By Someone Who’s Seen What Happens When You Skip This Step
Here’s a truth bomb: Most companies have “core values”… but half of them were written during a lunch break, approved in a group chat, and promptly forgotten by the following Monday.
And that’s a shame—because your core values aren’t just nice words to slap on a careers page. They’re the compass for who you hire, how you lead, and what kind of company culture you create.
After 20+ years in HR (and countless “team-building retreats” involving too many Post-it notes and not enough snacks), here’s what I’ve learned: Your core values only matter if you actually use them. Especially when hiring.
So let’s talk about how to figure out what your values really are—and how to use them to build a team that lives them out every day.
Step 1: Stop Trying to Sound Like Every Other Company
“We value integrity, innovation, and teamwork.”
Cool. So does literally everyone else.
Instead of listing the usual suspects, dig deeper:
- What behaviors are celebrated on your team?
- What’s non-negotiable in your culture?
- What kind of people don’t work out here?
Matte Placements Tip: Ask your team: “What would we hire or fire someone for, even if they hit all their goals?”
That’s a core value.
Step 2: Look at the People Who Already Thrive at Your Company
Your current top performers are walking case studies. What do they have in common—besides a shared addiction to Slack emojis?
Maybe they:
- Collaborate without ego
- Speak up when something feels off
- Move fast without panicking
- Bring snacks to meetings (important)
Look for the traits that consistently show up in people who succeed, and reverse-engineer your values from there.
Step 3: Make Your Values Actionable, Not Aspirational
It’s tempting to write things like “Be Bold” or “Lead with Passion.” But unless you define what that looks like day-to-day, it becomes vague and meaningless.
✅ Instead of: “Innovation”
🔄 Say: “We encourage smart risks and learn from fast failures.”
✅ Instead of: “Teamwork”
🔄 Say: “We celebrate wins together and own problems together.”
Make it real. Make it visible. Make it something people can actually do.
Step 4: Use Core Values as a Hiring Filter (Not Just a Welcome Mat)
Once your values are clear, don’t just paste them in your job descriptions—use them to evaluate candidates:
- Ask behavioral interview questions tied to each value.
- Look for alignment, not just agreement. (Anyone can say they value transparency. Can they show it?)
- Involve team members in the process to see how candidates mesh with your culture in real time.
Matte Placements Rule of Thumb: Skills get you noticed. Values get you hired. (And keep you around.)
Step 5: Keep Living Them Long After the Hire
Core values should shape:
- Onboarding
- Performance reviews
- Recognition programs
- Even your Slack GIFs (yes, seriously)
If your values disappear after orientation, they’re just corporate wallpaper. Let them show up in how decisions are made, how people are treated, and how leaders lead.
Hire for Culture Add, Not Just Culture Fit
At Matte Placements, we believe that defining your core values is more than an HR exercise—it’s a business strategy. When you’re clear about what you stand for, you’ll attract people who stand with you—and avoid hiring people who make you quietly dread Monday mornings.
Need help identifying your core values—or hiring people who live them out loud?
We’re here to help. At Matte, we don’t just match skills. We match mindsets.
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