These are some questions you really should ask in a job interview.
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Which platforms (Linux, Windows, Mac, Embedded) will I develop for?
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What programming languages are you using for which kind of projects / applications?
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What Development Environment are you using?
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Are you using any coding style guidelines? If yes, can I take a look at the document?
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Are you actively supporting / allowing time for keeping your code base maintainable and up to date?
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How do you handle documentation? Is there time reserved specifically for documenting projects?
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Which kind of version control system are you using?
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Can I take a quick look at the project / file structure in your repository?
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Is your development process test-driven?
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Are you using automatic tests for your software?
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Do you do CI and CD?
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How many jobs are built daily per project?
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Do you have any automatic nightly build system? If yes, which one?
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How do you approach code review?
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Please give a general overview of your development process.
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Are you practicing a specific project management methodology?
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Scrum? Agile? Kanban? XP? Pair programming?
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How do you measure the performance / health of the team?
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What Technologies / SDKs / Frameworks are you using?
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Will I have to use some kind of horrible tool (OS, bugtracker, groupware, stuff listed on dreckstool.de, ...)?
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What will be the products I'll work with the most?
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Which software will I work with / develop on the most?
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Can I take a quick look at the relevant code base?
- From where will I be doing most of my work?
- What are your travel expectations?
- How many software developers are there in your company?
- How many of those will I be working with directly? (as in: be on the same team with, i.e. how big are your teams?)
- How long have the other developers been with the company?
- How do the discussions take place?
- How are different opinions resolved?
- Do you respect diversity?
- Do you tollerate any kind of discrimination?
- How the company as a whole positions itself regarding these subjects?
- How successfully do you onboard new recruits?
- How do you approach onbarding a newcomer?
- How much effort you place on making things clear for a new member on the team?
- How do you make the newhire get connected?
- How do you ease the newcomer's insertion in the company culture?
- Do you pair program with newcomers? How often? How long for?
- Do newhires get trained? How much? How long for?
- How is the onboarding process measured?
- See Mentorship below
- Who will be my direct superior(s)?
- What's his/her (technical) background?
- How do you handle managers who use excessive micro-managing?
- Is the workplace air conditioned? How warm does it get during summer?
- What does your developer machines / workstations look like? (CPU, RAM, screens)
- How big will the office I'll be working in be?
- With how many colleagues will I be sharing the office with?
- How would you describe your company's culture?
- How do you keep your employees motivated and happy?
- How do you measure this motivation and happiness?
- How do you promote engagement throughout the entire company?
- What's the legal structure of the company? (AG, GmbH, Holding, Group, Daughter, Parent, ...)
- Who's making personnel and monetary decisions?
- Who's making decisions regarding the product / technical direction of the company?
- How are people told about these things?
- What is the main objective of the company? What is its mission?
- How much market penetration it has? What's the conversion?
- What is the expected growth for next year?
- Has the company gone IPO already? What are the plans?
- What are your IT policies, what restrictions will I have to expect?
- What is your policy regarding internet access in general?
- Do you have a personal mail / social media policy?
- How do you handle time keeping?
- How do you handle overtime? (not tracked, flextime, payout, vacation)
- Will there be on-call duty? If yes, what are the details?
- I'm looking for a job with regular working hours but occasional overtime is fine, is that okay with you?
- Is a 80% position an option for the company?
- How much vacation days do you offer?
- How are the days between XMas and New Year handled?
- Are there any bonus programs?
- How are goals determined, tracked, and evaluated?
- What are the benefits?
- Dos the company pay my daily food?
- How many hours weekly?
- How much time flexibility?
- What is the paid leave period?
- Is housing subsided somehow? Utilities?
- How the company takes care of its employees' health?
- Is health insurance subsided?
- Is it extended to spouses?
- What if an employee is sick?
- What if an employee breaks a leg/arm?
- What if an employee is involved in an accident?
- Is the workplace well reachable within the VVS public transit network?
- Does the company pay for my VVS ticket?
- What is your process for keeping your employees educated and up to recent developments?
- How do you see mentorship?
- Are there any one-on-one regularly?
- How about feedbacks? How do you do them?
- Are salaries a dirty secret?
- How often are they reviewed?
- What is the parental leave period?
- Is childcare subsided?
- What relocation package does the company offer?
- Does it include moving, flight tickets, temporary accommodation, family, pets, books, etc.?
- Does the company help an employee in finding a place to live?
- What international conferences does the company support?
- Does the company support participation in international conferences?
- Is there a reserved budget for that?
- Does it support employees speaking at conferences?