Back On The Job Hunt

[Pedersen]

So, after all my ranting about the current job, I'm sure it's no surprise that I'm actively looking again.

What might be a surprise is that I'm tired of hating my job, and am therefore going to actively interview any company that wants to hire me. To that end, I've built up a list of questions that I want answers to. This is heavily tech job oriented (specifically, either sysadmin or developer), so might not be totally useful to everybody. However, I'd still like feedback.

In the questions below, I make reference to "The Joel Test" and "Joel Test Updates". These are simple yes/no questions meant to help a developer get a feel for how seriously the company takes it development practices. If you want more information, click on those links.

After going through the questions I've got below, what would you all think I should ask? What did I miss? What would you drop, and why? Feedback is very requested, so please, help a guy out?


General Work Questions:

• What are intra-office and inter-office communications like (IM? email? phone? mail?) ?
• What program or platform is used for email?
• What are the company’s priorities? Is it money first, or quality of life, or helping the community?
• Can I meet some of my future teammates?
• Do I maintain copyright/patent/trademark on the things I do at home in my own time that has nothing to do with the job?
• Can I get a copy of any employment agreements I have to sign (non-compete, non-disclosure, IP assignment) before accepting an offer of employment?

Benefits:

• Is telecommuting an option?
• Which location will I be working out of?
• What is the salary range for this position at this company?
• Are there any other benefits not yet mentioned?

Successes and Failures:

• What is the greatest business success so far?
• What is the greatest technical success so far?
• What is the greatest social/interpersonal success within the company so far?

• What is the biggest business failure so far?
• What is the biggest technical failure so far?
• What is the biggest social/interpersonal failure within the company so far?

Technology:

• What programming languages are used here, and why?
• What data storage is used here, and why (MySQL, Mongo, etc)?
• What other technologies are used here, and why?
• How open to changes is the company?

System Administrator Role:

• How many machines are being maintained by my team?
• What operating systems?
• What are the functions of the most important machines?
• How are backups maintained?
• Does a disaster recovery site exist, and when was the last successful test if so?

Developer Role:

• What methodology (Agile, Scrum, XP, etc) gets used, and why? And why not something else?
• Can I see a code sample?

The Joel Test:

• Do you use source control?
• Can everyone make a build in one step?
• Do you make daily builds?
• Do you have a bug/feature/work item database?
• Do you fix bugs before writing new code?
• Do you have an up-to-date schedule?
• Do you have a spec?
• Do programmers have quiet working conditions?
• Do you use the best tools money can buy?
• Do you have testers?
• Do new candidates write code during their interview?
• Do you do hallway usability testing?

Joel Test Updates:

• Do you have a change management system?
• Do the daily builds include automated tests?
• Is work item tracking integrated with source control?
• Do you have a requirements management system?
• Do you track progress and manage change?
• Do programmers have teaming rooms?
• Are your testers involved in requirements management?
• Do new candidates review code during their interview?

[RealUnimportant]

I wouldn't limit your "copyright" question to just copyrights; inventions & associated patents should also remain yours. Otherwise, I really wish I could think of so many relevant questions to ask in an interview! Next time I job-hunt I'll take inspiration from this...

[sstabeler]

um, they don't have the right to take the copyright for things you do on your own time at home. (indeed, under certain circumstances, you would retain copyright for stuff done at work.)

[Pixilated]

I wouldn't limit your "copyright" question to just copyrights; inventions & associated patents should also remain yours. Otherwise, I really wish I could think of so many relevant questions to ask in an interview! Next time I job-hunt I'll take inspiration from this...

Ditto on these questions! I'm only hunting for minimum-wage jobs ATM but it's an inspiration nonetheless.

[Pedersen]

um, they don't have the right to take the copyright for things you do on your own time at home. (indeed, under certain circumstances, you would retain copyright for stuff done at work.)

Actually, for the work I do, they do have the right. I am, normally, a salaried employee in the US. This means that my time (and output) is owned by my employer 168 hours per week unless they explicitly disclaim it. You can thank "work for hire" clauses in copyright law for that.

Now, even if that is not enough, there is considerable case law which tends towards showing exactly what I have said. Finally, companies have started doing employment contracts which state exactly that, just to prevent any possible disputes. If I sign the contract, then I'm agreeing to the terms in it.

By asking the question during the interview, I get to avoid a nasty surprise down the line after accepting a job. However, that does make for a good question: Can I get a copy of any employment agreements I have to sign before agreeing to be hired?

Thanks! Adding it in

[Hanzoku]

I... wow, that sounds hardly legal. I honestly would have thought it a common sense thing that work done on your own time with your own resources could never be claimed by your employer.

[Pedersen]

I... wow, that sounds hardly legal. I honestly would have thought it a common sense thing that work done on your own time with your own resources could never be claimed by your employer.

As has been noted in many a time and place, common sense and the law are rarely on speaking terms. Usually, the only thing they have in common is an intense hatred for each other.

What I described, though, is very legal. And very commonly done. If you would like, I'll find links for cases you can read about.

[Der Cute]

What are my daily tasks? (would I be helpdesk tier 1 through 3 AND admin?)
Would I be responsible for this location or all of them (assuming there are more than one)
What security measures are in place for the network and IP around here on the machines?
Do you believe in teaching the users/having a knowledge base/web page or do we hold their hands?
What is your planned life cycle for the hardware. Do you have a life cycle? (I've seen people use 40g drives for about 10 years; just to squeeze the last bit of bits out of the hardware)
What languages do you prefer for coding? Has your coding changed from Old to Newer language?
Would I be dealing with software vendors? SaaS?

[RealUnimportant]

Addendum: "Will I have a copy of the employment agreement and time to review it, and seek advice should I feel necessary, before being required to sign it?"

[Crossbow]

As has been noted in many a time and place, common sense and the law are rarely on speaking terms. Usually, the only thing they have in common is an intense hatred for each other.

What I described, though, is very legal. And very commonly done. If you would like, I'll find links for cases you can read about.

That's the way my company operates. They do, however, tend to be lenient if your personal work has absolutely nothing to do with our core business. Of course, checking with HR/Legal first isn't a bad idea.


Of course, when I look at the rest of your list, I can tell you that you wouldn't want to work here. ;-)

[Gizmo]

From Ask A Manager:

At one interview for a trainer last year, which so far had seemed like a very good fit, I asked your magic question – “what would make the person in this role shine”. (or something to that effect)

The two folks interviewing me seemed rather unsure of what to say; So, I then said let me ask the opposite, make that question a negative – “What would make this person NOT do well?”

Not so much looking at the actual work involved but more the management.

Link here: http://www.askamanager.org/2012/04/w...interview.html (This question in the first comment).

[Solacelawlz]

You actually hit every single question I ask during my interviews except I also ask "Where do you see the company in 10+ yrs?" to get an idea of company goals if they haven't already stated them, although I think it's similar to your company priorities question perhaps. Also the Joel Test stuff they usually tell me up front, as I'm in the systems analyst field, and if not then like you I ask.

Good stuff overall though.

[wraiths_crono]

Expect a PM or something soon, I sent ya an email from my work, your resume is the most impressive one I have ever seen heh.