Interview Tips: Discussing Past Bosses

Summary: Interviews are an opportunity for the hiring manager to discover how professional you are when discussing positive and negative aspects of past jobs.

The topic of past bosses during an interview can be tricky. Chances are you have a boss or two from a past job that was not your favorite, but you might not want to share that and risk looking bad during an interview. However, being honest during an interview is important, so you also don’t want to pretend like things have always been hunky-dory. Here are four examples of questions that you can expect to get during an interview.

1. Have you ever had problems working with a manager or supervisor?

Answering an interview question negatively will almost surely sabotage your chances of being hired. This kind of question is begging for a negative answer, so you have to find the way to spin a bad situation into something positive such as a learning experience.

2. Who was your best boss/worst boss?

When talking about a good boss, discuss things you have learned from them to help you be successful in the job you are interviewing for. Stay as positive as possible when talking about a bad boss. Try to avoid any specifics and instead focus on being able to adapt and work with people of all kinds.

3. Tell me about an instance where you disagreed with a boss.

Everyone has disagreed with a boss at some time over how something should be done. Show that you can be respectful and diplomatic when you disagree without bashing anyone else. After giving an example, follow with what results you got from your actions.

4. What would your boss say is an area you need to develop?

Look at this question as another way of asking, “What’s your greatest weakness?” Do not try to say you have no weakness or give a weakness that really isn’t one. Hiring managers want to see an honest answer of a weakness, but one that won’t affect your job performance.

• See Respond Positively to Interview Questions for more information about staying positive during a job interview.

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