How to Respond to Questions About a Bad Boss
Some potential employers will ask about your previous bosses in an interview in an effort to see how you respond. Your response about a bad boss will give them insight into how you will handle the situation if conflict arises with your new boss. It is important to keep your cool and think carefully before answering these questions.
Instructions
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Do not bad mouth your previous bosses. Regardless of whether your boss would qualify for the Worst Boss Hall of Fame, this is not the time to vent about the perceived incompetence of your former or current employer. If you bad mouth your previous boss, the hiring manager has no reason to think you wouldn't bad mouth him when things do not go your way.
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Answer the question in a way that highlights your skills. For example, if you often disagreed with a previous boss, you could mention that while you sometimes did not see eye to eye on all work-related issues, it helped you to improve your conflict resolution skills. You could also mention that you learned how to negotiate in a more efficient manner so that both your boss and you could be happy with the outcome.
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Twist the question by instead talking about the management styles that you have learned that you work best with in a company. If a micro-manager is not your style, let the interviewer know that. If your future boss is of the same management style, it could alert you both that this may not be the right opportunity for you. Also state that by observing the behavior of other bosses, you have developed your own management style that helps you to work well with others.
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Remain positive about your previous managers even if the interviewer pushes for a direct answer about your worst boss or your worst experience with a boss. State that all relationships, working and otherwise, have conflict, but you believe that what matters is how you deal with the conflict and learn from it for the future.
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Tips & Warnings
Remain calm and do not get defensive in the interview, regardless of the interviewer's tactics.
