What qualities do you look for in a boss?
Rejoice if this question shows up on a company's interview question list. At first glance, this sounds like a loaded question.
You could also be asked this behavioral interview question this way:
Describe your current/past boss for me.
Here you are sitting in front of your future boss
--who you know nothing about--and you're being asked to describe your ideal boss.
Remember to always ask yourself:
What is the fear behind this question?
Managers want to hire people who will lift their burdens, solve problems, and make life easier for them...not the other way around.
Managers accomplish their goals through others.
Naturally they want to surround themselves with good soldiers who will take direction from them, are easy to manage, but can also work independently.
On the other hand, in order for you to do your best work, you need a manager who is also a good leader.
Good leaders posses the following qualities:
- Treat you with courtesy and respect
- Clearly communicate to you your duties, responsibilities, goals
- Value your input and ideas
- Remove roadblocks that prevent you from doing your job
- Allow you the freedom to do your job with minimal supervision
- Be available when you need them
- Respect your privacy
Oh, that you be blessed with such a boss! I've worked for a couple of bosses like this and it was heaven.
I've also worked for a couple of Neanderthal bosses who caused me to stare at the wall for hours pondering
how on earth they were ever given a leadership position.
Under the reign of the Neanderthals, the highlight of my day was lunch and 5 o'clock. Whereas, under a good leader, the highlight of my day was 6:00 AM when my alarm went off. I actually looked forward to going to work.
This is your chance to express to the interviewer the management style that allows you to do your best work.
If the manager is
offended that you actually expect your boss to tell you your duties and responsibilities and provide you some training; then, you have to ask yourself,
do I really want to work for this person?
Remember, a job interview is a 2 way street.
Would you rather find out in the interview that this manager is a Neanderthal, or after you're on the job under the lash?
