Having a healthy company culture is one of the most important thing people want when looking for their next opportunity. But when we look at company's job sites, social media accounts, or LinkedIn pages, it can often make us wonder: "is this actually as good as it sounds?"

We get it: companies want to put their best foot forward when talking about their culture, but you also want to know the real scoop so that you can make a choice that best for you. To help, we've outlined our three key strategies to open up a real conversation about a company's culture during an interview.
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Rule #1 | Don't put them on defense 

It is a completely valid decision to leave a company if they have an unhealthy or toxic culture, but how you share that with a new prospective employer is critical. Don't say: "My last company had a really bad culture and I'm looking for a company that is much healthier in that space." Why? The reciter or interviewer may immediately feel like they need to defend their company and make a case that they're "different" or "better" than the place you left. Instead, try saying something broader to open up a conversation: "Culture is something that's really important to me, but I also know that there's no such thing as a 'perfect culture.' What are some of your favorite parts of your company's culture, and are there any spaces that you all are working on improving?"
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Rule #2 | Avoid yes or no questions

Ask open ended questions that invite stories or anecdotes about a company's culture. Questions like "Do you like your company's culture?" or "Does your company have a good culture?" make it too easy for a respondent to give you one-word answers that don't give you any valuable data.

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Rule #3 | Give people the benefit of the doubt

In most unhealthy cultures, it only takes a few bad actors to make life hard for everyone there. More often than not, good people are trying to make positive change at their company, but the odds may not always be in their favor. As a rule of thumb, give folks the benefit of the doubt that they're trying to build a healthy, happy culture where they work.
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Want more ideas? Here are some great culture questions you can use in your next interview! 

• "What advice would you give to someone joining the company these days?"
  
• "What interpersonal skills do you think are most important for this role?"
• "What are the "unwritten rules" at this company?"
  
• "Is there anything not written in this job description that you think is important or relevant to the position?"
  
• "How do people get through tough moments here? Is there a common theme around where people generally get stuck?"
  
• "If you could make 1 thing even stronger at your company, what would it be?"
  
• "What does a really great day at work look like and what does a really crummy day at work look like?"