7 Questions to Ask About Company Culture in An Interview

Picture this: You’re nearing the end of a challenging but fruitful job interview. You think you’ve been effective at communicating what you’re all about. Then the interviewer turns and asks you, “do you have any questions for us?” There’s only so much that can be understood about your potential workplace through a short job description. Now, with the floor open, you have the perfect opportunity to figure out if the company culture is a good fit for you, not vice-versa.

These 7 Questions should help you figure out if a company culture is right for you…

1. How many hours are you expected to work each week?

40/50/60 etc. This question will help you understand what the company expects from its workers, and more importantly, how much they value the time you put in.

2. What is the dominant method of communication between managers and staff, and staff to staff?

This lets you know how “plugged in” and available you’re expected to be. Do they blow up your phone with text messages? Send emails at 2 AM? Expect you to show up to weekly meetings and be attentive in slack channels?

3. What activities are done to build team cohesion and spirit?

This is a fun one since it gives you insight into how creative and open the managerial team is when it comes to fostering a welcoming and collaborative environment.

4. When was the last time you took a 2-week vacation from the job?

This question helps dig into whether or not this is one of those “always-be-grinding” workplaces, one that might have a lower tolerance for very-human breaks, sick days, and off time.

5. How do you provide positive and/or critical feedback?

Compliments are great, and you want a workplace that knows how motivating they can be, but you also want to know you’ll receive critical feedback in an empathetic manner.

6. What does success look like in the first 90 days and the first year?

Get right to the heart of what your potential employer would be looking for you from the start. Would they allow you a grace period to adjust and take a patient, wait-and-see approach to your growth? Or would they expect you to be ready to hit the ground running?

7. How does the company incorporate its values into its everyday business operations?

More of a catch-all question, this helps you understand how seriously a company takes what they claim to stand for, and how they put actions to words.

Need help figuring out what companies are the right fit for you? Schedule your complimentary career activation consultation with Madelyn!

Click this link to schedule your 30-minute consultation -> https://calendly.com/madelynmackie/30min