How to Detect a Bad Boss at an Interview
Welcome back staff! it’s your favorite exec BowtiedCEO.
Today I’ll be going over some interview tips for candidates on how to handle reverse interviewing of hiring managers or interview teams. This will allow you to analyze if the opportunity is truly a good one when job hunting.
You don't want to get duped in an interview and accept a job where your boss makes your life hell. What are the red flags? How to spot their flaws? Let's go through how to prevent working for a crappy boss.
Single Interview
For most interview processes you go through multiple rounds of interviews with the hiring manager and colleagues of lower, equal, or higher ranks. This is so they can vet you as a candidate AND so you can vet them as the representatives of the organization and if these people will be good to work with. Job interviews area two way street. They aren’t jus interviewing you, you are interviewing them.
If the company you are interviewing with only has one interview round AND it is only with the hiring manager without anyone else, this is a red flag. A colleague, their boss, or one of their staff, should also interview you, either together or in multiple rounds.
If this ever happens you need to ask the interviewer why this is happening. Generally it means one of a few scenarios which they will not disclose:
the manager does not want you to see their team because they are awful or they are afraid they will deter you from accepting a position
higher ranked leaders do not care about you
the position does not play a critical role
the hiring manager has made enemies if they can’t get anyone to interview with them
Miserable Staff
In most interview rounds, you will be subjected to a panel interview with colleagues at or below your rank. In some cases it will be a mix of staff that report directly to the hiring manager or people at the hiring managers level.
If you do get the chance to interview the hiring manager’s staff, and they look and act like they are in hell . . . RUN! If they are miserable, more than likely the boss is either inept, weak, or both.
If they make their staff's lives miserable, either directly or indirectly, it will happen to you. You can gauge this through their
tone
body language
answers
Also, ask them what it's like working for or with that hiring manager. In most cases, they will not give you candid answers. If they are making eye contact and do not look uncomfortable answering, then whatever they say is most likely true. However, if their words do not align with their emotions, tone or body language then they aren’t being truthful.
If you sense this, then dig deeper. They may drop hints as to what it is really like working for the hiring manager.
Demeanor
When you meet the hiring manager, take everything in. Observe how they are acting, speaking. Are they engaged with you? Are they checking their phone? Do they seem inpatient?
These things matter. If you feel they are not giving you the their attention or you feel that they will be a crappy boss, you are probably right. Don’t ignore your gut feelings
If the boss looks, sounds, and acts like they don't have their shit together, they will frustrate you or worse.
Here are some things to look out for that are signs the hiring manager will be a bad boss:
answers your questions with vague answers
can't tell you what the job will even do
visibly disheveled
exudes arrogance
acts aloof or dismissive
is late or rushes the interview
if a remote interview they should show their face
doesn't ask you any questions (yes, seriously this happens
Personal Non Negotiables
I'll admit I have some personal biases, that I loosely hold, about my future boss. These will be different for everyone, but I tend to be more open to people who have kids and are as mature or more mature than me. How can I find this out?
Kids tend to come up in conversation so if I mention mine, they mention there's, or vice versa. I also look for pictures on desks or something their kid made that is in their office. It's a dead giveaway. From a maturity standpoint, it's their actions and answers.
If all they talk about, is bangin bitches and partying, it's gonna be a pass. I have found that many people younger than myself, have not been great bosses. They also tend to not have kids. My point is, through your experiences, you should know what your preferences are. Once you know what your preferences are in the type of boss you want, you can ask questions that will you determine what they are like or observe their surroundings to see what kind of person they are.
Research
Before the interview, you should be doing research on the hiring manager. The best ways to do this are:
social media search
web search
ask your network
ask a former subordinate of the hiring manager
hire a PI (I did, and it was worth it)
The easiest thing to do is check their social media accounts and web search them. You may find articles about their personal history, either good or bad, that can give you a glimpse of what they are like.
Turning to your network is also helpful. Getting input from people who have directly worked for them is great information. First hand knowledge of how they operate, cannot be overlooked. A good or bad review could help sway your decision when paired with other information. The best source for this is LinkedIn. Search the connections that the hiring manager has and look for people who used to work at the company they are currently at. This may take a little digging, but will be worth it in the long run.
I have also hired a private investigator to do a background check on a prospective boss. I don’t recommend to do this often, but it did save me from making a career move that could have been terrible.
Hoping this was helpful and subscribe for more.
TLDR
You want interview rounds, not just one interview
If the staff are miserable, you will be too
Observe what the hiring manager says and how they act
Know your personal non negotiables
Do your research