Web Hosting Talk : Other Forums : Web Hosting Lounge : Job interview: How do you like to be managed?

[TieuDieuTu]

Recently I went to an interview and was asked this question: How do you like to be managed?

I don't think I answered very well. How would you answer this question?

[datapimp]

I would put my feet up on the desk, lean back in the chair, smile and say, "I don't. Now give me the job or I'll jam this Bic so far into your neck your ancestors will bleed to death!"

See, that kind of thing impresses them. Grace under pressure, it's called.

[fastnoc]

coming from a management position of over 12 years I can tell you the way I like to hear that answered:

I like to be given an objective, and direction, then rely on my responsibility and my co-worker's responsibility to see the objective is met with very little direct management.

That says that you accept responsibility, take direction, and you are self motivated and don't need to be babysat.

however, that's just my taste, there are a million different managers with a million different answers.

Just be positive and make sure you reflect responsibility, and that you don't have to be watched all the time. Good measure to throw in co-workers because it shows teamwork

[datapimp]

Well you just told him how to fake an answer.

As someone who has hired a lot of people in the web hosting business myself, I can tell you that people ask questions like "how do you like to be managed" because they don't have any skill at sizing people up, and they read that question somewhere, and they, like fastnoc, would probably be happy with a rote, meaningless response.

You may as well blather about bringing synergistic initiatives and outside-the-box thinking to the company. It's all equally empty.

There are great questions you can ask an interviewee to completely throw them for a loop and see how they think on their feet, but "how do you like to be managed" is not one of them.

[billardent]

I like to be given an objective, and direction, then rely on my responsibility and my co-worker's responsibility to see the objective is met with very little direct management.

Now I know what to tell next time I'm interviewed.

[fastnoc]

Well you have to remember, there are many different opinions as there are managers. The people who do well are the people who learn to read the person interviewing them, and to know what style that person is, and would probably want.

Some people have very low self esteem and to that type of person he's going to want someone that needs attention. People with low self-esteem search for constant reassurance, and the people that work for them give them that by asking for help.

There are others that simply prefer kiss *** employees. So for that type of person You'd need to kiss their *** in the interview too . Pump one of these guys up by telling him how impressed you are with his management style is a sure fire hit. But if you do that to someone like me, it's an instant turn off.

I like to do as little managing as I can. So the best person for me to hire will be someone I know I can give a task, walk away and know that the job will get done without me having to go back and ask again. This is a pretty typical management style.

All the different methodologies of management rely on the same thing. Getting things done.

I'm REALLY easy to work for though. I don't bother people. So I'm also pretty easy to interview with. I like building a team of people who like being together. One of those 'none of us leave till ALL the work is done' type thing. so thats an important matter.

[fastnoc]

Originally Posted by datapimp.com

Well you just told him how to fake an answer.

As someone who has hired a lot of people in the web hosting business myself, I can tell you that people ask questions like "how do you like to be managed" because they don't have any skill at sizing people up, and they read that question somewhere, and they, like fastnoc, would probably be happy with a rote, meaningless response.

You may as well blather about bringing synergistic initiatives and outside-the-box thinking to the company. It's all equally empty.

There are great questions you can ask an interviewee to completely throw them for a loop and see how they think on their feet, but "how do you like to be managed" is not one of them.

WOW are you wrong. There are MANY different personality tests that ask specific questions and in specific orders with a goal of leading someone to what they really feel. If you've hired 'many people yourself' surely you know that. There are specific techniques used in management that will provide proven estimates based on the person's response. This is like psychology 101.

just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it's a bad sign.

There is a very specific reason questions like that are asked. Not just because you don't think they know what they're doing. lol

[Burhan]

Speaking of interview questions...

Back in college, a friend of mine was being interviewed by Microsoft. The asked him this question:

"You have a jar with red and blue marbles, and one empty jar. What would you do to make sure that when someone picked a marble from the empty jar, it was red?"

He answered:

"I would place all the blue marbles in first, then all the red marbles on top; giving the highest probability a red marble will be picked."

