Bad Potential Boss: Here are some signs!

You've been looking for a job for awhile. You've had several interviews. Although you had a feeling of uneasiness in the pit of your stomach you accepted a job offer. Now after a few weeks you realize you made a big mistake. Do you quit and have to explain a job on your resume that only lasted a few weeks? Or do you gut it out and last a few months and hope against hope that it will get better?

Before we answer these questions we should answer the question-what caused the uneasiness in the first place? Get this question answered and the likelihood of getting ensnared in a similar future job situation will be greatly reduced.

What were the signs that you missed that the hiring manager would be a bad boss? Many times in the rush to get a job, any job, warning signs are disregarded about their new boss or facts about the company are glossed over or simply ignored. Reading and recognizing the type of person you will be working for, and the working atmosphere within the organization, are important factors you should be considering before you decide whether to accept the job offer.

So do your research, and be sensitive of any hints during your contacts with the company, and the interview process that your boss will turn into something unacceptable. Here are some general signs to be aware of: NOT PREPARED: The interview is postponed once or more. Your new boss can’t find your resume or hasn’t carefully read it and is late for the scheduled interview. During the interview he is interrupted to take calls, check his email or he cuts the interview short to go to a meeting. Overall, you and his goal to fill the position is not a high priority.

WEAK PERSONAL HABITS: A limp handshake, little or no eye contact and short answers to you questions are all signs of a less than dynamic leader. If they stay seated behind their large desk with their arms folded across their chest and you are sitting on a lower chair, you can probably conclude this is someone that had a negative view of teamwork. If the hiring manager spends an inordinate amount of time talking about himself, giving little or no credit to others is another warning sign.

NEGATIVE INFORMATION: In your research concerning your prospective boss you hear OK answers to you inquiries and a number of cautious responses. If possible see if you can have short conversations with others reporting to the prospective boss, or individuals who would work for you. Their answers or lack of answers can be telling regarding the atmosphere within the organization and the type of boss you would have.

HIRING INTERVIEW NOT FOCUSED: The prospective boss asks simple questions that can be answered with one or two words. You are not asked, or only briefly asked, about your relevant skills or achievements. You job duties, in response to your questions, are ill defined or will be determined later. The key objectives of the position are fuzzy and the boss appears aloof from the whole hiring process.

JOB PRESSURE: How does your prospective boss treat those around him? How are you introduced to possible co-workers or other managers? How was the interaction between your prospective boss and other employees? Did you observe phone conversations or the passing of instructions to other employees? All these contacts will give you insight into the atmosphere within the company and how you new boss operates and treats others.

Think back over your work history. What are ideal traits you would want from your next boss? What behavior have your learned or observed that you do not like, and do not work well under this type of supervision? During the interviewing process, frame questions to learn more about the boss’s management style and leadership practices. Use these same questions when speaking with present or former staff of the employer.

Stomach is still uneasy? Go over your concerns with friends and family so you can separate your concerns from more routine new job anxiety. Be careful not to let job hunt desperation cloud your judgment. By being a bit more focused you can save yourself, potentially, a lot of woe and anguish.

Now what do you do with the bad situation you are in now? If the organization is otherwise positive can you transfer out from under the unacceptable boss? If this is not possible, and you need the job because of the income, start up the job hunting process. Work at finding a new job for as many hours you can budget each week. Be careful not to do any of the job hunting activity while on the job. For example, if you have to make phone calls, use your cell phone outside the building during your lunch period.

You found a job once; you are now armed with additional focus and information so the next job will more likely be with a great employer and a supportive boss.