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Caroline Dowd-Higgins
Caroline Dowd-Higgins
Dynamic Speaker & Executive Coach I Career Management & Leadership Development | Women Leaders | Talent Development | TEDx Speaker | Media Host | Book Author, Feature Contributor, & Blogger | Empowerment | Culture
Published Feb 8, 2024
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It’s the first quarter of a new calendar year and the marketplace is robust with job opportunities. Several of my clients are deep into the interview process and contemplating new roles. It’s essential for the candidates to be empowered in the process. It’s your interview too and you must perform your due diligence to determine if the role, your prospective boss, and the company culture are a good fit where you can do your best work.
Spot a Toxic Workplace
I read a savvy Harvard Business Review blog on LinkedIn with great tips to identify a toxic workplace, so you don’t accept a role in a dysfunctional organization. The idyllic best behavior is on display during the interview process, and it takes discernment to see the red flags.
Here is a recap of what to look for from HBR:
Interview Your Prospective Boss
You’ve heard the adage, people don’t quit their job, they quit their boss. Your success and satisfaction are aligned with the leadership to whom you report, so remember that you are interviewing your future boss as much as they are interviewing you.
I practice what I preach in this realm and have interviewed my prospective bosses over the last decade before I accepted new roles. These conversations set me up for success and gave me an eyes wide open look at the leaders I chose to work alongside.
The Interview Ask
It’s imperative to come to every interview with questions you can ask the team. But interviewing your boss requires a separate and private conversation. When you become a finalist, it’s time to ask the hiring manager to schedule a separate 30-minute conversation with you and your prospective boss. Explain that this is your opportunity to get to know the leader better and determine if the hire is a mutually beneficial fit. A one-on-one conversation will allow you to get to know each other better. Avoid a lunch meeting for this interview, since it can be distracting and does not allow for a private and focused conversation.
I encourage you as the candidate to take copious notes during this conversation, so you can factor the answers into your decision-making process if you are ultimately extended an offer.
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Interview Question Ideas for Your Boss-to-Be
Remember, the spirit of this conversation with your boss-to-be is to learn more about them and discuss what you value in a leader and a work environment to learn if you are simpatico. Here is my long list of favorite questions, plus a few from SHRM, which you can customize to meet your specific needs, and add your own. You will decide which questions are most relevant to you. Keep it conversational and honor the 30-minute meeting request. If they extend the conversation – this is bonus time with your prospective boss, and a very good sign.
Decision Time
After you interview your prospective boss, you must take the time to reflect on whether they are a good fit for your work style and your future career goals. We spend many waking hours at work and our relationship with our direct leader impacts our personal and professional satisfaction, productivity, and advancement.
Be a bold, professional, and savvy candidate and ask your future boss for a brief conversation, so you can interview them and determine if this is a professional match you want to pursue. I know from experience that it’s 30 minutes well spent. Perform your due diligence before accepting a new role, so you have all the information you need to consider if it’s your best-fit.
Caroline Dowd-Higgins is passionate about unlocking the art-of-the-possible in her work with individuals and organizations as a certified executive coach, a best-selling author, a dynamic speaker, and sought-after consultant. Her new book, “Your Career Advantage: Overcome Challenges to Achieve a Rewarding Work Life” is empowering people to enjoy their careers and love their lives. Caroline hosts the award winning podcast, Your Working Life with listeners in 34 countries. She is proud to be a certified Minority Women’s Business Enterprise. Her celebrated TEDxWOMEN talk about reframing failure is available on YouTube. Follow her on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
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Dr. James Rybacki
President, the Medicine Information Institute, creator of The Essential Guide to Medical News--giving KOLs & medicines a clear voice. Chief Pharmacy Officer-CITI trained researcher, Senior consultant, author
7mo
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That due diligence has saved me from some heartache and headache over the years. I loved the series of questions you listed. I so concur with turnover as well as number of open positions and length of time they have remained open. Nicely done!
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Kimberly Holland, MBA, CLSS, CHC
Experienced Business Professional with passion for helping clients reach their goals/Advocate for Persons with Different Abilities
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such an important yet often rushed step in the interview process!
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