An employer can make or break your career. Great bosses take care of their employees, nurture them, give them proper training and such. A bad employer, on the other hand, can make people’s lives miserable. In fact, research shows bad employers may affect employees’ health, which results to stress and poor health. As Huffington Post puts it:
“Bad managers are the culprits behind enormous health costs and can be a ‘major source of misery’ for many employees, according to psychologist and leadership consultant Robert Hogan, who presented research at the American Psychological Association.”
For that reason, you will want to avoid working for a bad employer. Fortunately, there are some ways to avoid being hired by a “bad boss.”
Know what you want from a boss
Employers set expectation on what they want from a prospective employee; as a job seeker, you too can set your criteria to find your ideal boss. And you need to know what type of employer you want to work for.
Obviously, you should think about the pay and benefits. A good employer should offer complete benefits to employees, from health insurance to accident insurance. Fringe benefits for employees are significant indications the employer believes in investing in its staff.
Pay attention during the interview
You can learn as many things as you can about your prospective boss during the interview. As an interviewee, you can also ask questions to know more about the company and the head of the department where the position you’re applying for is needed.
A good employer would engage and give you the details you need to know. They will also tell you the background of the company (which you should learn before the interview). If they try to evade your question, beware. Trust your gut. If you don’t feel right about the job, don’t accept the job offer.
Check the working environment
While waiting to be interviewed, take the time to observe. You should not take a job if the workplace seems unhappy. Observe the interactions of the employees. An efficient working environment is key to employees being productive and comfortable at work. If the office atmosphere is somewhat gloomy or depressing (or everyone is so quiet like in a library), you will not want to work there for eight hours every day.
Making the right decisions shape your career, as well as your future. Before working for a company, get to know what kind of employer will be hiring you.
