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ecogarden · Newbie Joined: 10 Sep 2007 Posts: 1 Career Advice: +0/-0

I had an interview two weeks ago. I felt it went very well and am feeling very positive, however I would like to know your views on the ‘Interview question - what would you do..’ that they asked me.
The situation they gave me was this: what would you do if your line manager is never available for important documents to be signed, deadlines to be reached and these sort of things because s/he is either out shopping or at a spa with his/her partner. Because of this you end up summing up work, postponing for another day or spending long hours of overtime waiting for him/her to turn up.
1. Will you confront him/her? If yes – How?
2. Will you just let it go since s/he is your line manager?
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lexa10881 · Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 2:51 am Post subject:

Answering a hard question like this should be with an answer you have tried to anticipate before the interview.

http://www.cvtips.com/hard_interview_questions.html

I know that what I would do and what I would say are separate Laughing

My answer would be something like a direct confrontation in a mild manner with them about the simple idea that it is difficult to finish what needs done without their availability, to maybe seeing their suoerior as a last resort after trying to work it out.

What I would really do is probably give the millionth person looking for htem [hopefully the boss, who will fire them] the phone number to wherever they are loafing at and not offering any excuses. Twisted Evil

dorothea · Expert Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 123 Career Advice: +1/-0

Definitely confront him because if you say you are ok and you would wait for him everytime he's out shopping it would be in the detriment of the company's profit, thus, not good for either of you. So ask you will confront him.

http://www.cvtips.com/interview_questions_content.html

Randy · Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:06 am Post subject:

Oh, I'd not blink an eye. I'd want to know why such an incompetent cretin had risen to such levels within their corporation and why she was kept on payroll in the first place.

That's not hyperbole. I'm serious. I've learned there's a very subtle distinction at work during the hiring process. Employers insist they want truth and honesty. No, they do not! They may indeed want honest and truthful *answers" to specific questions, but they run like hell when it comes to truthfulness and honesty of character. And whether or not they like it, and they do most definitely do not, they are NOT hiring an "ideal candidate." They are hiring a PERSON. And no one has the ability to perpetutate over a long the myth of the "ideal candidate" they create for the job interview. Let 'em see who you are right up front just as you know for a fact that "face" they put on for you is nothing like the real "monter" with which you're going to contend AFTER you get the job.

ank06 · Expert Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 247 Career Advice: +1/-0

And if he's the Manager he should not act according to the company policy? I think he should, so confront him. He's an impediment in the company's production. So what if you're under him?
http://www.cvtips.com/types_of_difficult_people.html

Pauloz · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 2:46 am Post subject:

Yes, confront him, but there are ways of doing that. How it's done matters.

Since this idiot is the line manager, he's fairly easy to dump work on, and give him a big backlog to play with. That it doesn't get done is his problem.

This is strictly within your role. His work isn't your responsibility. You don't overstep your own position, but you can make sure the problem goes where it belongs.

If enough backlog builds up it's all on him. You can even confront him in a semi-sympathetic way, when he condescends to show up, and ask if you can help, because you know he's got a lot of work. Someone this stupid is unlikely to notice the sarcasm, but might notice he has a problem.

He can't get out of it anyway. Your "confrontation" should be to make sure that he can't.

Avril · Newbie Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

My initial response would be to simply arrange to meet to my manager at a neutral place & discuss the matter. I would focus on how I was unable to due my job effectively because of abscenes. I would ask how we could solve the problem together. This would be the first step

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