[hjorthjort]

In every single job interview I've had, I've asked some variation of this: "what's it like to work here" or "what's the culture like". Every time I've received honest, thoughtful responses. Every time I took the job or knew someone who did, the answer was verified.

Maybe it's not the most fail-safe way to get a good answer, but the article make it sound like the recruiters/interviewers are adverserial and have rehearsed talking points about shilling culture. If you can't get an honest answer from a recruiter to genuine questions, that's a red flag.

[mattkevan]

It’s a good question. Sometimes the straightforward ones are the best.

Last time I was looking for a job I asked what the culture was like of one place and they said, ‘Like Lord of the Flies’. I politely declined the second interview.

[notsag-hn]

The problem with asking about their culture is that they already know by heart what they should say about it. This is how they sell themselves as opposed to their real opinion about the culture which you will probably never know unless you ask it in an original way to avoid the response by the book

[m463]

There's a problem with that question you have to keep in mind.

You're asking a self-selecting population. You're mostly talking to people who are exactly where they want to be.