I really could point to Nick Corcodilos’ stuff all year long, and just not write my own blog. Seriously.
Check out his post Get the manager’s resume before you interview for the job.
Nick is basically saying that the hiring process is one-sided. The employer has all this info about us, but we really don’t have an accurate description of what the job entails (he suggests a resume for the job, which is definitely different than a job description). And, since we’re going to bet our career on this opportunity, shouldn’t we have a resume for the boss, and maybe even the people we’d be working with?
I think this is a luxury that people who are not in a hurry can afford. They already get this type of information. How? They network and have a lot of conversations. Instead of being super rushed, because of a sense of urgency, they can take their time and make sure they get all of the right information, instead of just say YES YES HIRE ME! and assume that you’ll be doing something that is the right fit for you with people who you really want to work with.
You don’t have to be not-in-a-hurry. Check out the team’s LinkedIn profile… not too hard to find. Do google searches on them. Talk to people in the industry. This should be a big part of your job search: researching all of this stuff. Don’t expect to get all of this information in an interview, be proactive and find it yourself.