You’re not just picking a company. You’re picking a boss you’ll hear in your head for years.

A manager shapes more than your schedule. You learn what normal looks like from whoever is in charge early on: how mistakes get handled, what counts as good work, whether questions are welcome. That voice tends to stay long after the job ends, as the standard you measure yourself against.

If you have a choice between offers, ask to meet the person you would report to, and ask how they handle someone getting it wrong. Listen to how they talk about the people who already work there. A decent boss in an ordinary place beats the reverse.