Hello everyone!

22 Comments

1. AnonymousOctober 3,2021 at 6:33PM UTC

   Unfortunately, that's hard to know. They tell you what they want you to hear and it's your obligation to do the research.

   Think of some "out of the box" questions and see how they answer.

   There's no real secret to avoiding toxic places, IMO.

   NOWHERE IS PERFECT

2. AnonymousOctober 4,2021 at 12:36PM UTC

   Agree with everything stated here. There is no surefire way to identify toxic behavior as people often hide in interviews. My former manager started off as authentic, helpful and easygoing but impressing the hire ups made him passive aggressive and cold.

3. AnonymousOctober 3,2021 at 6:59PM UTC

   I'd take a look at lawsuits filed against them or read local news articles. Some entities have a lot of corruption and awful managers running them that never leave. I'd consider the number of job postings, too. Are they always posting the same jobs over and over again? If so, there's an issue with that manager. Lastly, if possible, find out who was in the position before you. Did they get a promotion, or did they up and quit because the boss was abusive?

4. Meaghan Wagner, Goal Guru Leadership CoachOctober 3,2021 at 7:09PM UTC

   This can be tricky, but I think it's commendable to try!

   Some thoughts on how to do this, try to think through what are the important elements of culture to *you* and try to design non-leading questions around them. So if long work hours are a concern for you, maybe try a question about what time folks usually start or sign on for the day and later in the interview ask one about when people, on average, leave. Tie these questions into the understanding of the day-to-day life in the role, so the interviewer doesn't consider obfuscating or trying to put a bright side on things.

5. AnonymousOctober 3,2021 at 7:09PM UTC

   I think you need to first identify what is important to you in company culture, and ask probing questions in those areas.

6. Caroline K Lenher, CMCOctober 3,2021 at 7:18PM UTC

   Some things to look at/think about...how long have they worked with their team, i.e. do people stay working for them. If they are new, where were they before? how long there? You can of course ask a potential boss their work style and how they work best with their team members...you can also ask, if it feels appropriate to talk to other team members and learn more that way too. Finally, follow you instinct, if you are able to go into an office, you can see how the boss interacts with others too. Good luck!

7. AnonymousOctober 3,2021 at 8:56PM UTC

   Wonderful question.

   At a previous job another manager and I would joke before an interview “time to meet the representative”. Yes VERY immature but honestly we were immature. We said it because when interviewing someone we felt a majority of them are not their authentic selves. We were meeting the person they thought we wanted to meet. We found a few times that some people we hired were so perfect and charming then around 3-4 months the act is over and you meet the real person. That person may be lovely but a wrong fit for the position or the culture.

   We had a few managers that would conduct interviews and did similar. They were horrible to their direct reports but when they found a great candidate they said all of the right things. The job offer would be accepted and the employee would have a great few months then it turned into a personal hell.

   The key is be yourself no matter how bad you want the job. If they don’t choose you there is a reason. If you get the job and are lacking required skills or are not a good personality match the job will feel toxic.

   Remember the interview is just as much about you interviewing them as it is about them interviewing you. When asked if you have any questions, it’s your turn to interview and find out everything you can.

   Last, companies want to check our references why isn’t it a thing that we get to check our potential bosses reference like their last boss, current and past employees. That totally should be a thing.

8. Lorraine SannerOctober 3,2021 at 8:58PM UTC

   One of the easiest ways to find out is to ask how and how often your performance is measured and what training resources are available to you. Post attention to nonverbals - most toxic workplaces cannot answer these questions without flinching.

9. AnonymousOctober 5,2021 at 3:52PM UTC

   WOW. Smart! Thanks for that.

10. Christy K. HanthornOctober 3,2021 at 9:10PM UTC

    I don't think it's that tricky. It's as simple as "Do you think people are happy here? I want to join a company/department/group that has good morale." We live (and work) in a world where work/life balance and workplace environment are legit factors in our decision-making. It's not rude to ask, and if someone thinks it is, THERE'S YOUR ANSWER.

11. Pat RoqueOctober 4,2021 at 1:53PM UTC

    How about tweak that to ask “what’s the best reason folks say they love working here?

    Or “what lights you up about the culture here? And top two things on your wish list to improve”?

    And what’s the biggest culture shift they ask for? “

12. Allison LaRockOctober 3,2021 at 11:57PM UTC

    I would ask what the turnover is like or why the last person left. I would also ask them to describe their culture and see what they have to say. You may get your answer there. Something else could be the soft skills/ personality of their ideal candidate.

13. AnonymousOctober 4,2021 at 4:22PM UTC

    Give them a vibe-check first. I recently cancelled a second interview this week because the CEO seemed aloof, disinterested and dismissive - not to mention arrogant. It can be easy to play off rudeness as someone "having a bad day" - but think about it. Do you want to work for someone who's only rude if they're "having a bad day" - and they're in charge of you? For all you know they could be moody. Decent companies muster up the strength to be friendly to candidates, so don't be deceived.

