Fit. It’s an interesting word. A word many hiring managers use all the time. “Sorry, we don’t feel like you are a good fit at this time” or “you’d be a good fit if you had experience working on healthcare clients or car clients or cosmetic clients”. Or “you’re talented but don’t fit our culture.” 

In advertising, like many industries, hiring managers use the word “fit” all the time. Sometimes that means the individual fits a certain skin tone, a certain personality, a certain attitude, a certain work ethic, or total like-mindedness if you will. In my opinion, the word “fit” is a falsehood.

Go Home, Homogeny

The error with “perfect fit” is there is no “perfect fit”. Work isn’t a robotic puzzle we play day after day. A company isn’t a highly calculated machine that lacks a soul. No, a company should be colorful, original, and authentic. It should celebrate all the gifts, perspectives, and unique talents of its employees. It should empower difference instead of celebrating congruency. But this is a huge task, one that can’t simply change at the snap of the fingers. It takes everyone on board to fight for fresh thinking and unique personalities.

Below are a few ways that I believe we can combat “the perfect fit” and encourage more workplace diversity.

Play the Long Game

Diverse thinking starts with hiring diverse talent and that talent won’t come quick. Give your hiring process more time. Post on a wider range of talent boards and be patient. A few great places to post are iHispano, AsianCareerNetwork, DiversityJobs, and HBCU, a network of students and alumni from Historically Black Colleges & Universities.

Preach What You Practice

If you believe in providing a diverse workplace, prove it. Conduct diversity training and education at your company. Bring in leaders from other workplaces that have experience in working in a diverse environment and have them speak. Create mentorship programs for your employees to get to know other unique individuals in the industry. Develop relationships far and wide to help your company promote diversity.

Celebrate the Differences

Get to know every individual you work with. Invite employees to share their backgrounds, family traditions, and cultural practices. Take time to celebrate each person in your company and appreciate how they see the world.

Bring Inclusion to the Light

It can be a great idea to create a committee of three or more people in your company that can focus on inclusion. They can meet once a month to create strategies to promote diversity and help people share their cultural differences.

Forget the Fit

Take “perfect fit” out of your vocabulary. Don’t hire clones, hire people that can change your DNA. Don’t look for the perfect resume or perfect set of skills, but rather look at the uniqueness of the individual. Revel in their quirky, artsy, funny, nerdy, quiet, or maybe bold side. Take a chance hiring people with different gifts and backgrounds, and it will surprise you how much better your company will be. Creative Energy is here for all of your advertising needs. We have a group of diverse individuals that will bring fresh thinking to the table. Reach out to us and see how we can help.