It really comes down to you and the things you care about.
- For example, I'm a night owl so a company like github that doesn't care about hours appeals to me greatly, http://zachholman.com/posts/how-github-works-hours/, I'll ask about their attendance policy, how late is late? How much do they frown on lateness. More importantly how does the guy supervising you feel about it.
- I hate forced pair programming, so that's the first thing I ask. if they pair program even 40-50% of the time, I'm out.
- I don't like companies that scrimp on developer tools, so I ask about the equipment they get for developers. What the budget is for each dev? How often they replace the equipment? Do they pay for developer conferences or books or their employees have to take PTO and pay their way?
- I don't like walled gardens, where devs can't influence product design, you know ... just-code-this-spec devs ... So I'll ask things like, what was the last feature a developer suggested that made it into production? This one usually stumps the fakers, you know the people who try to recruit rockstars and turn them into code monkeys?
- I ask Devs when they get time to catch up on HN and read blogs, or play around with new technology and from their responses I can usually tell if doing that stuff at work is frowned upon (No bueno) or encouraged.
- I also ask what sideprojects they're working on. just like that. If the dev looks shocked, I run. If they say something like ... "I have so many ideas and after mentioning them to x they usually become product features" ... that warms my heart. If they say something like, "I have some stuff I'm working on, but I'm still trying to see how to get it in front of people", then I'll dig deeper.
Just ask about everything and take time to actually interview the company, on the things that matter to you.
I have a prepared list of questions in evernote that I add questions to and delete stuff from as they pop in my head reading HN or just hanging out, one list for the devs, another for the managers and another for the higher ups (if I get a chance to talk to them). I have cultivated it over 2 years and it really helps me get a feel for how I'm going to get along with my potential employers, whenever I sit down to talk to anybody.
- For example, I'm a night owl so a company like github that doesn't care about hours appeals to me greatly, http://zachholman.com/posts/how-github-works-hours/, I'll ask about their attendance policy, how late is late? How much do they frown on lateness. More importantly how does the guy supervising you feel about it.
- I hate forced pair programming, so that's the first thing I ask. if they pair program even 40-50% of the time, I'm out.
- I don't like companies that scrimp on developer tools, so I ask about the equipment they get for developers. What the budget is for each dev? How often they replace the equipment? Do they pay for developer conferences or books or their employees have to take PTO and pay their way?
- I don't like walled gardens, where devs can't influence product design, you know ... just-code-this-spec devs ... So I'll ask things like, what was the last feature a developer suggested that made it into production? This one usually stumps the fakers, you know the people who try to recruit rockstars and turn them into code monkeys?
- I ask Devs when they get time to catch up on HN and read blogs, or play around with new technology and from their responses I can usually tell if doing that stuff at work is frowned upon (No bueno) or encouraged.
- I also ask what sideprojects they're working on. just like that. If the dev looks shocked, I run. If they say something like ... "I have so many ideas and after mentioning them to x they usually become product features" ... that warms my heart. If they say something like, "I have some stuff I'm working on, but I'm still trying to see how to get it in front of people", then I'll dig deeper.
Just ask about everything and take time to actually interview the company, on the things that matter to you.
I have a prepared list of questions in evernote that I add questions to and delete stuff from as they pop in my head reading HN or just hanging out, one list for the devs, another for the managers and another for the higher ups (if I get a chance to talk to them). I have cultivated it over 2 years and it really helps me get a feel for how I'm going to get along with my potential employers, whenever I sit down to talk to anybody.