Pamela Kleibrink Thompson.

Last month I wrote about how to deal with a bad boss. This month you'll learn how to avoid working with a bad boss by identifying bad bosses during the interview.

During the interview process, the employer is trying to determine whether you are a good match for the company. The interview is a two-way conversation and during that time you must ask enough questions to be able to determine whether you would enjoy working for the company and the boss who is interviewing you. You have to do your own assessment of the company and the supervisor, if you have the opportunity to meet him. Observe how the boss interacts with his colleagues, as well as those who report to him. Does he treat everyone equally or does he treat his subordinates with less respect?

Watch for red flags during the interview. They can tip you off about the personality and potential problems of a future supervisor. I could have avoided several bad bosses in my life by paying attention to the red flags that came up.

The interviewer keeps you waiting and doesn't apologize
During an interview for a copywriting job, I showed up on time and had to wait for nearly an hour to speak to the employer. This should have tipped me off that the employer did not respect other people's time. I told the receptionist that I had to go to the car and put more money in the parking meter and I considered driving away. When I finally met with the employer, she checked her watch several times during the interview, and seemed distracted and disinterested. I should have known it would be difficult to work with her. She was often late to meetings and, when she did attend, her attention often wandered and she had difficulties staying on topic. When an employer keeps you waiting for an inordinate amount of time and doesn't respect your time or efforts, it is a sign that she may not appreciate your time and efforts once you have the job.

The potential boss ignores you during the interview
During an interview I had for a writing job, my potential boss took several phone calls during my interview. She didn't keep the calls brief or offer to call the person back. This should have tipped me off that she did not respect her employees. Although I ended up with the job offer and accepted the job, I constantly had problems keeping my boss focused on the task at hand and later discovered that she drank and took "medication" during lunch. No wonder she couldn't stay focused!

Your potential boss is distracted during the interview
Interviewing is difficult both for the employer and the job seeker, and an interviewer may be preoccupied with other duties and deadlines. The employer may have many demands before him, including finding suitable help. It's up to you to assess whether this harried person is in a temporary state of stress or if this is the normal state of operations. You should ask questions to assess what the typical state of affairs is at the company and with your potential supervisor.

An employee gives you important information about the boss
Don't overlook any red flags given to you by current employees. During an interview at a small animation company, one of the employees informed me that the boss "could be temperamental at times." I should have taken note of this, as well as my observation that the artists all flinched at their desks when the boss walked in the door.

During the interview observe how the potential boss interacts with employees. How does she treat her assistant? How does she treat you during the interview? If an employer does not give potential employees respect, it's unlikely that she will treat employees well.

Make sure you get the right boss next time