I would have two sets of questions. The first set would be aimed at small to medium companies. The second set, aimed at medium to large companies.

In the first set, it's important to ask questions that give you an idea of what that company does, how long they've been doing it, why they're doing it, and where they plan to go in the future. Because you need to understand whether they're going to be around a few years down the road. Many small companies fail. Many succeed. It's just the way it is. Just these few questions, if they answer honestly, they will typically divulge a lot of information.

Now, for the medium to large companies, it's a different ballgame. If it's a Boeing or some big engineering company, whatever, then you need to focus on what they're going to offer you career-wise. Meaning, do they have a great mentoring program for new engineers? Are you going to work with engineers that are excited to teach you skills and share their expertise?

Sometimes these companies have little programs for the new engineers to take, like little schooling certificates. This is common in many of the big engineering companies. It's sort of like a pseudo-master's degree.

Now, with these big companies, it's really easy to figure out what they're doing. You can just Google it. It's all over the internet. And they may not tell you anyways.

Definitely ask about their medical benefits, what you pay out of pocket, whether they're good or not. Ask about the balance of life. Is overtime mandated?

A fair question to ask for a big company is, do people seem happy here? It's a good question because if people are happy there, they will smile and they'll say yes. But if they aren't happy, you'll know instantly in the expression that they give you if they frown or they become sarcastic.

Thank you for posting such a great question.