Culture is everything – find the right role for you

Posted on 10 April 2026 • Career planning, Discover

Understanding your values and motivations, interests and strengths can help you work out what matters to you in your future career, and what you need to feel a sense of reward and satisfaction at work. In this OU In Office Hours podcast, host Elijah Akinfenwa, OU Business Management student and co-owner of Liz Pie Pastry, talks to Andrew Newlands, Monty Bojangles business founder and OU Psychology graduate, about his approach to life, work and study.

Andrew describes his approach, as an employer, to recruiting new employees:

You may prioritise skills and experience but actually culture is everything.

An organisation’s culture reflects the shared beliefs, expectations, language, customs, habits and attitudes of its employees, and shapes how it interacts with the wider world. A work environment that matches your own values and needs can make work feel more natural, happier and less stressful, while a mismatch can create friction and disharmony.

So how do you find a role with a culture that’s the right fit for you and your life?

Know yourself

It’s important to choose a career that suits you. Your qualification is only part of your story. You might be looking for a career where you can stay true to your personal values, one that flexes around family commitments, or that offers you new challenges to work towards – or all of these. As Andrew says:

Your time is precious – it’s how you spend your life, so let’s not waste it.

Identify employers that match your needs

You want someone with the same mindset, someone that can embrace the company’s culture.

Do your research when applying for jobs and use labour market information to find out about an organisation’s culture, mission and values, and whether these match behaviours. Connect with employers and discover what matters to them at our live events and recorded employer sessions, including CareersFest: Sector Edition.

Show that you’re a great fit

The majority of the people who reach that final stage of recruitment should be able to do the job – so focus massively on whether they’ve got the right culture fit, whether you want to share the experience with them.

Our cv, applications and interview tools and resources will help you to excel throughout the recruitment process and demonstrate how your values, behaviours and goals align with the organisation’s culture.