Don’t get caught with a bad boss

A boss can literally, make or break your career. Bad and ineffective managers exist in every organization. Changing to a new job is a life-altering decision, that's why job seekers must use the interview process not just to learn more about what their job would entail, but also to gauge what their would-be boss might be like as a supervisor.

The best solution is to spot a bad boss—before they become yours! Here are five ways to tell whether your interviewer is a future bad boss.

Distracted
Taking calls and allowing interruptions during an interview could be a red flag. Distractions like these where managers are attending phone calls, sending text messages, or checking emails while the interview is on, are clearly off-putting.

If your interviewer is glancing at emails while you're speaking, taking phone calls, or late to the interview, don't expect a boss who will make time for you.

Use of pronouns
Your ears are your best hunch barometer. Listen carefully to the choice of words used by your potential new boss. You should take note of whether the interviewer says things such as "I did this and I did that" or puts more of an emphasis on the collective effort, with phrases like "We did this or we did that." Also if they use the pronoun "you" when telling you about the negative aspects of the job for which you are applying, it indicates they might not be of much support to you.

Evasive answers
A sure sign of a bad boss is one that talks around an awkward or uncomfortable question during the interview instead of answering it directly.

Overly-generic responses when you inquire what happened to the person who held the position you are interviewing for and awkwardness when you enquire about turnover rates are also red flags to take into consideration.

Check their track record
As a candidate, you're probably used to your references being checked, but are you checking your potential managers? Considering the amount of impact your boss will have on your life and your career it would be silly not to ask around and check out their reputation in the company but also in the industry.

Looking for a new job? Don't want to work for a bad boss that can hinder your career? Communicating Recruitment can help, we are a recruitment agency with specialist consultants that will assist you in finding the right job, whether it's Finance jobs, IT jobs, Engineering jobs, Freight jobs, or Supply Chain jobs. Check out our vacancy page and apply now!

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