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So, giving an applicant a ridiculous question to answer and when they push back, that proves they're some kind of drama queen that you wouldn't want in your org.
Actually, with this approach, you're going to filter out the good, ethical candidates and bring in the exact kind of back-stabbers that ruin an org.
Good luck with that!
You're exactly correct. They're not looking for truthful, honest answers. They're looking for political talking points that will curry favor with the audience. Any politician or cunning sociopath will tell them exactly what they want to hear in order to get exactly what they want out of them. Unfortunately, this is the game we are forced to play against our best instincts.
It's incredibly unprofessional, and there's no good way to answer it.
Looking back at my immediate previous four managers, I have two I loved, one I like, and one I'm neutral on. Going back further than that, there was one piece of work, a neutral manager, another piece of work, a couple of neutral ones.
No matter how you really feel about that fourth one, they're always going to ask about the person who was last, and why. If the person was awful, you're going to be viewed as a complainer. If they weren't, you're going to be asked why you left.
Looking back at the previous two managers at my former employer, I'd have had no problems staying there, and under them, had the wider system corporate culture been better. I got tired of the blame game, constant after-hours calls and work, no work-life balance, etc., poor PTO, etc.
Maybe some of it was that I was used to having female managers for years. These two were whip-smart, attractive, and accomplished. We didn't really care for the organization. The first one knew me for years, and knew exactly how to calm me down before I blew up. I probably didn't have the skillset to hold the job I did after a merger, but I quickly became her "fixer." While the relationship never became "inappropriate," we were likely way too close and shared too much about our personal lives to each other for a typical manager/subordinate relationship.
I only reported to the second one for a few months, and while she was a contractor (yes, we had FTEs reporting to contracted managers in white collar, senior IT roles), we circled the wagons, commiserated, and have supported each other in our subsequent ventures.
I don't think I ever had much more than forty hours PTO there after nearly seven years. That was used for everything - sick/holiday/vacation. Go to the doctor as a salaried employee? You bill that PTO down to fifteen minute increments. The organization is reviled locally. It was just a horrible place to work, even though my immediate management for the nearly seven years I worked there was decent to excellent.
Anyone could see where I worked, and any casual research would reveal the place was a mess. Yes, some of these reasons I left were esoteric to the public (I was over a software system that was used to alert on-call physicians at multiple tertiary hospitals, which ended up bringing tons of technical and procedural issues on my head alone), but much of the ill-will is now public.
I've been asked to rate my 4 previous managers as part of an interview questionnaire...Never been asked this before? Should I provide the names? It feels like a trick question....
Never heard of this interview question before, but thanks for the heads-up in case I'm asked this.
I'd probably say something like (& this is the honest truth), I had positive experiences w/ them all & I learned a lot from them in the position I held.
(If they want me to expand a little more, I'd say...) one of them was the type of boss anyone would dream to have for a boss. He was just one of those one-of-a-kind people.
Never heard of this interview question before, but thanks for the heads-up in case I'm asked this.
I'd probably say something like (& this is the honest truth), I had positive experiences w/ them all & I learned a lot from them in the position I held.
(If they want me to expand a little more, I'd say...) one of them was the type of boss anyone would dream to have for a boss. He was just one of those one-of-a-kind people.
I'd just end the interview.
People leave previous employers for any variety of reasons. I didn't leave mine for bad immediate management. If someone said "you left because you had a bad boss," that wouldn't be accurate at all, and would diminish the pile of problems that were obvious elsewhere.
Red flag. I would walk away from this opportunity. They sound like jerks.
But, if you have to work there... I would simply decline to say anything about my "4 previous managers". It's none of their business and somewhat ridiculous. "I'm sorry, but I'm not at liberty to reveal personal details about any of my previous places of employment." If they persist and say "We're not asking for personal details" then you can simply say "Then how do you know I'm not just making stuff up? Let's move on and talk about what I can do for you, not what it was like in my previous places of work."
I hope that;s just your Internet personality talking.
I hope that;s just your Internet personality talking.
Nope. Anyway, if I were honest, I'd say "Well, the last guy I worked for was a total ******* who screwed me out of my job. I wouldn't walk across the street to save his life. He's a worthless ****. And the previous three... don't ask me; I've completely suppressed the trauma!"
The "correct" answer, just like the correct answer if HR ever asks you to "anonymously" rate your manager, is that they are perfect. Part of your job in a corporation is to make your manager look good. If you have anything negative to say about your old managers you might have negative things to say about your prospective one down the line. Speaking badly of current or former coworkers, especially your manager, is self-defeating.
HR really shouldn't be allowing hiring managers to screen for this in an interview, but that's not your problem.
I agree. This kind of question is a trap. It doesn't truly value honesty as it is designed to punish those who are honest in a negative manner. That said, I've constructively criticized previous employer relationships, but it was in a way that we all came together to get over certain challenges and make a project/the business better.
Nope. Anyway, if I were honest, I'd say "Well, the last guy I worked for was a total ******* who screwed me out of my job. I wouldn't walk across the street to save his life. He's a worthless ****. And the previous three... don't ask me; I've completely suppressed the trauma!"
Diplomacy and tact is a valuable skill that will help get you ahead.
My previous managers where all promoted rather quickly after I started working for them. They were all gracious in thanking me for making it all possible for them.
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