4 ms·

You can't really ask the hard questions during the interview phase. Before you get a job offer, they have all the leverage, and people don't like being asked ha

You can't really ask the hard questions during the interview phase. Before you get a job offer, they have all the leverage, and people don't like being asked hard questions when they're the ones interviewing. Best thing to do is try to get a contact inside the company, then when you get the offer, call back and start asking those questions. Even better still - don't agree to an interview unless you know in advance that the job will move your career in a good direction, then don't even bother asking questions. It's not like they have to tell you the truth anyway.

jerf 9y ago
"Before you get a job offer, they have all the leverage" Only if you are in a situation where you need this job, right now. Try to avoid being in that situation. It isn't always possible, no, but there are reasonably steps you can take to try, such as prioritizing saving up a cushion over creature comforts and applying for multiple jobs. And if you are good at a hot tech, which ML is right now, you probably do have some leverage just from rarity. Yes, the perfectly free market of labor may be a theoretical construct, but don't give in to the despair that you have no control over your employment and that they have all the power. It'll become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- tboyd47 9y ago
  True; I mean to say until you have a job offer, you have no idea whether or not they are willing to negotiate anything with you. It's easy to fool yourself based on how friendly your interviewers are. So many times I've come out of the interview feeling like I got the job and then been told that they're going in a different direction.
monktastic1 9y ago
During the "do you have any questions for me?" phase (which every good interviewer should make time for), these kinds of questions will make you stand out (in a good way) from the rest of the crowd. Just don't twist the thumbscrews, y'know?

jerf 9y ago

"Before you get a job offer, they have all the leverage" Only if you are in a situation where you need this job, right now. Try to avoid being in that situation. It isn't always possible, no, but there are reasonably steps you can take to try, such as prioritizing saving up a cushion over creature comforts and applying for multiple jobs. And if you are good at a hot tech, which ML is right now, you probably do have some leverage just from rarity. Yes, the perfectly free market of labor may be a theoretical construct, but don't give in to the despair that you have no control over your employment and that they have all the power. It'll become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

tboyd47 9y ago
True; I mean to say until you have a job offer, you have no idea whether or not they are willing to negotiate anything with you. It's easy to fool yourself based on how friendly your interviewers are. So many times I've come out of the interview feeling like I got the job and then been told that they're going in a different direction.

monktastic1 9y ago

During the "do you have any questions for me?" phase (which every good interviewer should make time for), these kinds of questions will make you stand out (in a good way) from the rest of the crowd. Just don't twist the thumbscrews, y'know?