Which I thought was a great answer; but when he asked me the same question, my answer was:

"Put one red marble in the empty jar."

Point here is; silly question -- but it shows how a person thinks and that's really what they are trying to figure out in an interview.

I have heard people being asked some really "stupid" questions -- another one is ... 'How many manholes are there in _____' (insert some major metropolitan area, like LA).

As far as the management question -- I personally hate 'lassiez-faire' (sp?) managers. They don't tell you what they expect; they don't give you any deadlines or guidance, yet the expect you to read their mind.

I actually liked the response:

I like to be given an objective, and direction, then rely on my responsibility and my co-worker's responsibility to see the objective is met with very little direct management.

I think I would really like this kind of manager; one who just tells me the goal, and their KPIs and then provide me the tools to do it in "my own way" as that's how I work best -- little management.

[interactive]

I like to be micromanaged, as if I was in the military....



















Just kidding :-D

[Corey Bryant]

Depends on what you were being interviewed for. If you were being interviewed for a management type position, then there is one answer to give. If it was an employee type situation, then it would be another answer.

My answer - I don't. I do and I tell others what to do. Delegation

[Tina J]

Originally Posted by datapimp.com

Well you just told him how to fake an answer.

As someone who has hired a lot of people in the web hosting business myself, I can tell you that people ask questions like "how do you like to be managed" because they don't have any skill at sizing people up, and they read that question somewhere, and they, like fastnoc, would probably be happy with a rote, meaningless response.

You may as well blather about bringing synergistic initiatives and outside-the-box thinking to the company. It's all equally empty.

There are great questions you can ask an interviewee to completely throw them for a loop and see how they think on their feet, but "how do you like to be managed" is not one of them.

Exactly. We used to have great fun at interviewing people. Watch the movie Shallow Grave when they're interviewing potential room mates. Throw in at least one of those questions or, my personal favorite, ask them if they've read (insert dead tech author's name here) book that just came out. Needless to say, the guy that answered "Oh yeah! It was pretty good." didn't get the job.

One of my favorite replies, during a face-to-face interview, to "In one word...what do you feel is your best quality?" was "Sense(hyphen)of(hyphen)humor". He got the job.

--Tina

[datapimp]

Originally Posted by fastnoc

WOW are you wrong. There are MANY different personality tests that ask specific questions and in specific orders with a goal of leading someone to what they really feel.

Yeah, they ask me to take one of those tests every time I walk past the scientology building. What's up with that?

If you think one-size-fits all with questions or psychology or burritos. you are sadly mistaken.

[TieuDieuTu]

Originally Posted by datapimp.com

I would put my feet up on the desk, lean back in the chair, smile and say, "I don't. Now give me the job or I'll jam this Bic so far into your neck your ancestors will bleed to death!"

See, that kind of thing impresses them. Grace under pressure, it's called.

I like your style. LOL

[TravisST]

I think they want to see if you are self-motivated... I would probably answer it this way:

"I would like to see management give me an objective. With good communication to keep management and customers up to date, rely on my self-motivation to complete the objective on time."

[TieuDieuTu]

Originally Posted by fastnoc

I like to be given an objective, and direction, then rely on my responsibility and my co-worker's responsibility to see the objective is met with very little direct management.

That's a really good, short, and to-the-point answer.

Although I answered along the line of yours, it wasn't as crisp and nearly panic when it was asked. My answer basically was that I'd like to have the management to have visions and pass that visions to their employees. However I didn't say management should give objectives and directions, and have enough trust to let employees complete the task(s).

Thanks for your input.

Originally Posted by TravisST

I think they want to see if you are self-motivated... I would probably answer it this way:

"I would like to see management give me an objective. With good communication to keep management and customers up to date, rely on my self-motivation to complete the objective on time."

A very good point. A point I completely forgot. Applying for jobs these days, you pretty much see the same basic requirements over and over: are you a self-motivated person or not, and your ability to communicate with managements/co-workers.

Thanks.