Interviewers may ask about your experiences with previous managers to learn about your ideal working relationship with your work supervisor. By discussing some of your best experiences with your former managers, you can show how you handle both positive and negative workplace relationships. Learning how to respond to questions comparing your best and worst manager can also help you display your professionalism and interpersonal skills. In this article, we explain why an employer may ask about your best and worst boss in an interview question, share strategies for answering this question and provide example answers that you can use as inspiration.
Tell about your best or worst boss you ever had? – Interview question with answer
Tips for Giving the Best Answer
Talk strengths:When you discuss a “best boss” you can highlight the persons skills.
Consider referencing skills:If a manager taught you a skill — particularly one thats relevant to the role at hand — you can mention that as one of the positive aspects.
Stay positive:Even with a bad boss, keep your tone positive. Dont get personal or gossipy. Try to describe how the manager helped you realize something about yourself (e.g., a particular work environment you crave) or how you were able to convey to the manager what you needed from the relationship.
What Not to Say
Avoid going negative: This isnt a moment to air your grievances. So, even if youre talking about a bad boss, keep the negativity low. Talk about what didnt work for you without getting personal.
Dont criticize: The reason you dont want to name namesand be specific in your criticism is that it may make your interviewer wonder what youll say about the company when youve left. And, in some industries, your interviewer may know your previous managers. Keep it discrete!
More Strong Answers:
I learned a lot about organizationfrom my last boss. Ive always been an organized person, but I learned from him new ways to organize and mobilize the staff, which was very valuable to improving my management abilities.
My best boss was a person who set such a wonderful example for her employees that she inspired people to work harder. She was always up, even when she wasnt, and never let a customer leave unhappy. She would always have the right thing to say to provide encouragement to her customers and employees alike.
My best boss was one who was able to recognize the strengths in his employees and to apply them to their fullest extent. He taught me to look at people more individually and to understand that almost everyone has something positive to offer.
My best boss was a woman who taught me more about how to use analytics to frame my business development strategies for clients in my territory.
My favorite boss was a very dynamic speaker. She took me under her wing, taught me how to command a room and helped me to become a very effective presenter.
Example 3
“Im always seeking to grow my leadership skills so I look for positive traits and aspects to improve in each of my managers. I worked at the same company for five years and over that time my supervisor was both my worst and my best manager. When I first started, they just began as a manager. Because we were both new to our roles, we both lacked confidence which caused some challenges with accomplishing work.
As they gained experience as a leader, they provided me with stronger direction and implemented some of their great ideas for improving the team. Watching them be proactive about becoming a better leader and being more confident inspired me to take initiative in my own career. I went from always going to other department heads for advice to seeing this particular manager as my most valuable mentor.”
Take accountability
Show accountability for your own career by mentioning how you responded to the leadership of each manager. When discussing your relationship with your favorite manager, you can talk about how they inspired you or discuss the ways they encouraged you to pursue career advancement. You can be accountable while talking about a negative experience with a supervisor by mentioning lessons you learned from observing their leadership style or talking about the strategies you used to promote a positive working relationship despite not enjoying their management methods.
Example 2
“My favorite supervisor was a great leader because they encouraged me to self-reflect and guide my own improvement. Instead of simply listing ways for me to improve, they asked me to assess my performance and set goals for skills I wanted to develop. This not only helped me succeed in the role but I gained a sense of accountability and self-awareness that I use in both my personal life and my career.
The most challenging situation I experienced with a manager occurred when the former manager suddenly resigned and the company had to select an interim manager on short notice. The situation wasnt ideal because the manager was new to the company and less experienced than most on the team. Everyone on the team worked together to manage ongoing projects and help the new interim manager. Although it was stressful, it was a bonding experience and we all learned more about one anothers roles.”
Why employers ask about your best and worst boss in an interview question
Asking about your previous managers can provide interviewers with a range of insights about your workplace habits and skills. The first attributes that interviewers assess with this question are your working habits and the type of leadership style you appreciate. When discussing your best and worst managers, you often highlight certain qualities that you either didnt enjoy or especially appreciated in a manager. Interviewers can use this information to determine if youre a good match for the existing leadership and management styles within the company.
Interviewers may also ask this question to review your attitude when discussing former colleagues. The way you talk about former managers can reveal important information about your ability to take accountability in the workplace. Although many people have managers that arent ideal for their working style, quality candidates take accountability for their own growth and success in the workplace. They also speak respectfully about former supervisors regardless of their personal experiences with them. Interviewers look for candidates who can discuss both positive and negative issues in a tactful, solution-oriented manner.
7 sample answers to “Describe your best boss and worst boss” interview question
The best one was my direct supervisor in the store where I worked before. She was critical about my work, but in a constructive manner. She never reproached me or raised her voice, just calmly explained what could be done better, with a smile on her face. What’s more, she was open to the suggestions of the employees, and did not consider herself the smartest store manager in the world. I really enjoyed working under her. Before, when I worked as a part time staff member in a restaurant, I had the exact opposite experience. The owner of the place got furious and stressed almost every evening, and he vented his anger on the staff members. The atmosphere in the place was almost hostile when we were packed with guests, and it was also one of the reason why I decided to leave the place.
