Q&A – What Was it Like Working For Your Past Supervisor?

Employers always want to catch a glimpse of what type of employee you will be. Particularly how you will deal with management, since your ability to handle your bosses is going to be a large contributor to how you fit into the office. If you recently came from another job, your employer may ask you a direct question about what it was like working for the past supervisor.

How to Answer

The key to answering this question is to simply look for the qualities that employers would like from a supervisor if they were to hire one, and then place those same qualities on the description of your past supervisor. If you can intersperse a few examples, that will be helpful too.

Bad Answer

“My past supervisor was okay. She and I didn’t always see eye to eye on the best way to complete a project, but she was generally fair and very friendly. She was great with scheduling and good at handing out tasks. We got along well and became pretty good friends.”

This answer is a little too personal. It is clear that you are complaining in a slightly passive aggressive way, and you minimize good qualities by adding qualifiers like “generally fair” instead of simply “fair.”

Good Answer

“My supervisor was a wonderful person. She was clearly dedicated to the company, often the first to arrive and the last to leave. She and I would schedule a great deal of time to discuss the current projects, and she was open to scheduling communication time whenever possible. That kind of communication was invaluable, and it was no doubt one of the main factors that lead to my success within the company.”

Much better. This answer states positive things about both your previous boss and your previous employer, and help show that you recognize realistic qualities in good leaders.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Highlight good tips in supervisors
• Talk about their professionalism and dedication.

Related posts:

1. Common Interview Question: What Do You Expect from a Supervisor?
2. Difficult Interview Questions: Had You Ever Thought of Leaving Your Current Position in the Past? Why Did You Stay? What is Different Now?
3. Management Interview Question: Why Do You Feel You Will Be Comfortable in a Supervisor Role?
4. Common Interview Question: What Would Your Previous Supervisor Say You Need to Work On?
5. QA – What Do You Expect From a Supervisor?