How to spot a good leader in an interview

The market is flooded with talent.

236,495 people have been laid off in tech this year alone.

So why do I think you should care about how to spot a good leader in an interview?

Because who you work for matters, even when you’re desperately searching for the right fit.

The two biggest impacts a leader has on your life:

1. Mental health: your manager has the same impact on your mental health as your partner–70% more than your therapist or your doctor.

2. Career progression: having a bad manager can limit your career opportunities. Plus! Only 32% of American workers think their managers care about their career progression. Yikes.

Here's what I want you to look for the next time you’re interviewing your next potential boss–and the questions to ask to get there:

Someone who sets boundaries for their personal life.

• Tell me about a day in your life. How do you work best?

• Spending time with my family is important to me. Can you walk me through your approach to work/life boundaries?

Someone who has a track record of recognizing their impact on others.

A third of people say their manager fails to recognize their impact on others’ wellbeing. 👎🏼

• I like to do regular "retros" to evaluate how I'm showing up for my colleagues. Do you have a process for this in your own life?

• Can you think of a time you messed up and took ownership of it with your team or the individual?

Someone who knows how to step back.
According to a study by Atlassian, people are more likely to experience well-being when they have choice and autonomy, leading to better business outcomes (we love to hear it).

• How does being under pressure change your leadership style?

Someone who knows how to connect, not just with you, but with other people in the business.

• Do you have any rituals for building connections with your team? What about across the business?

Someone who won’t bullshit you.

• What makes you proud to work for X company?

• From where you are today, what’s something you wish you’d known before you started in your current job?

Someone who understands how to set clear goals.

• What metrics/KPIs are used to measure success on your team? How frequently does your team achieve their goals?

When does any of this not matter?

You know your situation better than anyone. If you need a job at any cost, take the job. Don't listen to people telling you to wait for better. That's privilege talking. Ideally, all workplaces have good leaders to back them up, but that's not always the case.

Hot take: you CAN take a job and start looking for another one.