Some questions to ask current and former employees to gauge a prospective employer's ethics culture:

• When was the last time you received ethics training?

• Have you ever faced an ethical dilemma on the job and who did you call?

• Which executives at the company do employees admire most and why?

• Do you have an ombuds program or other informal channels to discuss ethics issues?

• Is there any reward system at the company for pointing out unethical behavior?

• Can you characterize the company in terms of integrity and provide some examples?

• Do you feel that senior management is held to a different ethical standard than other employees?

• How are employees treated at the company?

• Does the company place unreasonable expectations on employees?

• What was your feeling about the company when you left?