One of the most important things your potential boss wants to discover about you in an interview is what you will be like to manage. Are you a good employee? Will you be easy to manage? These questions can only be answered by looking at your past relationships with other bosses. It might not seem fair, but delving into your working relationships with former bosses is the key to deciding if you are the right candidate for a job.
What if your former (or current) boss really is completely unreasonable, difficult to get along with and a terrible leader? Do you share these observations with your interviewer? Absolutely not! Everything you say about a former employer must be positive or you will be perceived as a troublemaker. Here are some tips on fielding tough questions when you have less than great things to say about a former boss.
1. Stay positive
Always say something positive about your boss and your time working for him or her. Express that you appreciated any constructive criticism you received and do not come across as defensive or apologetic.
2. Everyone has a good quality
Pick out something good about your old boss and focus on that. Generalize it and use it as often as you need to while fielding questions. It comes down to ‘if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.’ Do not be tempted to disparage your boss, even if your interviewer seems to be asking you to.
3. You seldom disagreed
If asked to talk about a time when you disagreed with your boss, your answer should start with the observation that any disagreements you may have had were productive ones. Talk about how you were encouraged to share your viewpoint, even if it was different from your boss’, and that this led to constructive conversation and problem-solving.
4. Some traits you can compliment
Here are some general traits you can apply to your boss if you are struggling to come up with your own; technical skill, interpersonal skills, planning, industry knowledge, experience and flexibility. Pick one or two of these characteristics and focus on them in your answers.
5. Your boss contributed to your development
When talking about how your boss handled professional development opportunities, it doesn’t matter that he or she was stingy with the training budget and refused to provide time away from the office to study necessary skills. Your response can include how he or she encouraged in-office cross-training and mentoring as ways to develop new skills and maintain current ones. Be careful not to reveal a weakness about yourself here and divulge something about your job you needed training on that you didn’t receive. Unfortunately, that will still be noted as a fault on your part.
Are you living in the Manhattan area and looking for a job? Take a look at Manhattanjobs.com to see what types of Manhattans jobs are available in your area.
What if your former (or current) boss really is completely unreasonable, difficult to get along with and a terrible leader? Do you share these observations with your interviewer? Absolutely not! Everything you say about a former employer must be positive or you will be perceived as a troublemaker. Here are some tips on fielding tough questions when you have less than great things to say about a former boss.
1. Stay positive
Always say something positive about your boss and your time working for him or her. Express that you appreciated any constructive criticism you received and do not come across as defensive or apologetic.
2. Everyone has a good quality
Pick out something good about your old boss and focus on that. Generalize it and use it as often as you need to while fielding questions. It comes down to ‘if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.’ Do not be tempted to disparage your boss, even if your interviewer seems to be asking you to.
3. You seldom disagreed
If asked to talk about a time when you disagreed with your boss, your answer should start with the observation that any disagreements you may have had were productive ones. Talk about how you were encouraged to share your viewpoint, even if it was different from your boss’, and that this led to constructive conversation and problem-solving.
4. Some traits you can compliment
Here are some general traits you can apply to your boss if you are struggling to come up with your own; technical skill, interpersonal skills, planning, industry knowledge, experience and flexibility. Pick one or two of these characteristics and focus on them in your answers.
5. Your boss contributed to your development
When talking about how your boss handled professional development opportunities, it doesn’t matter that he or she was stingy with the training budget and refused to provide time away from the office to study necessary skills. Your response can include how he or she encouraged in-office cross-training and mentoring as ways to develop new skills and maintain current ones. Be careful not to reveal a weakness about yourself here and divulge something about your job you needed training on that you didn’t receive. Unfortunately, that will still be noted as a fault on your part.
Are you living in the Manhattan area and looking for a job? Take a look at Manhattanjobs.com to see what types of Manhattans jobs are available in your area.
By Becky Papp
Becky Papp has been a professional writer for 20 years, working for newspapers, magazines and corporate communications. She currently contracts for clients all over the world, writing online and print articles, newsletters, blogs, and e-books. She resides in Phoenix, Arizona.
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!