Finding out whether the management is good/bad is not something you can determine without seeing it in action. It can even come from close to the top and blind

Finding out whether the management is good/bad is not something you can determine without seeing it in action. It can even come from close to the top and blindside you completely. Getting too hung up in the minute details is not good - you don't want people who are nearly identical to you. I don't care too much about the specifics of a stack, excepting that it doesn't involve WordPress work - I do care about the details when I'm actually working on there, but that is different. The people & the decision making are the most important. Good leadership is also of vital importance - one bad leader is enough to sink a team, especially at a startup. Code architecture can be fixed - it is an opportunity for you to step in and help fix it and any process issues. Becoming involved in multiple sectors is also usually encouraged. However, any of these initiatives can be sunk by any one decision maker along the chain. Your best bet is to observe how everyone carries themselves carefully, especially any time you see them in person. Question the interviewers carefully on their processes, interpersonal dynamic, and observe & assess each person's behavior. Even still you will be making a leap of faith, but at least it will be one where you have made important evaluation of the company, and it can help you screen out bad fits more efficiently.