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Job Interview Answer: What Was it Like Working for Your Supervisor?

By Alison Doyle, About.com

A typical interview question is "What Was it Like Working for Your Supervisor?" The reason it's asked it to find out how you got along with your boss. Be careful how your answer. Interviewers don't like to hear too much (or much at all) about bad bosses because it could be someone from their company that you're talking about next time around.

I once had a job applicant who spent 10 minutes responding to this question. She told me how awful her boss was and how her company was a terrible place to work. It so happened that her boss was a good friend and golfing buddy of my boss - our company's CEO - and the company was one of our biggest clients. Of course, she didn't get the job.

Don't make the same mistake she did. Instead, accentuate the positive and minimize any difficult situations. Discuss the strengths your past supervisors had and how they helped you succeed in your positions.

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Alison Doyle
Guide since 1998

Alison Doyle
Job Searching Guide

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