How to Interview Your Future Boss

How to Interview Your Future BossHow to Interview Your Future BossInterviewing someone is always a little tricky. What questions do you ask to hone in on whos going to be perfect for the job? What are those rules on what you can and cant ask a eignung employee, again?But its a whole new ball game if the person youre einstellungsgesprching is vying for the top spot on your team. How exactly does one grill a potential babo?The unfortunate truth is, most of us never even get the chance to test out new management before theyve been hired. And, when that rare opportunity does come along, many of us opt out- I know I have- because we feel were not in a position to question someone who might be managing us in the near future.The good news, however, is that youll have lots of bosses throughout your career, which means its never too late to start getting mora involved in your supervisors hiring process. Here are a few ways you can integrate yourself and what to do once your (potential) future boss is sitting across the table from you, resume in hand.1.Ask to Be InvolvedAside from a few friends I have in the HR world, I cant think of anyone who actually enjoys the interview process. That means, when it has to be done, those in charge of hiring will try to limit the interviews to only those they deem key decision makers. At a managerial level, that usually means people senior to the position- not necessarily those who will report to him or her.But, as a future direct report, not to mention someone who knows the department inside and out, you have valuable input, and its not at all unreasonable for you to ask to get involved.As soon as you discover the hiring process for your future boss has begun, let whoever is in charge know youd like to meet with the top candidates, if appropriate. Now, this probably wont happen during the preliminary interviews- its much more common for direct reports to meet with candidates toward the end of the process- so let the hiring manager det ermine when best to get you involved. Just make it clear that youd like to be.2.Study the ResumeRemember how much time and effort you put into updating your current resume? Well, your prospective boss shouldve done the same, and youll definitely want to take a look at his or her handiwork.When reviewing senior-level resumes, pay attention to two key things what candidates have highlighted as their greatest achievements and where theyve spent most of their management career. How people landsee themselves and where theyve grown up as managers will play a huge part in the type of manager theyll be to you if theyre hired.If you have any areas of concern, jot them down and bring it up when youre interviewing. For example, if youre working at a startup, and youre interviewing a candidate that spent most of her career as a mid-level manager at a giant corporation, ask her how shell adapt her management style to adjust to your companys culture.Dont be afraid to dig into your prospective bos s background to better understand where he or she is coming from, because that will be a strong indication of what you can accomplish together if he or she gets the job.3.Share Your ExpectationsOne of the biggest mistakes Ive made when given the opportunity to interview my bosses before they were hired welches not telling them what I expected of them.We had great chats, discovered things we had in common, and learned a bit about one another, but I never explicitly expressed what I needed from them as my managers.So, when they finally started, they were under the impression they had a green light to get started with their own agenda and werent fully prepared to address the needs of the team outside of what was in their job description.My advice? If you have the opportunity to vet your future boss in an interview, take the time to jot down a wish list prior to your chat. Think about what qualities the best boss ever would have- and be realistic. Do you have areas where you dont feel y ou have enough support from management? Are there classes or conferences you think your team should be attending? Would a more flexible work environment help morale? You shouldnt list out every single thing youre hoping for in a boss in your 15-minute meeting, but knowing what your ideal manager looks like will help you have a more constructive- and revealing- conversation with each candidate.4.Give Constructive FeedbackWhile just meeting with your candidate is important, how you share your feedback with the key decision makers afterward is what will determine whether or not your efforts will be considered in the hiring decision.Of course, you took great notes during your interview, right? Once youve finished meeting a candidate, take those notes and draft up a quick summary of your impressions as quickly as possible after the meeting. In addition to all the more tangible takeaways, your gut feeling is important, too, and thats best captured immediately after your interaction.Next w ill be how you present your thoughts to the hiring manager. If possible, do it in person or over the phone- with your notes and summary in hand, of course. Make sure you stay constructive, and avoid any comments that could be perceived as petty or unprofessional (commenting on a candidates hairstyle or lousy choice in tie, for example, wont add any credibility to your feedback). Instead, share insightful observations about the candidates answers to your questions- and share some of the questions you asked as well. When the hiring manager realizes you tackled some angles the rest of the interviewers hadnt considered, he or she is much more likely to consider your feedback seriously.When the higher-ups see how carefully and professionally you approached the interview process, theyre not only more likely to factor your opinions into the final decision, but theyll have a whole new respect for your capabilities. And, dont be surprised if you find yourself interviewing as the future boss someday as a resultPhoto of man meeting team courtesy of Shutterstock.