Even though you are the one in the suit, with resume in hand, does not mean you shouldn’t be in evaluation mode as well. It is just as important for you to find out about the company, it’s people, the day to day, the good, bad, and the ugly, as it is important for the interviewer to find out everything there is to know about you. This could be where you spend most of your waking hours every single week (40+ hours). Unfortunately, we all have to work for a living and because so much of our time is spent at the workplace and on the job, it’s important to not only know the role but to know what to expect from the company and its people. You must get a good vibe from the employees, you don’t have to like them all, (you never will), but you should feel good about what they do for the firm and have a good feeling about them as future allies and co-contributors. And, the only way to figure this out is if you ask the right questions. to the individuals you have the opportunity to meet. When you ask the individuals you have the opportunity to meet the right questions, you will probably receive very telling answers that will make your decision on whether or not to take the job a whole lot easier.

1.If you could only name one thing, what do you like most about the work culture here at X company?

This answer needs to align with what you value and strive to have in the work place or at least be one of the attributes that you would place at the top of your list for the work environment you would like to work in, in the near future.

2. If you had to change one thing about the management style of your current manager what would it be?

This answer is telling. If they start ranting and answer with not just 1 but 3 or 6 characteristics and behaviors that they wish they could change about their managers, then the team might not be what it is cracked up to be. The company may be filled with office politics and drama, two things you probably want to steer away from. However, if the interviewer takes a moment or two to respond and actually explains one characteristic that irritates them about their manager but states it in a positive way, like it is a characteristic/trait/habit they believe their manager is capable of fixing and might possibly be open to working on, then this is a good sign. This means your interviewer respects and values his or her manager and position at the company. The interviewer most likely enjoys working for his or her boss, again a good sign, and chances are you will to.

3. What was it about this company that made you leave your previous company to come and work here? Did this hold true after you began working here?

You should feel the same way about this answer as you do to the answer to question #1. This answer needs to align with what you strive to have in the work place and if it does, you should feel good about the answer to this question because it is something that all employees from the top down must value as well. It’s not only written on their website or spoken about in interviews but it’s something they live, breathe, and practice every single day.

4.What three personality traits/ and or skills do you believe are essential for succeeding in this role at this particular company?

This answer will help tremendously. If the interviewer explains all characters or skills that scream YOU, then jump for joy, this could be a good fit! However, if two of the three traits are neither adjectives nor descriptor words that your closest friends, past colleagues, or you would use to describe who you are and how you operate, then you might not be the right person for the job. Ask this question to every person you interview with and try and see the overlap in their responses so you can conclude what type of person they are in fact looking for and whether or not you are it. Even if you are in love with the position, the company, and the people you have been introduced to thus far, you never want to pretend you are something you’re not. You are willing to learn, grow, and enhance your skill set and current abilities but you have to be honest with yourself and the employer. If the personality match isn’t there, you will not be happy in the long run and your co-workers will pick up on the fact that you are not the person you said you were. Basically, this scenario is a disaster waiting to happen, so don’t let it happen. Walk away and find a better fit.

5. What do you think this company is the best at (in industry, or in comparison to past organizations you have worked for)?

First and foremost, you must believe in your company’s value statement and what it strives to create and deliver to its customers whether that be a product, service, or an experience. You should be EXCITED about what problems your firm is able to solve and how it can make your life and user’s lives easier and more successful. So, the interviewer’s answer to this question should relate to the product, service, or experience the company sells to its end user, whoever or whatever that may be and how awesome it really is. If its employees believe that the company’s product, service, or experience is best in class then chances are, it is, and you should feel good about working for a company that offers something people believe in.