So in the land of journalists, this is what we do every week. Something like this can be an effective strategy. Find a couple current employees or associates w

So in the land of journalists, this is what we do every week. Something like this can be an effective strategy. Find a couple current employees or associates who come across as stable and thoughtful. Invite them out for coffee, dinner, a long walk, etc. You want to talk alone, outside the office. Spend a little time on social rapport, including taking an interest in them as fully-rounded people. Candor needs a foundation of trust and mutual respect. Then ask open-ended questions that make it easy for people be helpful without feeling that they are on the spot. Some examples are: - What attracted you to the company? - What's the work tempo like? - What's some advice for the best way of getting along with the founder/CEO? (This is a safe way for flaws to surface) - We all make mistakes occasionally. What mistakes are forgivable at this company? What's unforgivable? (Think how the Theranos answers would have differed from Google answers.) - What's surprised you since joining? - What delights the boss? What gets the boss angry? (Plenty of chances for signaling here, too.) - What kind of people stay here and thrive? What kind of people quit? - What would I need to do to be successful here? -