The job interview isn’t just about selling yourself as the best candidate for the job — it’s also your chance to suss out who you’d be working for, and whether they might be a terrible manager. Considering that that nearly half of all workers have left a job because of their boss, you’ll want to know what to look for during the interview, and what to ask. Here’s a look at some common red flags that can help you identify a potentially bad supervisor:
- They’re negative: Workers respond well to leaders that are calm and deliberate in their decision-making, rather than someone who lacks the discipline to keep their negative attitudes in check when talking to employees. Think twice about a potential boss who trashes competitors, other applicants, direct reports, or complains about their boss or the company during a formal job interview.
- They seem self-absorbed: From the employer’s perspective, a job interview is meant to determine whether you’re both qualified for the position and if you’ll fit in with the team. If the hiring manager only asks you a few perfunctory questions, and frequently redirects conversation back to their own accomplishments, that’s a sign that their ego will be one of the hazards you’ll have to deal with if you get the job.
- They’re inconsistent when describing the role: If the initial interview is done by a recruiter, it’s fine if they don’t know the ins-and-outs of the job. However, if your potential supervisor is inconsistent in how they describe the role or can’t articulate why it’s needed during the job interview, consider that a red flag. In that case, it could be a sign that the hiring manager is unorganized, or that they don’t understand why they’re hiring (especially if the new role was thrust upon them by their boss).
- They’re late: This isn’t always a sign of a bad boss, of course, as people can be late for all sorts of reasons — especially if it’s just a few minutes. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t respect your time, either. If they don’t apologise for being late, or they’re late again, that suggests either double-standards or unprofessionalism are tolerated in the workplace.
Questions to ask a potential boss
While the job interview is meant to determine whether you’re a good fit with the employer, it’s also an opportunity to understand how a boss works by asking them a few questions (tread lightly, however, as asking too many questions can suggest that you’re hesitant or unenthusiastic about the job). Some good questions to ask include:
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What would an average day be like in this role?
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If I were to get the job, what would the onboarding and training process look like?
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What are the performance expectations for this position?
Informational questions like these will help you determine whether the hiring manager has a strong operational understanding of what the role will be, and if the expectations are reasonable.
Questions related to their people skills include:
- How would the team describe your management style?
- Do you have one-on-one meetings with direct reports?
- Could you tell me a bit about the team?
These questions should give you a sense of the hiring manager’s people skills. If the potential supervisor’s answers are about making their own life easier, rather than a common company goal, that could be a sign of unclear or wayward priorities. These questions will also help you determine whether a manager is invested in the career growth of individual members of their team.
Questions about the inner workings of your potential team can include:
Questions like these will help you figure out whether the team’s morale is good, and if the supervisor rewards success, rather than just pointing out failure. And you’ll also get a sense of the manager’s feelings about the company. After all, it’s hard for most people to fake enthusiasm — if a potential boss isn’t happy at the company, why would you be?