Re: FWD: Good Company Fit

["angela pollak" <angela -dot- pollak -at- sybase -dot- com>]

This sort of gets at your concerns tactfully, without sounding too thick...I
hope it helps.

One question I've learned the hard way to *always* ask at interviews is "Is
this a new position, or are you filling a vacancy?"

If they answer "new position", consider the following:
    - stability of the company... are they fickle? Will they decide tomorrow
that they no longer need the position?
    - how well is the job defined? You may need to be flexible if their
expectations change.
    -  Is this a great opportunity to climb the ladder, or will you be
perpetually digging yourself out of a hole?

If they answer "filling a vacancy", consider the following:
    - why did the other person leave? promotion? lateral move? better
pay/job/social climate elsewhere? conflict of some sort?

Depending on the answers, you can fine tune your other questions to zero in
on what you've heard. Keep in mind that neither answer is right or wrong. It
just depends entirely on what you're hoping for in a job. Make sure you
decide what you want first. Any question you ask will sound thick, if you
don't know what you want.

Other questions you can ask include those along the lines of 'What is the
turnover rate?'...You kind of have to feel the situation out, but a couple
carefully thought out questions can at least flag potential issues with
corporate stability and social climate.

Good luck...

~Angela~