culture add

Definition

The evolution of 'culture fit' focusing on what diverse perspectives a candidate brings rather than how well they mirror existing employees. It's progress, assuming hiring managers actually understand the difference.

Example Usage

We're looking for culture add, not culture fit—we need someone who'll challenge our groupthink, not another clone who went to the same three universities.

Origin

Emerged in the 2010s as organizations recognized 'culture fit' was often code for hiring people exactly like themselves

Fun Fact

Despite embracing 'culture add' language, many companies still reject candidates who don't fit the unstated culture code they claim to be moving beyond.

Source: Modern diversity, equity, and inclusion recruiting practices

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