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When businesses talk about hiring, “culture fit” is a phrase that comes up time and time again. Employers want someone who will slot into the team quickly, get along with colleagues, and mirror the values of the company. On the surface, it makes sense. After all, nobody wants to bring in someone who disrupts morale or clashes with the way things are done.

But here’s the challenge: if every new hire is a mirror of what already exists, how do teams evolve? Marketing thrives on fresh thinking, diverse perspectives, and the kind of creative tension that pushes ideas further. This is where the concept of culture add becomes so important.

Culture Fit vs Culture Add: Two Different Attitudes

1. Culture fit is about alignment. It prioritises familiarity, predictability, and the reassurance that a new hire will “blend in.”

2. Culture add is about growth. It prioritises fresh perspectives, new skills, and people who stretch the team in a positive way.

Both are valid, but they reflect very different attitudes towards hiring. Culture fit sends a signal of stability. Culture add signals openness to change.

When Each Matters Most

It’s not a case of one being better than the other, context matters.

1. Early-stage businesses often lean on culture fit to build a strong sense of cohesion and identity.

2. Established companies sometimes over-rely on fit, but benefit more from culture add to avoid stagnation.

3. Marketing teams in particular need a mix. They sit at the crossroads of brand, product, and customer expectation, meaning they need to stay grounded while constantly innovating.

The Risks of Over-Focusing on “Fit”

When “fit” becomes the only priority, businesses risk:

1. Hiring in their own image, leading to groupthink.

2. Overlooking talented marketers who could bring much-needed skills.

3. Missing out on diversity of thought that sparks creativity and innovation.

In short: too much fit can make a team comfortable, but not dynamic.

How Employers Can Strike the Balance

Culture fit still has its place. Shared values and collaboration matter. But employers can avoid narrowing their options by:

1. Defining the non-negotiables: be clear on values that matter (e.g., integrity, openness, collaboration).

2. Identifying the gaps: ask what’s missing in your team’s skills or perspective, and use that to guide hiring.

3. Asking better questions: move past “would I get along with this person?” and ask things like:

• “What’s something you’ve done that went against the grain, and what did you learn?”

• “Which part of our marketing would you be most excited to challenge or change?”

What Candidates Should Know

For marketers, this shift is good news. It means you don’t have to mould yourself into a carbon copy of the team you’re joining. Instead, you can lean into what you add:

1. Experiences from other industries.

2. A perspective shaped by different company cultures.

3. Skills that a team doesn’t yet have.

Difference doesn’t mean not belonging. It often means being the missing piece.

Closing Thoughts

Culture fit makes sure someone belongs. Culture add makes sure the team keeps moving forward. In reality, the strongest teams don’t choose between the two, they embrace both attitudes.

Hiring with culture add in mind isn’t about throwing out fit, it’s about widening the lens. When businesses open up to what’s new, while holding onto what matters, they create marketing teams that are grounded yet never stagnant, and that’s where the best ideas thrive.

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Photo by Redd Francisco on Unsplash