When it comes to job interviews, we mostly think about our side of the conversation. We spend hours practicing what we want to say, we obsess over how we should present ourselves, and, on the day, we desperately hope everything goes to plan. But too many job-seekers neglect to ask themselves the type of employer they want to work for. So, below is a list of the top qualities we should look for in a boss. If you have to work under someone, you want it to be as painless as possible, right?
Flexibility
While a job is a job, we are all human. A boss that understands the potential hiccups of a personal life and can accomodate to them is key. Employers who want their staff constantly on call, day and night, will see them inevitably burning out. We should look for employers that understand balance, allowing us to work from home or make up hours at a later date if need be.
In return, employers will notice we’ll probably seem more efficient, happy and loyal. Of course, flexibility isn’t a privilege we should abuse. We do, after all, have a responsibility to meet expectations.
Communication Style
No one likes working for someone who can’t communicate effectively. Not only does it impact the quality of your work, but it can really make an eight hour day feel like sloooooow torture. There are a lot of communication styles out there, so work at finding one that’s compatible with yours.
Some employers work best by creating a professional, rigid atmosphere. If this doesn’t mesh well with your style, it’s obviously best to avoid that type of boss. Meanwhile, other bosses work best as part of the team structure, working amongst their employees and letting the environment be more friendly and self-directed. It goes both ways: the overall productivity is depends on both you and your boss being on the same page, so it’s best to figure it out early.
Reputable
These days reputation extends to more than just the employer themselves. Read up and become aware of not only the reputation of the potential employer, but of the company itself. Does its ethos and values align with yours? It’s important that what the company stands for is something that you, too, are passionate about.
Offers Opportunities
No one wants to be stuck in a dead end job. When looking for a great employer, we need to be on the hunt for someone that seems open to providing opportunities that will further us. Some easy questions to be proactive in your job interview are: ‘Can this internship offer possible employment afterward?’ or ‘Are new employees provided with training and development?’
If an employer seems to only care about filling positions and not providing employees with new skills to facilitate upwards mobility, it could end up being be a waste of time in the long run.
They Have a Clear Vision
A company without a vision is like a road trip without google maps – a frustrating mess that takes twice as long. Even on a micro-scale, if your boss doesn’t have smaller goals to achieve on a daily or weekly basis, you can feel lost. It’s important that your boss has ways of measuring if you’re meeting your role’s expectations. Whether its figures, KPI’s or daily targets, they should all contribute to a broader vision.
Overall, it’s just as important for you to ask questions in an interview as it is to answer them. Bosses who you gel well with will make the corporate grind that much more enjoyable. If you manage to land a job with a boss that fits all these qualities, you’ve found yourself winning the job-hunt jackpot.