True, but I think the level of power they have is disproportionate. Say there's 20 people interviewing for a position. That's 20 people who need to convince the employer that they're the best person for the job. The employer only has to try really hard to get the one employee that they really want, but even that one interviewee makes it easy on them.

Partly because he or she doesn't know they're "the one," but largely because that's "just not how it's done."

You're trying to sell yourself to the company, but you also need to make the company sell themselves to you. The situation doesn't need to be this unequal.

Oh, I love this question so much. I've never gotten a straight answer out of asking it, but that doesn't surprise me.

Interviewees go far too easy on prospective employers. Companies get to ask all sorts of difficult questions, but interviewees are expected to keep their questions vapidly upbeat? Shenanigans.

How consistently does your company give cost-of-living adjustments? Do you often have freezes on hiring and raises? How likely is it for an employee to receive a raise if they Exceed Expectations consistently and are below the average wage for their position? Do office politics frequently prevent timely resolution of issues?

I don't think any of these questions are more pointed or impertinent than the questions interviewers frequently ask, but if people asked them, they'd have a hard time getting a job.

Instead of asking how often people are promoted, I ask what percentage of their management comes from people promoted within the company. I think it mitigates the idea that you're just using a position as a stepping stone while still getting you the answer you want.

Plus, I think it's important to know that there's a good possibility that your manager was at one point capable of doing the job you're applying for. Honestly, knowing my potential manager doesn't have unrealistic expectations is a lot more important to me than hypotheticals about whether I'm getting his job when he moves up or on.

If I'm set up for failure, I'm not going to get his job either way. Effective schmoozers might, but I'm not one of them.