Once you've started talking with a company, the interview process is a lot like a sales funnel. There are different strategies at different stages and you need to master them to increase your win-rate.
When you pick a company, whether you are working for the CEO or not, they drive a ton of the culture at the company. Here are strategies from top execs on how to diligence the CEO
“At some point in the process, when you become the preferred candidate, the nature of the conversation with the hiring manager/recruiting team switches from transactional to a candid conversation. This is where the hiring manager will be available to speak with you on a frequent basis.”