Interviewing and selecting your new Boss!

There has been an awful lot of research done which shows that most people leave a boss, not a job.

It is therefore critical that when you are going for an interview at a prospective employer that you spend time interviewing your new boss to make sure you are the right match. So how do you do this when the situation is usually the other way round?

Before you even go to the interview, it is useful to write down your selection criteria for an effective boss. Here are a few pointers to help you decide who your "right" boss is:

* Think back to your previous best bosses, what made them good in your mind.
* Conversely, think of reasons why some bosses have not been so good. Avoid these at all costs.
* How much autonomy do you like in your job.
* How much feedback do you like to be given on your performance. Which method of feedback works best for you?
* How much responsibility do you like to be given?
* How do you like to be trained and coached?
* How do you like your boss to communicate to you?

Once you are clear on the criteria, weave them into the following interview process.

Look for clues during the interview process
You may get some idea as to how your new boss operates by the way the interview is conducted. Did it start and finish on time? How formal or informal was the interview? Did this have an impact on you?

Think about the style and substance of the interview is telling you about the interviewer. Did he/she let you make your points, how well listened to did you feel. Did he/she clearly define the performance requirements of the role, and did you gain a very clear idea as to what is expected of you in the new role? Finally from the examples and explanations given, what management style does your prospective boss have. Does it match yours?

Find out what your prospective boss" ideal employee is like!
When you get to the stage where you are asked "Do you have any questions", the aim is to get your prospective boss to tell you all about their ideal employee.

For example you may want to ask " You've probably had some really good people working for you, what is it about them that made them so good. You could also ask them about poor employees as well.

The answers the prospective boss gives will be about the things he/she looks for, judges people on and most importantly how he/she manages them.

Assess your boss against your selection criteria.
You should have a question ready for at least each of your three most important selection criteria. For example, if "autonomy" is a key need for you, your question may be something like "Autonomy is important to me as I find it very motivating. Can you please give me an example of how you manage the level of autonomy you give your people?"

Or perhaps if "training" is important for you, your question might be "I like to learn as much as I can about the job and the organisation. Can you please give me an example of the training or coaching you provide for your people?"

In all of your boss selection questions, keep asking for examples to illustrate. Examples describe what the boss does and says with his/her employees. With enough examples, you can develop a very good idea of your prospective boss' management style.

Finally, if your interview throws up some doubts in your mind about the prospect of a positive relationship with your prospective boss, my advice would be to "pass" on this role and look for another opportunity.

Try not to become too seduced by the excitement of the role, the salary or the conditions. Ultimately, all of these will pale by comparison with the ongoing relationship you have with your boss.

Keep in mind that it is a selection interview – for both of you.