Interview Question of the Week: Tell me about your last supervisor.

photo credit: brew ha ha

A common interview minefield is a question about previous supervisors.  The interviewer may ask you specifically about a supervisor’s strengths and weaknesses, or may ask you who your favorite and least favorite supervisors were.  There’s really only one thing you need to know here:

DO NOT badmouth a previous supervisor.

Okay, again, just to be sure….

DO NOT badmouth a previous supervisor.

This is typically what an interviewer is trying to see if you will do.  Complaining about a previous supervisor not only shows a lack of discretion and professionalism, it raises questions about your viewpoint on workplace issues.  For instance, when in a difficult work situation, do you place blame, or do you take responsibility?  Are you willing to tackle workplace conflict constructively?  All of these can be indicated through your answer to this question.

So, beyond not badmouthing a previous supervisor, what should you say?

Talk about how the supervisor in question was able to help you to succeed.  If you can honestly indicate that you had an open dialogue about your performance, both positive and negative, do that too.  The other piece of information you can provide here is whether you’re capable of a constructive, productive professional relationship.

Sample answer:

My favorite supervisor was when I was working at XYZ company.  My manager there had great industry knowledge, and I learned a lot from her.  In addition, she made time to speak with me weekly about the progress of my projects, and I always felt she was available to help me when I had an issue.  I’m not sure I’ve had a least favorite supervisor.  I’ve always been able to maintain a positive, professional relationship, and I’ve been lucky that I’ve always worked for people that I could learn from.

Those are the basics.  Write your own story, commit it to memory, and you’re ready to go.

Related posts:

1. Interview Question of the Week: Would your supervisor be surprised to learn that you are seeking new employment?
2. Interview Question of the Week: What would your last supervisor say about you?
3. Interview Question of the Week: What has been your greatest success?
4. Interview Question of the Week: What qualifies you for this position?
5. Interview Question of the Week: Tell me about your work week

Tagged as: Career, interview, interview prep, job change, job hunt, job search, Management, preparation