I do not believe that something like a great boss or worst boss exists. Each of us has some preferences, and we are all different. I always try to look for the good in people. The only boss I had up to this point in my short professional career had a lot of experience, and they knew everything about logistics. I really felt that we could learn a lot from them. On the other hand, they sometimes struggled to communicate things in an appropriate way, and so we often did not even know what to do… They had they strengths and weaknesses, just like everyone else.
Up to this point I was my own boss. I’ve done freelancing and never worked for anyone. And honestly, sometimes you are your worst boss. Because you have to find motivation and push yourself each day, whereas when you work for someone else, there are people who help you with motivation, people who set goals for you. I wasn’t a good boss for myself, and that’s maybe one of the reasons why I cannot make it as a freelancer anymore. That’s how it is, however, and I am looking for a new chapter in life, trying a daily bread of a corporate employee.
My last boss wasn’t only a good manager. They were a great leader, because they tired to help their people grow. They were superbly encouraging, always helping us to find the right way, pushing us forward to great results, going by example. Now when I apply for my first managerial job, I want to have them as my role model in work. Life is short and it makes no sense to boss people, creating tense atmosphere in the workplace. Leadership is a much better concept. And my worst boss, well, I would not say that they were bad or anything. Just did not have the drive and charisma of my best boss. Other than that they did their job quite well.
This is my first job application, and I have never really worked for anyone. But honestly, I prefer to focus on my work, and my attitude, and do not want to judge other people in work. Each of us has some strengths and weaknesses, and even great people have a bad day in an office sometimes. That’s the way I see it, and I definitely do not have in my head some picture of an ideal boss. Let’s try to be an ideal employee. If I manage to do it, I am sure the relationship with my boss will thrive.
I do not like to say bad things about people. But my last boss, well, how would I say it, they didn’t care much about their subordinates, or the company. I believe they got in through some connection in the management, and weren’t particularly qualified for the job. They spent most days locked in their office and you never saw them in the plant, talking to workers. I do not want to judge them, however. Maybe they did some job on the computer. But I just feel that a good boss should talk to their people. They should spend their time in the workplace, listening to the concerns of the workers, trying to improve things. That definitely wasn’t the case with the last boss I had.
I would describe my best boss with three words–empathetic, driven, and fair. No nepotism or favoritism in their work. The worst boss I had, and it’s been some years ago, I’d describe with the following three words-selfish, arrogant, unfair. Regardless of the boss I had, however, I always tried to do my job as good as I could. Just as you do not choose your parents or place of birth, you do not choose your boss or manager. The only thing you decide about is your attitude–to your boss and to your job. That’s what I always focused on–to have a good attitude.
Avoid any sort of personal criticism, and talk in opinions
You should focus on work-related things in your description of the worst boss you had. Saying that you did not like them personally, or that you weren’t on the same wavelength, and that’s the reason why you hated them, would be a bad answer. Also saying that they did something against you in particular.
You can say that they weren’t receptive to feedback, or selfish, or even not really qualified for the job. But try to present it as your opinion–and not as a fact. That’s the way you saw things, but just like with any other person who crossed your path in life, you did not see the entire picture. You are aware that you can be wrong with your judgement. That’s a good attitude to present in an interview.
Which Boss Is Being Talked About?
We all work and migrate from one organization to another organization in search of better prospects. In every organization, one encounters a senior who guides, scolds, allots targets, and reviews performance. Through this question, they want to know about your best senior as well as the worst one. The reason for picking your best and worst boss must be clear and well explained to them.
FAQ
Who was your worst boss interview question?
Why employers ask the interview question “Who’s the worst boss you’ve had?” Employers often ask about your potentially negative experiences with past managers to learn about how you interact with others and assess your perspective on workplace conflicts.
How would you describe your worst boss answer?
Key Takeaways
BE POSITIVE. Don’t gripe or complain, even when you’re discussing bad bosses.
SHARE PREFERRED MANAGEMENT STYLE. This is a good opportunity to describe the kind of management style you like, and find out if it’s a match for the company’s culture.
TALK SKILLS.
How do I explain a bad boss in an interview?
Six ways to talk about a terrible former boss during an interview
Rather than focusing on conflicts, quantify your accomplishments. …
Talk about the fit or lack thereof rather than attacking. …
Force optimism. …
Spin a bad management style into a positive. …
Tell colorful anecdotes. …
Realize that trash talk will backfire.
How would you describe your best boss?
A good boss is one who is kind, helpful, caring and compassionate. This does not mean that the boss should be a push-over, but rather the opposite is true. The boss should be confident enough to show their human side.
