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Within minutes of starting what he thought was a dream job, Bob was living a nightmare.

There he was... an award-winning graphic designer with state-of-the-art technical skills, sitting at his desk, staring at a (gasp!) Quadra 650. It was as if he had been dropped into the angst of a Lichtenstein graphic, sans humor. His new employer was actually expecting him to use this dinosaur. How, in his otherwise perfect design career, did this happen?

While the name was changed to preserve a confidence, a similar scenario actually happened to a designer I once interviewed. And, actually, his experience didn't surprise me. There's a volume of information to gather during an interview so it's easy to understand how something like this could fall through the cracks.

Most of us have a system or a process for screening job opportunities to help us make the best choice for ourselves. In terms of the position and company, we develop a mental or written list of non-negotiable and negotiable items. Unfortunately, when market conditions deteriorate, it may become necessary to ease up on the non-negotiable items.

This is often the case because few of us can go for an extended period without a steady paycheck. And, during an economic downturn, there are more candidates and fewer open positions. When there are fewer options, it's only natural to feel pressured to revise your typical wish list.

No matter what the case is, it still makes sense to look at a complete picture of the available position and the company and make a fully informed decision. One approach is to develop your ideal job description that identifies the terms and conditions of the position. Once you have this developed, begin formulating the questions you need to ask prospective employers to help determine how close the position is to your "ideal."

Here is a comprehensive list of areas to explore and questions to ask to help you gather the most relevant information within the context of your research and interview. These are questions that go beyond the usual, "What's the salary?" and "What are the greatest challenges of this position?"

Is this company a good fit?

Understanding a company's culture is probably one of the most challenging things to determine during the research and interviewing process. While you can't do an exhaustive analysis, there are some questions you can ask to gain important insights as to whether or not you would "fit in." This information is critical because a large percentage of companies and employees part ways because of "fit" issues vs. issues related to skills or knowledge.

• What have been the common attributes of the most successful people in this position?
• If it's a new position, what are the attributes/traits of the most successful people in this department/company? The least successful?
• What is their definition of a positive attitude and what do they consider an appropriate degree of initiative?

In addition to a company's culture, you also want to understand their business philosophy. An important area to address is how management views their relationship with clients, whether they're internal or external. For example, how hard and/or often do they push back on clients when they request work or changes in which they don't believe are in the client's best interest? Do they place value on engaging the ultimate decision-maker throughout the design process? By asking these kinds of questions, you'll learn if your business values align with your new employer.

What is the work flow like?

It goes without saying that you'll ask questions about the responsibilities related to the position. Most of us ask open-ended questions, such as, "What is a typical day like?" These questions are good, but sometimes they may not reveal the complete nature of the role. In most cases, this isn't because the interviewer is withholding information. Instead, it's because they may have simply forgotten to mention something.

One of the ways you can "round out" the picture of your potential role is by asking the interviewer to walk you through the process of how a job is processed - from initiation to completion. This will not only help you determine more about the position, but also help you form a clearer picture of this role's interactions with other members of the team or department. It's important to find out as much as you can about where your role will begin and end.

Who are their clients?

A recent survey revealed that most employees who were interviewed were willing to accept a little less compensation to work with a company that offered greater prestige. While some designers consider this undesirable or even unfair, others consider it a worthwhile trade-off. For them, money takes a back seat to the opportunity to work with a studio or company that offers the chance to work with a well-known and respected creative team and a blue chip client base.

Some companies have reputations that speak for themselves. If a company's reputation isn't apparent, it's important to do some research before and during the interview. Check out the company's website and, if you know some other designers in the same market, contact them and ask what their impressions are.

During the interview, be sure to review recent work that they've completed for at least 3-5 clients. Request a list of the clients the position will be assigned to and ask to see recent samples of those client pieces. If it's a new account, ask to see what they used to pitch and win the account. The scrutiny you engage in will not only help you better understand the reputation of the company, it will also reveal a lot about budgets and the company's production standards.

Is this a comfortable working environment?

