Lauren A Rivera, associate professor of management and organisations at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, interviewed 120 decision-makers in the top US law firms, investment banks and management consultancies. While 'fit' was an important concept to them, it was about 'personal fit', rather than 'organisational fit'. 

The 'airport test'

One member of a law firm recruitment committee told Professor Rivera: 'The best way I could describe it is like if you were on a date. You kind of know when there’s a match.' Many decision-makers used the 'airport test' to highlight candidates they would like to spend time with if stuck at an aiport.

Single Malts

Bonding did not come through sharing 'a love of teamwork or a passion for pleasing clients' but rather through such experiences as 'rowing college crew, getting certified in scuba, sipping single-malt Scotches in the Highlands' and so on. Since many of these occupations require money, the professor noted that the effect on diversity can be to keep it low - and can work against women who might have more feminine interests. 

Overconfident teams

Too much similarity can have other negative results including producing teams which are 'overconfident, ignore vital information and make poor (or even unethical) decisions'. More structured interviewing procedures, which seek to implement particular values, are more likely to produce a positive culture in a firm rather than one which excludes. Source: New York Times