Ask about Management Style in a Job Interview to Avoid a Bad Boss

We've talked about how to avoid getting sucked into a bad job, and what you can do about bad bosses, but avoiding a bad boss starts in the interview. Ask the hiring manager about their management style, and what types of people work best with them. The answers you get now can save you a ton of stress later.

Over at US News Money, Alison Green lists off a number of tips to help you avoid a bad boss in the first place (many of which we've covered before), but one thing that stood out to us is the direct approach: Ask about the boss's management style front and center in your job interview. Of course, you can't stop them from lying to you if they do, but you can at least ask. Here are some questions she proposes:

• "What type of person works best with you, and what type of person doesn't do as well?""What do you think staff members would say if asked to describe your management style?"
• "How do people you manage know what they're doing well and where they can improve?"

She says, and we agree, that no manager is going to tell you they're horrible to work for, but many will outright tell you they're "demanding." If you have a hiring manager that avoids the question or straight out claims they have no idea how their staff would describe them, you may be in for trouble working for that person. Even if the manager jokingly says "Oh, they'd probably say I'm a terrible boss!" and go on to clarify, you still might be better off taking that first warning.            source