The Hindu Business Line : Questions to ask your future boss

What makes it ironical is that more often than not, it’s your future boss who ends up taking your final interview. While they try to understand whether you fit into their team, it’s your responsibility to understand their management style as well.

So when you get an opportunity to turn the tables on them, here are some questions you must ask.

What are your key expectations from your team members? This can be a great clue to understand what it’s going to take to get into the boss’ good books.

If your future boss says that he/she wants their team members to take the initiative and perform independently, then you know that they are not going to micromanage and breathe down your neck every day.

If they state that they expect their team members to ‘go the extra mile’ and work hard, then you would be spoiling your image if you try to sneak out of office early every day.

What does it take to succeed in a role like this? This question will help you achieve two things; first, it will help you understand the standards that the boss expects you to meet and second, you will come across as someone who is keen on succeeding.

You must also ask how success is measured in the team as it depends on a boss’ managerial style.

Could you tell me more about the composition of the current team? What you are really asking your future boss is to describe the people in his team.

This is a great question to check the people skills of your boss. Watch out for what he/she says; is he taking pride when he talks about the team or maybe he doesn’t know much.

Often, a good boss will take pride when describing his/her team and this would reflect in their tone and enthusiasm. You don’t want to work for someone who hardly bothers to connect with you as a person.

What is your personal management style? Ideally, you would want to know the problem solving approach of the boss and the way he/she manages people and resources. Does the boss have a hands-down approach or does he/she like to delegate the responsibilities?

They may like to take charge and be in control all the time or may trust the teams completely and just supervise them. This is important to know as otherwise you may mistake the boss’ enthusiasm to help you as interference with your work.

How has your experience been with the company so far? This is really a trick question as almost every boss will try to give you a positive response.

You need to watch out for their body language, tone and overall attitude while they describe their experience.

If they show an indifferent attitude or a lukewarm response, it’s an indication that what they said before was just an attempt to get you into the organisation. If they have a smile on their face and enjoy describing their experience, then you shouldn’t hesitate to work for this person.

Even a great job can turn into a bad experience if you don’t get along with the person you work for.

Asking the right questions at the interview will save you from any nasty surprises later. So the next time you appear for an interview, don’t let this golden opportunity go.

(The writer is a Managing Partner at W.C.H Training Solutions, a New Delhi-based training and consulting firm.)

More Stories on : Human Resources | Management

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Action plan for management development

The comeback women — a growing tribe

Questions to ask your future boss

Illness is your friend

Race to double-digit growth