There are key questions you need to find answers before accepting a new position. The risk is yours if you don’t. Research is available that shows why good employees quit. Employees usually don’t fire the companies they work for; they terminate the supervisor for not providing the support that is needed to do the job.
Usually during an interview you’ll get some insight into the management style and expectations of the person to whom you’ll report. You may also interview with the bosses boss, the work group and possibly peers. You’ll come away with strong impressions. Trust those opinions.
These items are desirable in a new job:
- A high level of trust with your supervisor
- A compatible team effort among co-workers
- Open communications, clear expectations, fairness and honesty
- Management support including job training and development for a future role
- A common effort and commitment to the goals to be reached
What are the five negatives?
- A supervisor who is always checking your work, who may not trust you to do the job unless it’s their way. They are micromanagers who stifle growth. Why not ask the hiring supervisor what is their style of management? You might get some insightful answers.
- A supervisor who is only interested in their results and not interested in helping you to learn or advance in the organization. Ask what kinds of training and development are available? Is there a progression of responsibilities? If you lack opportunities to grow in the job, you’ll become stale and not be able to expand your skills.
- A supervisor who appears to be insensitive to your ideas or what you have to say. If the relationship is only one way, the supervisor may be inflexible and lack empathy. This type of supervisor only believes in downward communications and is more autocratic than participative. If problem solving isn’t a group process, the best solutions won’t surface.
- A supervisor that is only interested in the work to be done and isn’t interested in you as a person or your needs to have balance in your life. In other words, the supervisor’s needs are always primary no matter what the costs to the employees. High demands without discussion, long work hours without and end, weekend work without justification will cause resentment and will eventually affect the quality of your work.
- A supervisor that doesn’t recognize performance but is quick to criticize. You want to be recognized for your contribution, feel valued and rewarded for results. If not, you become discouraged and lack the motivation to continue to produce at a high level.
Your career is too important to be sacrificed by a supervisor who won’t or can’t support you. Ask the kinds of questions during the inteview that will confirm that your making the right decision. If the supervisor balks at your questions, you will have gotten your answer.
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