Question 3: Where Will I Be Working?

The ideal is to have your own office. The reality is that you will probably be working in the company of others. The former is a huge advantage. On the other hand, if you are shown a carrel on some busy floor where music is playing or an intercom is blaring, you know youre in trouble from the start, because you will not achieve the focus youd have if your environment were quiet. Thats why I wear earplugs on every clients premises when I am forced to sit in the bullpen.

Tell your interviewer you want to maximize your productivity, and that requires a quiet place. If your colleagues have a radio turned on or are listening to music through headphones, they are not being as productive as they could beand the IT director obviously does not recognize the importance of a quiet work environment. And, of course, you dont want to be the one creating distractions. Dont bring in headphones; dont listen to the radio. That will not only make you less efficient, but also will take an unfair toll on the attention-span of your colleagues.