You're meeting with a candidate who has an outstanding record of success. It's obvious he's got the technical skills, management abilities, and attitude to make a great hire. You've settled hard issues like salary, benefits and title; but, are you really confident that his formula for success will get results in your workplace?

A candidate's personal DNA should fit your corporate genetics. Hiring for key positions has a lot of similarities with corporate mergers - many of them underperform or fall apart because of cultural incompatibility.

Say, for example, a candidate prefers to manage by taking control, while delegating, shared control, and leveraging your available talent and experience are your priorities. You may seek to develop greater leadership skills across your organization, but the candidate thinks there can only be one leader.

When human capital is your company's primary asset, these issues become especially important. Take a first step by defining your company's cultural profile. Among the key questions you should ask first are, is your company:

1. Numbers driven... or ...driven by customer service?
2. Managed by hierarchy... or ...by your available talent?
3. Seeking change... or ...seeking growth through change?
4. Finished learning its business... or ...still learning?
5. View diversity as the goal... or ...leveraging diversity?

Personality and behavioral testing can be important, however, gauging how a candidate's approach will blend with your company is mostly subjective. Many companies look closely at a candidate's "Integration Quotient": not just how quickly they can assimilate and be productive in a new culture, but also how they can improve the performance of those around them. And, in a workplace where technology, products, structure and other factors are changing rapidly, the "social glue" that a candidate can offer the organization can be especially valuable.

In the 'buyer's market' that exists today, in which 10% of candidates in some industries actually accept jobs, within 10 days, it is a mistake to make cultural fit a lesser priority. I find that I am not only charged with making sure the fit is right for the company, the candidate also recognizes how that match will benefit them and their career.