1. I make sure the job description is inline with what I want to do. I also make sure it's documented in case 2 months into your new job your boss decides you need to focus on something else and you end up pigeon holed into something you don't want to do.
2. Make sure there is a solid career path that could help you grow within the organization. Ask the employer to highlight such a path for you.
3. Compensation, benefits, stock options, bonuses, etc. Make sure this is all clearly documented in the offer letter. If they say no to documenting it they will most likely end up not giving it to you once you are on board.
4. Make sure you clearly understand the company's strategy, growth plan and financials. You don't want to get into a place that will end up on it face a year later. Many times it's easy to spot such companies with simple research. If their strategy doesn't agree with you, you will end up frustrated very quickly.
5. I usually also do research on the products being sold and try to understand how I can personally add value to make these products more successful. This helps me determine if I will enjoy working on them or if I would be bored. Companies strategy might be good but if the current products are blah you'll be bored quickly and might not have the patience to wait for the strategy to unfold.
1. Is the person I'll directly report to a jerk or the like (unfortunate when this person changes soon after you start...).
2. Private office with a door that I can close (if my productivity isn't important to them ... that's a bad sign. If they don't even realize the significance of this, e.g. of flow, even worse).
2. b: The office also has to be warm enough; I've had to quit two jobs because there was very cold air pouring down on me and that triggered an inevitable sinus infection. They didn't listen before the latter happened and didn't care much or at all after. In general, make sure the physical environment is tolerable for you and that they care about this sort of thing.
3. EMACS is non-negotiable, although that's never been a problem.
After that, the usual stuff, much of which is already well covered in other responses.
I am a freelancer, but this is what I take into account:
* Can I work for or with a person that can teach me something new? (Hey Marc, thanks!)
* Possibility to travel?
* Is my team cool?
* Is there a challenge? Am I forced to learn something new?
* Is the project/business at least somehow sane?
* Am I free about the where and when, as long as it gets done?
* Will I be able to get some shares?
more on a technical level:
* Do they follow best practices like version control or automated testing/builds?
* Am I free to choose my tools?
* How high is the wtf-rate when reading existing code? Or better: Do I want to spend the next x weeks digging into this? (Hint for rails coders: Do a 'rake stats'.)
Hope you will find your dream job soon. All the best.
