You've spent hours fine-tuning your resume and doing mock interviews, and now you've finally landed an interview with the employer of your dreams. You never thought this day would come, but here it is - the opportunity to work for the one company that will fulfill your personal and career goals.

Or so you thought.

Learning about an organization’s culture is so important because you’ll only be happy—and thrive—at a company if it fits.

-Suzanne Lucas

It's incredibly easy to get swept up in the eagerness to impress hiring managers and potential future bosses. Many applicants come fully prepared to sell themselves in a job interview—but neglect to ask their own questions about the employer. Specifically, it's too common to not ask the kind of questions that can help reveal what the company culture is like and if it's a good fit for both parties.

“Most of us go into an interview like we would a beauty pageant, where we sit there feeling judged,” says Suzanne Lucas, a human resources veteran and blogger at EvilHRLady.org.

“And we’re OK with this because we have this idea that of course we’ll be happy if we’re offered the job. But learning about an organization’s culture is so important because you’ll only be happy—and thrive—at a company if it fits.”

When it comes to learning more about a company’s office culture, it's not about the free-flowing snacks or whether or not you can bring your dog to work with you on Fridays. Company culture is about so much more than that.

While you could come right out and ask your interviewer what the company’s culture is like, experts say you’ll get more honest and less-canned responses if you pose more subtle questions. Consider the following questions before you take the job!

What’s the difference between a good employee in this role and a great one?

This is a covert way to get a glimpse into whether the company's key values, like innovation or creativity, are aligned with yours.

What should you be listening for? Answers that involve working well with others, being a great communicator, and being an effective leader. Potential red-flag responses you should be wary of include if the interviewer mentions traits that sound like unattainable personal victories—such as winning a lot of awards and being chummy with the CEO—or the ability to exceed results-driven expectations at all times.

What’s the process for on-boarding employees, and how do you handle beginner mistakes?

Asking about the kind of support that’s provided to new employees can give you a sense of the organization’s commitment to helping the workforce grow and learn.

If your interviewer doesn’t really tackle the latter part of the question, follow up with something along the lines of, “what is the process for managing an employee who makes a mistake?”

“If your interviewer says that rookie mistakes happen to the best employees, and everyone at all levels of the organization is coached on how to improve and learn, it indicates that the company’s culture is supportive and encourages professional development,” says Toronto-based business consultant and coach.

Interviewers who say something along the lines of, “Are you planning on making mistakes?” or “Well, we really hope people don’t make mistakes” indicate that the company may not be supportive when it comes to learning or taking risks

What do you love about working here—and what do you dislike?

Along with the usual questions about what your specific tasks will be, it’s a good idea to ask your interviewer questions about their role and their experience at the company.

If your interviewer says they love running the company’s town hall meetings, where employees get regular updates on how the business is doing, it’ll show you a lot about the kind of communication and internal buy-in that’s valued at the company.

If the answer is incomplete, for instance, if they say they're “fulfilled” and “challenged” by their work, it might be valuable to follow up with, “what are the most challenging aspects of working here?” Keep in mind that there’s a difference between a “good” worst thing about working at a company and one that should make you raise an eyebrow. One example of a positive challenge could be a heavy workload, which is likely proof of a company’s success. A more concerning response would be if the interviewer brings up some aspect of the management team as being a challenge.

What would your employees say are the top three reasons they love working for you?

Trying to suss out what your potential co-workers think about their work, and the manager you’ll report to, can be wonderful insight into how you'll fit into the team.

What you really want to pay attention for is a sense of pride and appreciation employees feel working for the company. A good hiring manager will use this as an opportunity to humbly brag about her capabilities—and all of the ways you’ll be able to learn from her and further your own skill set and career as a result.

How does this position support the company’s mission, goals, and projected success?

If you’ve done your homework and researched your potential new employer’s mission statement and future goals, which you definitely should have done before you got to the interview, you might ask this question after saying how impressed you are by the projected growth—and that you’re wondering how your role will contribute to the bigger picture of the organization

You’ll quickly learn how the person interviewing you views the role, and whether or not they believe you will be a key player. An encouraging response will include specific tasks and duties that give you a clear idea of whether your position is integral to the company’s success. For instance, those seemingly insignificant spreadsheets you’ll be in charge of creating might be used by the entire sales force when they’re going after new business.

Having a clear picture of the company, team dynamics, and management style will help you determine if the position is going to be a good fit, and if you'll be able to be successful in the role. It is a better experience for everyone when both parties know what they're getting into with a new hire.

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