you are also a fit for the company culture, and within the team you will be wor king closely with, says Wallace.Use these examples and methods to do just that.Check out additional resume tips.Readers, what do you do to demonstrate your cultural fit in a job application? Share your tips by leaving a comment