Tips for answering “How would your boss and colleagues describe you” during an interview
Have you ever heard the saying, “Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are”?
The principle behind this common phrase is, the people we associate with, and the things they say about us reveal a lot about who we are.
Within an interview context, this takes the form of employers asking, “what would your boss or former colleagues say about you”.
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Why do employers ask “What would your former boss and colleagues say about you”?
This question is posed for several reasons:
To get to know you better
Picture you’re purchasing a product for the very first time. You know nothing about it but may have seen marketing proclaiming how wonderful it is. Nevertheless, your mind still isn’t 100% made up as to whether or not you should buy. What do you do? You would rightfully reach out to persons within your circle, whom you trust and would have purchased this item before.
The same principle applies to an interviewer asking you, “what would your former boss and colleagues say about you”? The employer doesn’t fully know you. They have to rely on the information on your resume as well as what you tell them during the interview to build a profile as to who you are.
While such information is important for acing the interview, the employer has to go beyond what you say. Going beyond the ‘marketing messages’ of the product, they need direct and trustworthy feedback. Therefore, the people they turn to are those who have experience working with you and can attest to your strengths, competency and work ethic.
History repeats itself
Given that history often repeats itself, the type of rapport and relationship that you had built with your former boss is likely going to be similar to the one you cultivate within your new environment. Therefore, the manner in which your former work colleagues describe you holds much credibility in terms of what will working with you will be like.
Identify possible red flags
If the interviewer discovers that your former workplace has nothing positive to say about you, this ultimately translates to “maybe this isn’t somebody I want to be working with”.
Behavioural Interview Questions
Tips on answering the “How would your boss and former colleagues describe you” question?
When answering this question, it is important to remember:
Think carefully before you speak
Take your time with this one. Don’t rush an answer because you feel quicker is better. Instead, you need to craft a response that is suitable, realistic and of course, truthful. Therefore, your answer to this question cannot be too fanciful or flattering. Nevertheless, it must be appealing and convey positivity.
Remember your past compliments
Think back to past compliments, praises, positive recognition and notes of appreciation you would have received from former bosses and colleagues. When you use their own words of praise to answer this question, it strikes the perfect balance of authenticity and positivity.
Mention employer keywords
Employers normally list keyword adjectives such as ‘honest’, ‘proactive’, ‘attention to detail’ or ‘customer-focused’ on their job descriptions to describe the personality they want to hire. Ensure these keywords are included in your response to make them notice.
Tell a story
Now that you’re ready to answer, don’t generically respond by saying, “Well, my boss would say I’m very hard-working and honest”. Instead, provide some context in your answer. Tell a story about a time you were praised or recognised for something you accomplished that earned your boss or colleague’s appreciation.
From that, your story acts as empirical evidence as to why former colleagues describe you in such a positive manner. Such evidence also acts as a further selling point as to why you’re the best candidate.
Keep it real and relevant
Chances are your former boss’ contact is listed on your resume as a reference. Any story or description you tell on their behalf is likely to be compared to what they will say when your prospective employer reaches out to them. The two answers must therefore align otherwise you risk being seen as dishonest. Only provide details that are true and can be corroborated by former colleagues.
Offer relationship insights
The interviewer is not looking for just adjectives. They want insight into what that working relationship was like. Therefore, a worthwhile tip after telling your story is to mention something that you admired in your former colleague. For example, you could end your story by saying, “My boss was really impressed with the work I had done and complimented my creativity. Naturally, I respected him for his leadership and taking me under his mentorship during my time there”.
Ending on a complimentary note towards your boss or colleague tells the interviewer that the working relationship was mutually productive and rewarding. Hiring this candidate therefore will result in the same within our organisation.
How to answer the most common Interview Questions
How would your boss describe you Sample answers
In my last quarterly performance review in December, my manager described me as someone who is proactive, responsible and enjoys taking on a challenge. My former role involved multiple visits to our construction sites and when problems arose, it would be my responsibility to work with the team to devise solutions. I know these were some qualities that my colleagues admired and would use to describe me.
Both my former boss and our clients would ask my input when it came turn to recommendations on which vendors to use whenever we had an event. We worked on many campaigns and functions together which increased my marketing knowledge and expanded my network. As such, a lot of people, including my boss would describe me as someone who pays great attention to detail. Similarly, my colleagues, would describe me as courteous, organised, and meticulous. I would also describe them in a similar manner which is why we worked together so well.
I’m very assured that my boss and colleagues would describe me as helpful and accommodating. During seasonal times of the year, whenever we had Christmas, Easter or other promotions, I would work overtime to help out with the increased workload. There were also times I was personally requested to be part of a project team as my colleagues were confident about my abilities to execute and complete projects within time and budget. My colleagues would therefore say I’m very skilled in team working, client satisfaction and relationship development. These are things I learnt from my boss.
