As part of a MBA program, most of us are either going to be looking for a new boss soon or will be a boss to some new employees. To that point, I came across an article by Alex Malley that is helpful on how to spot (and avoid) a horrible boss. This helps us not only while we are contemplating on a new position but also the pitfalls to avoid so that we don’t become one of “them”.

Alex basically talks about 5 signs to watch out for during a job interview. They are:

1) Keep an ear to the ground: Right from your first conversation, pay attention if the interviewer is actually listening to what you have to say. If they don’t in an interview, it is likely in the job they won’t too.

2) Honest eyes: The eyes often tell a different story to the voice. When in doubt, trust the eyes. See if the eyes and what they are telling is consistent.

3) If it is “I” before “we”, reconsider working with them: A natural leader will comfortably use the word “we” when discussing the workplace. Sure they may slip in occasionally, but be cautious if it is always “I” before “we”.

4) The dominator: Look for the dominant interviewer, and observe the other staff around. Do they agree to everything they say? Are they too intimidated to bring something up? If yes, then ask yourself, is this the environment you want to work in?

5) Throw in culture question: Closely follow the response to the question and assess if it is genuine. If it is genuine you should see a positive change in the body language of the responder. This will give you a real feel on how the culture of that department is.

Developing complete certainty about any job/boss is almost impossible, but following the above tips will give us a better chance of success as well as if you are the boss, avoiding these tips will not make us “that bad boss”.

http://www.thenakedceo.com/job-seeking/how-to-spot-and-avoid-a-horrible-boss/