It hits home for Debi Campbell, a former producer for a major cable web connection.
In retrospect, there were a couple of red flags she ignored during the interview with her manager.
I could tell in the interview that we had very different personalities, Campbell says.
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Something about it just seemed off.
But it was a dream job, and she was excited for the work.
Besides, no interview is perfect, right?
But as Campbell later learned, her gut was right.
Something was indeed off.
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A good manager can make a bad job bearable, says management expert Victor Lipman.
And a bad manager can make a good job miserable.
Thats why you should vet them early.
The interview stage is a great opportunity to do just that.
The research shows thatmanagers account for 70% of an employees engagementat work.
Gallup defines employee engagement in a specific way.
If your manager happens to be actively disengaged, thats when it can start to affect your personal life.
If something is really wrong at work… it overlaps your life outside of work, Lipman says.
Campbell says her experience with her abusive boss had huge effects on her personal life.
I felt so out of control, and I was completely drained of confidence, she says.
That rings especially true for the largest portion of the workforce, Generation Y (aka Millennials).
They cant just leave their work problems at the door, research shows.
The lines are becoming blurred as more people look to find fulfillment through their work.
But what exactly makes a good manager?
The punch in A managers are the old school command-and-control punch in, he says.
These managers are authoritative, tough and executive.
But this idea of management is slowly changing.
Most people dont like being treated that way, Lipman says.
They respond better to the carrot than the stick.
On the other hand, pop in B managers are masters of people skills.
And in todays economy, theyre the ones who are better at getting results from employees.
But Gandhi says that these types of managers are still very much in the minority.
But the skills, knowledge and talent required [to manage] are completely different, Gandhi says.
Thats where those key in B people skills really come in.
Respondents overwhelmingly want their managers to have skills like confidence, honesty and a sense of humor.
They also want their managers to give recognition.
Most of those items are totally within peoples control, Peterson says.
Feedback should not be a surprise; it should be expected, Gandhi says.
And If it isnt, you havent done a good job at having those ongoing conversations.
Job interviews are nerve-racking times.
So Id ask pointed questions of a potential manager.
You want to get a sense of their management style, Lipman says.
You want to get a sense of how they relate to employees, what their expectations are.
Do they treat the employees well?
How do you motivate your team?
How do you manage projects?
Campbell also comes equipped to interviews with questions to ensure she doesnt fall into the same trap again.
Sometimes, you might not have a direct manager in the interview.
That may be reason enough to head for the hills.
Its classic management theory: You should have one manager, one person you report to, Lipman says.
Youre doing a great disservice to the manager and the employee if the manager is not involved.
Remember, you will be spending a large portion of your life with your next manager.
If you have concerns during the interview stage, those problems wont disappear simply because you took the job.
Dont let the glamour of the company or the job title be the deciding factor.
Its all about the manager, Gandhi says.
Adam Hardy is a staff writer for The Penny Hoarder.
He lives off a diet of stale puns and iced coffee.
Read hisfull bio here, or say hi on Twitter@hardyjournalism.
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