Searching for and applying for a new job can be a stressful experience for anyone. It is a decision made both on your part and by your employer, a decision which will come to define your life from that moment forward. Therefore, investing as much time and energy in finding good employment opportunities is your first step. After this, it is important to find out as much as possible about the places and positions where you are applying. One really good opportunity to do this is in interviews. It may be counter intuitive to some, but expressing an interest in your potential employers business practices before you actually join is a good way to establish your interest in the eyes of the employer. Letting a interview become an exercise in give and take between you and the employer is the second step. Allowing yourself to be drawn in by good work benefits and pay is a big no no as well. Not that those things are bad, but focus on those to the exclusion of everything else is a recipe for disaster. Finding out after the fact that the working environment is bad, is a disappointing experience, regardless of how much money they are paying you to be there. It is particularly disappointing when the employer you had an interview with is the cause of this, and you should have noticed the signs indicating that fact. Finding a job which can become a place where you could spend the rest of your life cannot be reduced to its basic principles. Acquiring an understanding of what is expected of you within the organisation, and what you can expect  from the organisation, as fast as possible, will help to ensure that you make an informed decision before you accept a position.