    Next - Glassdoor and Indeed reviews. These reviews tend to skew negative because people are motivated to act by anger, but you can keep an eye out and see if the negative reviews are saying the same thing. If they're all saying different things and most aren't negative, then you can have a better idea of the culture.

    I would also ask the following questions:

    "What is work life balance like at your company?"

    "What's your favorite thing about working here?"

    "What's your least favorite thing about working here?"

    "Describe your company culture."

    If any of those answers are skep, I would consider it a serious red flag.

    Hope those helps!

14. Kirsten BunchOctober 4,2021 at 4:54PM UTC

    This is a great question, Barbara, and I'm sorry you've had trouble in the past. I would agree with the others about trusting your gut about the vibe of the place. If you listen, you can read a lot in what is not being said. I also think a really good question to ask is about turnover in the department and organization. You can ask people on the team things like - how long have you been here? What do you love about your job (if someone says "the free lunch" run the other way!)

    The other side of this is being able to let go what has happened in the past. I wrote this blog about Healing Career Trauma that you might find helpful. I like to see trauma can be with a "T" or a "t" and dealing with a toxic work place can lead to either of those. Best of luck and please reach out if I can help. https://www.kirstenbunch.com/blog/2019/11/4/healing-career-trauma

15. Jacalyn StatenOctober 4,2021 at 9:59PM UTC

    Oh no, I actually had an HR person say, "lunch."

16. BarbaraOctober 4,2021 at 9:32PM UTC

    THANK YOU to everyone who commented and gave thoughtful answers! They were all extremely helpful!!

17. AnonymousOctober 5,2021 at 1:28PM UTC

    Generally speaking, I would not take a job where the previous person in the position was fired. The only time I did this, the job was a disaster. They did not trust me to do basic tasks because of their experience with the last person. It was never resolved , no matter how friendly or accommodating I was. Then I needed up being fired too. That position was doomed from the start!

18. AnonymousOctober 6,2021 at 1:36PM UTC

    Hi, Barbara- I just got a new job and the job search was not very fun, so I know how you feel. One thing you can do is look up the company on Indeed.com or Glassdoor and read the reviews from employees/past employees. Of course,, it is all subjective and sometimes it's more about what's bad but at least you could anonymously see what is being said. Good luck to you!

19. Denise PierceOctober 8,2021 at 4:30AM UTC

    Hi Barbara, I would recommend asking the hiring team/supervisor: 1.Can you explain the type of work culture and give examples of how the team collaborates? 2. What type of leadership style do you have? (How this is answered will give you more insight to how your boss operates) 3. Why is the role available? (Did someone leave and why) 4. What is the preferred means of communication when there is an issue or concern? (Again how they reply gives insight including what’s not said) 5. What are some of the most challenging obstacles in this role? 6. What does a successful employee look like in this role?
    7. How and when are goals reported and expectations measured?
    How each one is answered should give you more insight to the type of culture and leadership within the organization. Listen for red flags for what is NOT said as this is even more important and take notes. Make your own assessment on each question ranking 1-5 on if they meet your own expectations and if you are in alignment with the organization. Also, research the company on LinkedIn and view the company feed to see what is important in the posts and topics. I would also recommend reaching out to a past employee for more insight on LI from your network or obtain an introduction stating your conducting research on the company for a potential position. Again see how this compares to what you gathered in your questioning. Bottom line, do your homework and interview them as much as you are being interviewed. It’s a 2 way street to achieve a good fit on both sides. The more knowledge you can gain about the people, leaders and organization will help you make a more informed decision.
    Best of luck!

20. BarbaraOctober 8,2021 at 6:53PM UTC

    Thank you so much! This was extremely helpful and the questions you suggest are great! I appreciate it.

21. Rhonda RondeauOctober 11,2021 at 9:18PM UTC

    I wish I knew the answer to this. I'll be standing by waiting for responses.
    It is always the best not to say negative things against your ex employer. IT IS SO HARD when that relationship was toxic. It is SO HARD to answer those questions about why you left.
    I can't tell the total truth because it was badmouthing my ex empoyer. I do not lie! so I go around the negative areas..... it is so hard when you have been so abused in a work relationship. That is all I can say.

22. AnonymousNovember 4,2021 at 1:59PM UTC

    Unfortunately, appearances can be very deceiving. Toxic bosses and work environments don't advertise themselves as such, especially if they need to hire. Try to check for high turnover and see if you may be able to research info on Glassdoor or sites with postings from current and past employees. I have been through some of the worst examples of this with bosses who at first, appeared to be angels then ended up leaving after being asked to sign an NDA on my way out the door. Even if you ask about it upfront, you many not get an honest answer.
    Best of Luck.