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3 Traits to look for in a new boss
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A new job comes with new challenges and a new person overseeing you as you tackle them. The role your new boss plays in your career can be monumental – to your advantage or to your detriment. For this reason, it is extremely important to make sure that your potential new boss is the right one for you. Here are 3 traits you might want to look for while interviewing.
Easy on the Ears It’s always good to have a smart boss who can take charge and lead the team. However, a boss that does all the talking may not be as smart as you or they think. The first sign of a good leader is how good they are as a listener. An employer truly interested in the company’s success will not just listen to others’ opinions, but solicit them.
During your interview, ask what level of participation you can expect to have in decision-making specific to the position for which you’ve applied. Also inquire about staff or team meetings (how regularly they are held, if at all). Try to determine if your potential boss is someone who values feedback or likes things their way or the highway.
Likes an Open Door Along the lines of liking feedback, it’s helpful to have a boss with an Open Door policy. Your job (and their) can be made a lot easier if you two are able to have open communication. From asking questions about tasks to confiding about staff issues, you want the ability to walk into your boss’s office and have an honest dialogue.
This subject is one best inquired about upfront. Don’t feel bashful about asking your potential new boss if they have an Open Door policy. If you get the sense (through inquiring about it or just from the course of the conversation) that this is not someone you would feel comfortable going to with questions or problems, give serious consideration to whether or not you’d enjoy working in the available position.
Wants You For You The best type of boss to have is the kind that decides to hire you because they like you – as you are. While I’m sure all bosses look for “molding” potential in a candidate, it’s great to find one that is also very accepting of you as a person and an employee. Ideally, your new boss should be interested in what you and your background can bring to the company, not just what they can shape you into.
To determine if your potential new boss likes to play with clay, ask about the diversity of the staff. Ask not just about their nationalities or gender, but their personalities as well. If he describes everyone as conforming or subscribing to the same demeanor or temperament, ask yourself if you fit that mold. If not, this may not be the job for you.
In order to flourish in any new job, you need to have good support from not only your co-workers, but from your boss as well. As in any type of relationship, communication and acceptance are the key components of success. Remember during your interview that you too are the interviewer, and make sure you ask questions to determine if your potential new boss is the best candidate.
For more info: Email questions or comments to jobtips4you@yahoo.com
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