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by dzonga 673 days ago
being opinionated is now a dangerous game.

but those questions in the article don't make sense. your interviewers, go through interview training and are coached into giving politically correct answers.

just like you BS some answers in your interview, companies do the same as well.

no interviewer, is going to be like - this place sucks - we're slow moving, we're led by leaders without vision, there's a lot of internal politics.

everyone will tell you - this is the best place they have worked etc.

the reasonable answer to work life balance is to ask how long they have worked there - usually places with better work life balance for people that have families - not solos like us - tend to have good work life balance - and people have long tenures. YMMV.

best place I worked - before the usual tech grilling - I had an hour lunch with the team and the rest of the company. they got to know me, made me comfortable and I got to know them as well.

3 comments

> your interviewers, go through interview training and are coached into giving politically correct answers.

Very few companies have a standardized interview process where interviewers get training. Less than 10% easily.

My Fortune 500 company doesn't have it. Perhaps the managers get such training but the majority of interview sessions are not with managers.

> just like you BS some answers in your interview, companies do the same as well.

Yeah, and just like they sniff out your BS, you need to sniff out theirs. Ask for details and see if they check out.

You usually don't have a lot of time for detailed questioning with each interviewer though. You should get a lot of time with the manager or lead, but use your other time well; don't ask everyone the same questions unless you expect different answers.

It also helps to figure out what you actually want from an employer. A lot of these articles are written from a perspective that there are specific things everyone should want and must verify, but terrible environments for some can be great for others. Of course, late and missing paychecks is terrible for all.

> being opinionated is now a dangerous game.

Where were you during the Inquisition, I wonder.