What impact does the aesthetics of the workplace have on designers? For some, it's significant. It's important to honestly appraise yourself to ensure you don't make a decision that could have a negative influence on the quality of your work. While the beauty and cleanliness - or lack thereof - within a workspace might not be high on your list of priorities, it's still something you should consider.

Viewing the workspace also allows you to assess their technology and make sure you'd be comfortable and happy working with their tools and avoid any unpleasant surprises on your first day.

Are there any deal breakers?

Next to money, this category is probably one of the more difficult to discuss for many interviewees. There may be some conditions that have some flexibility while others are "deal breakers," an area that can be uncomfortable to approach. However, whatever discomfort you might have to endure, it's well worth the pain to make sure you don't accept a position that has conditions you can't live with, happily or otherwise.

In a perfect world, the employer would always present all of these to a candidate. However, there are maybe some circumstances under which something could be overlooked. Here are some areas that are worth proactively exploring if they aren't addressed by the hiring manager(s):

Freelancing: Is it accepted? If yes, are there any limitations aside from client conflicts?

Non-Competes: While most employers will present this condition before a candidate accepts a position, there are cases in which it was presented after. It's better to inquire, just in case.

Overtime: Again, overtime situations are typically presented by the employer. In the event that it's not, you'll want to discuss what amount of overtime is typical and whether there is any seasonality to it.

Location: While this might sound crazy at first glance, there are plenty of work relationships that are severed shortly after they begin because the company re-located their office to a geographically undesirable place.

Flex Hours: What does this mean? Ask for a specific example. As part of the example, you might ask if there are any instances that would limit your use of this policy. For example, the flex time may allow for all employees to work an eight-hour day between 7 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. However, an employee with seniority may have opted for a specific schedule that, if duplicated, would leave the department short-handed.

What are the standard job considerations?

Just in case you're in search of a complete checklist, below is list of the standard areas of consideration when comparing job offers.

• Salary
• Benefits (be sure to understand your out-of-pocket costs for health insurance)
• Stocks
• Options
• Perks (e.g., on-site childcare, paid parking)
• Bonus or commission structure (clearly and specifically stated with precise terms about how it is earned)

If you don't feel as though your in-person interview will provide enough time to gather all this information, don't worry. Most employers will welcome a follow-up call or e-mail to make additional inquiries. Reputable employers want to make sure that you're the right person for the job as much as you want to make sure it's the best job for you. Any hiring manager who resists or seems bothered by questions are, more than likely, worried that good candidates will discover they have something undesirable to hide, whether it's old hardware or a less than stellar client portfolio. In the end, it's best to make the most informed choice possible so your dream job doesn't turn into a nightmare.

Aquent, The Official Career Partner of AGDA

Ms. Jackson is the Director of Design Evangelism at Aquent, the world's largest talent agency for creative professionals. In her role, she works with associations, educational institutions and businesses to co-develop and deliver information, tools, professional resources, and career advancement opportunities to design professionals.

"It is great to read such a considered and well conceived series of points/considerations for understanding and judging the dynamics of a new design appointment.

Thank you."

"A colleague (chief designer in another small firm) flicked through a picture diary lying in our tearoom table this morning. The diary featured prints of famous paintings by Australian impressionists such as Arthur Streeton, Frederick McCubbin and Tom Roberts.

"Oh they're not paintings. They're too real looking," she exclaimed with the confidence of one who knows, "Someone's obviously put Photoshop filters over photos to make them look like paintings. Pretty amateur attempt, too".

I corrected her, but she wasn't convinced. She'd never heard of the painters before!

Just what kind of people are we letting into this industry?!!"

"During this economic downturn in the industry, it is great to read supporting and very useful information. It also gives me assurance to know that I'm on the right track and where to follow up. Thank you."

"Thank you for your information. I am actually a technical writer and Business Analyst but these are really important questions for anyone to ask in a job interview.

Thank you for this concise summary, it is in my palm pilot for a review before my next job interview. :-)"