Ask HN: What questions do you ask from companies during interview? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: What questions do you ask from companies during interview?

7 points2bor-2n9 comments

Let's say you are in the 3rd/4th round of your interview.

What sort of questions do you ask other than technology to make sure you are choosing the right company?

Ask them to do a group Leetcode problem and watch how they work together.

LOL

Ever noticed how you're given 5-10 minutes in a 1 hour interview to ask questions whereas they use the 50 minutes to ask you questions? Ever wondered why that is? Because that period of "asking questions" isn't truly for the candidate. It's yet another test.

It's an opportunity to assess culture fit. Now many will argue and say "no I use that time as an opportunity to let the candidate ask me all the tough questions!". These people are in denial and are following a ritual they've been subjected to, but haven't really thought about it objectively. This process is entirely subject and allows unconscious bias to penetrate the process. When over 85% of the interview is you answering questions, it's an unbalanced situation.

If you truly want to learn if the company is for you, use LinkedIn search and see people who've left the company recently, preferably in the same role as you. The smaller the company, the more effective this will be. Many won't want to speak to you since they might be concerned about employer retaliation, but you can pretty much read the subtext if they are willing to talk and dance around issues.

Keep the question you ask in that 5-10 minutes light and fun. It's primarily being used to assess if they like you. If you feel your interviewer is a very technical person, ask them to gush about all the awesome technical things they've done. If it's a more behavioral interview, make your interviewer feel good about themselves by asking leading questions so they can brag about how great the company is.

I usually ask them what was a time that their team had to really rally around to get a project done.

Things like general happiness and morale can be picked by just seeing how well the interviewer is prepared to ask you questions and the contentment on employees faces.

I’d also ask them if they feel management cares about them and if they enjoy spending longer then normal hours around at the office since it’s something that naturally happens if I’m if I’m excited about my work.

I always ask about profitability and if there’s any doubt, what their business model really is. Personally, I only work for profitable companies that exchange money for goods/services and that aren’t selling ads.

I also always ask what goals they have in mind for my first week, month, quarter, year. Really shows who’s put thought into what happens after the hiring process.

It's good to gauge if they are hiring you due to demand increase (because new funding, new project etc.) or as replacement (might be nice opportunity, might be shity).

First option might be shit as well if they are failing and trying outsourcing, got money but no clue etc.

I always ask about current challenges, plans for this quarter/year etc.

Some startups/companies are in such chaos mode that can't answer 1month+

I also always ask who I will be working with, so mostly size/structure of the team but often people share more.

If you want to gauge maturity ask about infra/testing flow.

IMO it's easy to spot(not find) good people as they are simply honest, sharp , polite and easy and it's hard to fake it.

Although I fallen into trap once and not asked why they are hiring. I had good vibes from team and tech but product was shit.

Also good to know how they are making money. Re-selling your time? Making product? Profitable? What delivered already? Scam? Goverment money? Monopoly? Don't ask about it but try to gauge if not obvious

"do you like working here?"

I swear more often than not, the replies range from weak-neutral to strong-negative. sometimes they're heaitant to reply (sign for lack of transparency), stutter (making excuses), mostly you gotta read between the lines but sometimes straight "no" to your face.

but also if I get to the point of asking is because of earlier signs, so often the answers are merely "the final nail in the coffin". the good places usually don't require asking such question, or just out of interest and start conversation.

i've never been in such high demand _and_ cared at the same time what would happen if it just really sucked -- i'd just quit.

but interviewers can be just as good of liars as interviewees -- so you could, if you're talking to a fellow employee -- just go for it -- be direct -- maybe catch someone off-guard or find someone wanting/willing to vent a bit on the low, "Do you like working here? How would you compare it to your favorite job? Was it what you expected?" -- things like that.

i've asked those types of things in the past, but mainly to look interested, so not sure what the answers were. :-/

but if the answer is anything but, "This place really truly rocks, you should work here, you will like it a lot, i'll show you the ropes, etc." -- then they prob hate it.

and/or they hate you.

at my most recent gig, that i quit after about three months, i did get at least one "It wasn't my dream (to work here doing this kind of shit), but..."

the prob should have been a sign.

but part of my thinking was, well, if it's ass, i'll have plenty of time/energy to work on my side projects.

but it was just awful.

I ask about timelines and roadmaps to get a sense of pace and urgency on the team. It’s very hard to parse much of anything else.

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