[ryandrake]

That's pretty bold. I would imagine most companies' honest response would be "Well, you don't HAVE to come work here, we have 10 other people interviewing after you." I mean, congratulations if you have options, but in most employer-applicant relationships, there is a huge power imbalance benefiting the employer.

[HeyLaughingBoy]

Please, please, please don't think this.

It's not bold, it's a perfectly reasonable question. In most parts of the US, it's a developer's market. Exploit that while you can.

FWIW, every time I've asked this question, the response is always for the interviewer (sometimes with a slight smile) to try to sell me on working there. Never have I gotten a response like you predicted, and I'd be very surprised if I ever do.

You're not a fungible assembly line worker; you're a highly skilled individual in great demand. Even if you don't really believe that, find a way to convince yourself of it temporarily before the interview: it will have positive results.

[jjpe]

Power imbalances often arise solely because the people involved perceive it as such (i.e. it's a purely psychological effect). Therefore, simply perceiving the situation differently and then acting on that can make a lot of difference.