One of the greatest traps in the job search is finding what appears to be the perfect job, then learning only too late that you're working for a jerk boss. A bad boss can derail your career trajectory for months or even years, and he can make it tough for you to find the next job. Here are some tips for figuring out during the job interview if you'd be working for a bad boss.
Pay Attention to the Boss's Language
When you're in the middle of your job interview, pay attention to what your potential boss is saying. Does he hog all the credit for the accomplishments of the business or division, or does he share credit willingly with others? How does he speak about his employees? If he bad-mouths them in any way, that's a sign that he's likely to bad-mouth you in the future.
Pay attention as well to what he doesn't say. Does he ask you what questions you have about the job? If not, it's a sign that he's not interested in your answers and not really interested in you. Other red flags are yawning excessively or checking his phone or computer during the interview, which are signs that you're possibly boring him.
Ask the Right Questions
You can't come right out during a job interview and ask "Are you a bad boss?" Instead, ask why the job you're interviewing for is vacant, and inquire about the success of the last person who held the job. The answers to these carefully phrased questions can reveal a lot about the inner workings of the company. Ask about the hiring and training process for the job, not just to hear the factual answer, but to determine how much your potential boss cares about these processes.
Trust Your Instincts
If you've had a bad boss before, and everything starts to feel all too familiar during your job interview, pay attention to the warning signs. After the job interview, imagine a scenario in which you'd have to explain to your new boss why something went wrong in your new position. If you sense a potential disaster in that situation, trust your instincts. If you find yourself forced to take the job for financial reasons, start planning your exit strategy immediately so you can move on to a healthier situation before things go bad.
A jerk boss does more than make your everyday life at work miserable. He can actually affect your career trajectory and make it tougher to move to a more productive job. Do yourself a favor during the job interview stage by paying attention to the subtle clues that a bad boss sends off before deciding to accept the position.
Photo courtesy of Oskari at Flickr.com
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