How to Detect a Clueless Boss at the Interview
Everything is going great, so far.
They ask you practically nothing at the interview. Or they ask you vague questions and seem satisfied with your answers. They offer you the job. They seem to think you’re a great fit (or do they?) Does this mean you’re gaining progress and experience in your career? Hopefully, but it could also just be that your boss is an idiot.
Many bosses suck because they don’t know what they want. They don’t know what they’re doing. And they don’t know what to expect from you, so they couldn’t possibly be a leader. And when you ask them questions while on the job that they can’t answer, it makes them feel stupid (because they are).
So, how can you avoid working for an idiot? Be sure to ask them questions at the interview. It’s not just all about them asking you the questions. Don’t worry-- asking your would-be manager questions at the interview is actually quite normal. So don’t feel awkward about asking a few neutral questions and then thinking about the results later. Just be neutral in tone, and be curious.
Here are the questions you should ask to see if your manager actually knows what they’re doing:
1. I would be reporting directly to you?
Some companies will want you to talk to several people during the interview process. If the manager is known to be a bear, they might not even tell you which of these people will be your direct manager. Or sometimes they’ll just forget to tell you. It’s good to know who your direct manager is and in general, who you are working with directly on the daily.
Sometimes your direct manager doesn’t even have the same job or discipline that you have. This can happen in contract jobs especially (even the ones that they promise they’ll convert you to full-time). This is a sign that they will have no idea what to tell you while on the job, because they don’t have the same skills and sensibilities that you do. So they’d better be extra experienced at working with people like you. For example, you could be a programmer and your boss doesn’t even code. Or you could be a UX researcher and your boss doesn’t even know what you really do. They were just told they needed someone like you, so they’re hiring you-- stat. To do what? They don’t really know. You’ll be expected to do your thing with no instructions.
3. How do you like working at this company?
Okay so, this question just takes the pressure off. It’s a friendly and relaxed-sounding question. Hopefully they’ll say they like it. If they don’t really seem too enthusiastic... then maybe this whole company sucks. :p
4. How long have you worked here?
This is the part where they may tell you they haven’t been at the company long. Hopefully they’ve been a manager before, or at least a leader in other regards. If they can answer your questions honestly and professionally, they will hopefully still be a great manager. Let your instincts guide you.
5. What challenges have you had in the past with other people in my position?
This is a great question because it looks like you’re trying to educate yourself about the position in a very proactive way. They should feel that it’s very professional of you to ask. It’s a common question but a bit more rare, and it shows you’re scoping out the tasks and requirements of the job.
At the same time, you can evaluate them by their answer. If they were to act very blamey towards the person they are talking about, this is a sign that they’ll throw people under the bus quite quickly. You should beware.
Of course, they may dazzle you with their compassionate and patient personality, in which case you will probably have a great working relationship with them. Problems can be overcome with the right attitude. Again-- trust your gut.
Who knows what truths you’ll uncover about your would-be manager by asking them some questions. You have to try it to find out. Also-- the body language, tone, and the fact that they chose to say certain things will give you a sense of their personality. Don’t linger on each answer to long, and ask follow up questions. When you’re done asking questions, you can just say, “okay great,” or “thanks for answering my questions.”
If you don’t ask any questions of your manager, you might not discover something about them. They use the exact same logic when it comes to evaluating you at the interview. They figure that if they ask you a host of questions, you may reveal something about yourself that makes them decide not to hire you. By the same token, you can evaluate them by whatever answers they reveal to you. As a general rule, if they give you vague answers, it means they’re a bit clueless on the topic. So you might want to keep looking.
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