Four of the most important things you should look for in your new boss

When looking for a new job, it’s always helpful to have a set of certain criteria in your mind. Doing so helps to narrow your search and helps ensure your transition is a success.

You may already be thinking ahead and wondering how to impress your boss at a new job, but this interaction isn’t a one-way street. Just how far up your new job wish list does a good new boss feature?

Research shows there are many negative effects of having a bad boss, including: 

• Lower morale
• Less engagement
• A decrease in wellbeing
• Heightened stress
• Poorer health

As such, it’s important that you add a good boss to your criteria when calculating your job matches.

Why a good boss should form part of your new job wish list

Your new manager at work has a huge impact on your career success. It’s hugely important that your new boss makes a good impression and fits you and your working style.

Four ways to spot a good boss in an interview

1. Find a new boss who acts as your mentor and coach 

Lifelong learning and continuous upskilling are becoming more and more important. Having a manager that you can learn from is essential to your ongoing personal development.

A good boss will use any problems you do encounter in your work as opportunities for teaching. The boss will use this experience and guide you through the resolution in a way that benefits you and the business as a whole.

Carla Harris’s TED Talk explains that a major benefit of a good boss is speaking on your behalf in closed-door company meetings. Their advocacy demonstrates that you’ve impressed your new boss and even those more senior.

2. Look for a new manager at work who is a team player, not a lone wolf 

A good manager will work well in collaboration. This person will create an inclusive team environment, valuing diversity and building a shared sense of purpose.

Additionally, the manager will be open to hearing your opinions, and welcome feedback and even critique. Being open means less risk of micromanaging and greater opportunities to progress your career. 

The benefits of a good relationship with your team and your boss 

When your boss advocates for their team, you have a better chance of building your career and professional reputation. Your boss isn’t simply in it for their own gain.

Here’s how you can begin to identify these key qualities, as early as the interview: 

• The simple use of ‘I’ vs. ‘we’ is a clear indicator of who or what is their main focus.
• Are their questions motivated by collaboration? Do they seem interested in how you would fit in with the rest of the team?
• What is the dynamic between individuals? Does a clear team ethic already exist?
• Ask about the team culture. How do the individual roles fit into this dynamic?
• Do they make time to show you around the office and introduce you to potential colleagues? 

The interview should feel more like a conversation than an interrogation. A conversational approach will prove that your new boss is interested in who you are and how you will work with them and others. 

3. Try to find a new boss who both communicates and listens well 

Good communicators naturally have excellent, open-minded listening skills. Managers with this trait will also be better at giving and receiving feedback.

When managers apply this essential skill, their team members better understand their roles and responsibilities.

Here’s how you can find out in your interview whether your new potential manager at work is a good communicator:

• They’ll ask clear and concise questions, and answer any questions you have for them in the same manner.
• They may probe you for more information as they’ll be more likely to actively listen to your answers.
• They’ll have good eye contact and nonverbal cues.
• They’re also less likely to interrupt you. Instead, they’ll guide the conversation as it progresses. 

4. Prioritise finding a new boss who treats you like a human being 

Your boss should display strong emotional intelligence and empathy. True leadership demands authenticity and the ability to empathise with every member of staff. Your new boss should also respect your work hours and work-life balance.

When you go to the interview, remember you need to impress your boss at a new job just as much as they should impress you. Watch for the following indicators of a boss who will see you as a human being:

• You will feel comfortable in their presence, and able to build a rapport.
• You should feel like they’re attentively listening to you.
• Questions about your interests outside of work are important.
• Your interviewer should answer your questions as comprehensively as you answer theirs. 

Other key points to consider when dealing with a new boss 

It’s possible that you could find out a lot about your new boss before you officially start your new role. All it takes is a little online research or asking a couple of questions.

See what you make of the general environment and consider things like:

• Is everyone happy?
• Is everyone talking to each other?
• Do you feel welcome?

Salary, benefits and promises of future development may be enticing. But remember that a good boss is just as important.

• Am I in the wrong company culture?
• Be SMART when starting a new job
• How can you suss out your potential boss during an interview?