Is It a Good Job?

["Michael C. Johnson" <"mikey -at- wasatch -dot- com"@MAIL.WASATCH.COM>]

David Castro and others wonder about how to tell a good job from a bad
one during the interview.

Of course there are the obvious indicators, like:
1.  An unusually high number of vampire bats hang from the ceiling.
2.  Your interviewer has a facial tic and keeps talking about
earthquakes.
3.  Most of the lights are out and most of the cubes are empty.
4.  The few business machines you see have large crank handles on the
side.
5.  There is a For Sale sign in front of the building.
6.  You ask your broker how the stock is doing and there is no listing.

Misti Tucker pointed out that if the workers seem energetic and happy,
it's probably a good sign.  I agree with that advice to some extent, but
I think a better way is to talk privately with as many people as
possible who already work there. I'm talking about STC-style
networking.  Be sure to ask if the paychecks bounce.

My personal experience is that it's impossible to tell a good place from
a bad one at first.  You're not going to know for sure until you take
the job.  That's because companies evolve constantly (especially the
smaller ones), and fortunes can change overnight.  A change in
management can also make a whale of a difference.

Face it:  Sooner or later your parachute is going to land in a snake
pit.  Your best protection is to keep your skills current, do your best
for your current employer, and realize that developing an extensive
network of trusted colleagues will get you another job sooner than
anything else.

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