Answering Tough Interview Questions: What Would Your Current Boss Say About You?
August 14th 2008 02:16
I have been asked this question a few times and have also asked it when I was the interviewer. The first time I was asked this during an interview, I completely bombed. I had no idea how I should respond and what they wanted me to say.
Lesson learned here was to carefully consider my answer in advance. Next time it was asked I was prepared. Now granted that this is not something asked in every interview and when it is asked, it could be phrased in different ways. You may be told that the interviewer knows your current boss or someone at your organization. They may leave this door open for you to respond.
In any case, be honest. It looks a lot worse if you are later caught in a lie. If there are problems between you and your current boss, let that be known and explain why there is an issue. Don’t leave “a personality conflict” hanging out there without explaining. But do your best to make it look good for you.
Everyone has dealt with a situation when they had a boss that didn’t know how to manage people, so identifying the bad boss is ok. On the other hand, you need to recognize how much information you should provide. You do not want to come across as bitter or a gossip. So give them just enough information to make sure you appear in a positive light, but don’t give a 30 minute narrative about everything your boss has ever done wrong to you.
One last thing to add…think carefully about what bits you provide to the potential employer. What you think represents a bad boss may not be the same for them. Saying that your boss made you perform the duties of your job, may make you look like an underperformer.
Lesson learned here was to carefully consider my answer in advance. Next time it was asked I was prepared. Now granted that this is not something asked in every interview and when it is asked, it could be phrased in different ways. You may be told that the interviewer knows your current boss or someone at your organization. They may leave this door open for you to respond.
In any case, be honest. It looks a lot worse if you are later caught in a lie. If there are problems between you and your current boss, let that be known and explain why there is an issue. Don’t leave “a personality conflict” hanging out there without explaining. But do your best to make it look good for you.
Everyone has dealt with a situation when they had a boss that didn’t know how to manage people, so identifying the bad boss is ok. On the other hand, you need to recognize how much information you should provide. You do not want to come across as bitter or a gossip. So give them just enough information to make sure you appear in a positive light, but don’t give a 30 minute narrative about everything your boss has ever done wrong to you.
One last thing to add…think carefully about what bits you provide to the potential employer. What you think represents a bad boss may not be the same for them. Saying that your boss made you perform the duties of your job, may make you look like an underperformer.
| 69 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
