Law firms increasingly want hires who are aligned to the firm’s values and have a sense of purpose in their work.
However, how those values show up varies across cultural backgrounds, markets, and life experiences. The most outwardly impressive candidate is not always the best long-term hire, and this is where skilled recruitment partnership adds real value.
It’s not always easy to see through the cultural nuances and systemic inherent bias and to assess candidates on the basis of merit, skill and experience. In the current market that’s what needs to happen to be able to find that connection of values and sense of purpose that both candidates and firms are looking for.
Building meaningful cultures
Many firms are looking to create cultures which bring together values and purpose to build an environment which means something. Where people understand what they are working towards and knits people together at a deeper level. On paper that sounds easy, and maybe a touch idealistic, but when you’re working with a range of people across different countries and cultures, it becomes far trickier.
Values are fundamentally subjective. They might have the same meaning but how it's applied or how they’re demonstrated can vary person to person and region to region. What looks like confidence in one market might look like arrogance or privilege in another.
That presents a problem for firms when it comes to hiring. Not only are they having to navigate skill and technical capabilities but they’re also having to assess cultural fit while taking into account the impact of cultural nuances and regional differences.
Cultural nuances aren’t simply about the behaviours, actions or characteristics of different countries or locations. They’re also about the experiences or barriers which different groups face which might benefit or penalise them. It might be education, finances, opportunities, these factors all play a part in every individual person’s story, confidence and ability to shine.
The challenge is that candidates who are naturally articulate and interview‑ready are often favoured, even though potential shows up in many different ways.
Cultural nuances show up differently for everyone which makes it so difficult to create a level playing field. For example, the candidate from an elite institution who presents beautifully, confidently, and with a smile in the interview is able to hide their lack of technical capability by dazzling you with their likeability.
They might be more comfortable in an interview setting when compared to a candidate that’s never worked or experienced a corporate setting before. That doesn’t make the first candidate more impressive, it simply means we need to step back and look at the bigger picture.
We often confuse cultural fit with gut feeling. We like them, often because we see ourselves in them, so we assume they’ll fit into the wider culture. In those instances, it’s our own cultural bias which sways the decision rather than hiring on facts.
Research found that candidates who receive offers are 12 times more likely to be described as having a ‘great personality’, compared to those who were rejected. When we prioritise likeability, factors such as diversity or experience can get lost.
For firms serious about building a meaningful culture, it’s time to look at how to evaluate cultural nuances in a sensitive but structured way. That way we avoid hiring on vibes and instead focus on what really matters.
The candidate that shines brightest at interview isn't always the best long-term hire.
Overlooked candidates
Think back to your first interview or major presentation, how nervous did you feel? Interviews are high-pressure and let’s be honest, slightly odd environments. It’s natural that not everyone is going to thrive in that intense period of time, particularly if it’s an environment you aren’t used to.
Candidates without experience or training in how to network or present themselves, which often comes from working in particular firms and markets, are more likely to falter or stumble on their words. When they’re compared to “camera ready” peers, it’s easy to see how those nerves could be attributed to lack of skill instead of pure nerves.
Nerves on their own shouldn’t be a deal breaker. With mentoring and support, those often overlooked candidates might bring greater adaptability, loyalty, empathy, a different perspective, all resulting in long-term growth potential, all of which are essential skills for sustainable, future-ready BD teams.
Part of creating a meaningful culture is diversity. Whether that’s diversity of background, gender, culture or thought. The best environments are a melting pot of ideas, and you only get that when you truly hire for values and purpose rather than likeability.
Interpreting potential, not just performance
Focus on potential, not just performance.
At first, hiring for cultural fit seems like an impossible task. You need to be structured yet flexible. Sympathetic to a specific region’s interpretation of values yet consistent across the firm. It all seems rather contradictory.
89% of hiring failures don’t come down to lack of technical skill but a poor cultural fit. Ensuring the person is suitable on a purpose level not just a skill one, not only prevents wasted resources in the process but protects retention rates, collaboration, morale, productivity and a firm’s reputation.
It’s situations like these where a good recruiter demonstrates their true value. The right recruiter can work with you to go beyond first impressions and “vibes”, helping you to understand learned experiences, growth mindset, personal motivations and values alignment.
Recruiters can act as the go-between, helping coach candidates who might need it so they can compete on substance, not just style. While working with clients to develop processes to empower the overlooked candidates to thrive while avoiding the dazzle of polished but unadaptable hires.
By digging deeper, knowing the right questions to ask and how to approach different markets, recruiters can push the right candidates forward for the right reasons, taking into account cultural nuances and removing bias from the situation.
We’ve all had interviews where an assured, confident candidate walks in and you relax. Everything feels easier and you know that’s the right candidate….only for them to start and quickly realise they’re out of their depth. That’s the situation we need to avoid. It’s bad for morale, for productivity, and for the bottom line.
The hiring process needs to account for cultural nuances, whether that’s regional values interpretations or inherent bias. When you remove those from the equation you’ll find that the people you’re talking to connect with the firm on a more meaningful level - sharing values and purpose which in turn fuels the firm.
When you’re knee‑deep in hiring, it’s hard to step back and see what really needs to change, or who you should be talking to. That’s where experienced recruiters help, bringing clarity and perspective so decisions are based on real experience and shared values rather than gut feel alone.
