Should Subordinates Interview Potential Bosses?

I have to say I agree with the masses on this one. About two years ago I began making my transition from being a soldier back into the civilian job market. This is a jist of how my first interview went.

Though I didn't know it at the time. The interview process involved everyone. The final decision maker spoke with everyone I had contact with, from the HR lady that worked with me to arrange my flight out there, to the driver that picked me up from my hotel, as well as any and everyone I had a reasonable amount of contact with. The interview itself though was two parts, one with my peers to evaluate my technical expertise (I am in the IT Field), and lunch with what would have been my boss.

I was more impressed with this company later to find out that everyone's opinion matters and that common courtesy extends beyond the scope of a person's duties or title. I ended up going elsewhere only because I didn't like the city or surrounding area that I would have had to live in. But that experience made not accepting the offer anyway a little more difficult.

If your people skills are horribly lacking and will just make the work environment miserable for those around you/ beneath you, you may not be the best candidate for the position, regardless of your expertise or professional background.

Every interview I have ever been to, at a minimum has been two parts, one with a manager/ boss figure of some sort and another with a peer/technical expert. To me, having someone who does what is expected of the candidate for hire on a daily basis interview them only makes sense. From my experience and limited knowledge on the subject, this "style" of interviewing is common practice in the IT Field.

Like taking a used car your thinking about buying to a mechanic to have it looked over first is normal, but you wouldn't then expect that mechanic to sit down with you and go over the terms of your financing. Or in buying a house, does the loan officer go to the home and do the appraisal or inspections, like termite inspection, etc...etc? Input from more knowledgeable sources is common place in the world and for good reason. I admit it's a little unsettling that "a senior manager who also does hiring" finds this concept confusing. These are the best ways I can think of explaining it, and the best examples I can think of. I hope this clears your confusion.

tyrone of KS 11:54AM February 11, 2010

Clearly you think you're god's gift and don't need anyone to help you make a hire. Well dream on! Most jobs carried out in workplaces these days is executed by team work. If you cannot stomach being evaluated by your subordinates and peers, than you need to go work on an island somewhere by yourself. In my experience, peers & subordinates pick up on cues that the candidate may not exhibit while interviewing with higher management. I would not hire anyone without the direct reports also interviewing. I have been subjected to it and I have always used it in all my hires.

Pete of NC 9:22AM February 01, 2010

I recently hired a new staff member, and while I did the initial phone screens I made it a point to include my subordinate in the face-to-face interviews. It not only was a good experience for her but the insight she provided was extremely valuable.

Travis of MN 12:23AM January 22, 2010

Before my current boss was hired, my manager at the time announced that we were going to be reorganized to report up to him through a new manager. He told us that we were all welcome to apply for the job, and he had several strong internal candidates already.

At no point prior to the announcement of the final decision were any names given or any input solicited on any of the potential candidates. The person selected as the manager for me and several colleagues we had all worked with in the past. This prior experience had not been positive; in our remote-work roles, we did not find this individual's teleconference meetings effective at relaying information, nor did we have a sense of being clearly understood in our challenges and concerns. However, we did not raise these issues as, at the time, our interaction was limited.

Our (fomerly direct) manager, when announcing the appointment, said that we would obviously all get along very well since we had been working together so well already. In approximately a year's time, none of the four of us working for this individual have come to a higher appreciation of his talents. When this was raised as a concern to me by someone not on our team I raised concerns to our formerly direct supervisor, who was not aware of some of the types of issues our team was having, nor was he pleased.

I have always had a strong, open communication with my manager's manager and he has very pointedly expressed his desire to keep me on his team. If I choose to leave this group, my current direct manager will be a big influence on that decision.

I don't pretend this is one-sided. Myself and my colleagues have responsibility to communicate with our direct manager more of our concerns and frustrations than we have been.

But I strongly doubt that the person chosen would have been selected if the opinions of the prospective subordinates had been solicited prior to making the decision. Of course you can only take my word for it, but I have always gotten strong reviews from my manager, my manager's manager, and one of the other managers reporting up to my manager's manager.

I know I am a valued and appreciated member of my team. In the whole entire four years of my career I have held three positions with this company; after my initial hire, I was selected for the next two positions on reputation, as I do not have the work experience or education that would easily identify me as a preferred candidate.

Please, for the love of your own favorite employees, whoever they are, get the opinions of subordinates on a new manager, whenever you possibly can. If you need to hire someone those subordinates have panned, and you don't have the relationship and credibility so that you can effectively communicate and justify your decision, than you must be in the process of rebuilding that team--or you will be soon.

A Short Resume of PA 6:56PM January 21, 2010