It’s hard scoping out a good boss or a good company before you are actually working under them or in the environment. Sometimes you can find reviews to give you some insight (Glassdoor), but even those are not always reliable because they tend to be skewed to the extremes.

The best time to scope out whether a potential boss will care about you and your career is during the interview process or any initial contact you have with that person. Here are 6 signs that the boss interviewing you will care about your career.

1. They’ve Done Their Research On You

Of all the interviews I’ve done, only once have I been able to tell that the materials I submitted were actually reviewed by the person interviewing me. The most significant thing about that particular job and interview process was that they never requested a portfolio, but they still looked at the one linked in my resume.

I had two interviews, each of which was performed by different supervisors. They both made references to this Beyond Discovery Coaching Post: 5 reasons Why College Students Should Take A Mental Health Day and to a post on my personal blog which also talked about mental health.

These particular posts were the most relevant to the job position as it was an internship with a health creative agency. From the beginning of the hiring process, I felt valued by the organization because they themselves were personally invested and interested in me.

I had a great opportunity to work as a copywriting intern this summer and even as the internship came to a close, many people in the company were willing to help me progress in my career even if it could not be with them.

2. You Have True Dialogue During The Interview Process

If they aren’t trying to have a dialogue with you, they probably don’t care. Stock questions, where all you do is answer the question then move on to the next without any actual conversation is not a great sign.

Yes it’s an interview, there will be lots of questions but if there is no flow of conversation, no diving deeper into an answer, then that person doesn’t care. The person who interviews you may not be the same person who you actually report to, but they will still show you a lot about the culture of the company.

This is especially true if they are not responsive or engaged when you ask them questions about the company or position. If you’re unsure what questions you should be asking to help this process along, check out these two blog posts:

5 Questions Job Seekers Should Ask Employers During Interviews

10 Perfect Questions For Young Professionals To Ask An Interviewer

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3. Doesn’t Balk At Salary/Pay Conversations

Clear expectations should be set by both sides when it comes to pay and benefits. Just because a listing says or number or they throw a number out at you during the interview does not mean that is your only option.

Salary discussions and negotiations are a normal part of the job process.

Do not be bullied into taking less than the work is valued and if they try to push you one way or shut you down, they do not care about you or the value you may bring. This is not to say negotiations will always get you more. That number may be all that the company can do, but they should still be open to actually discussing the issue and not refuse to have any conversation about pay. You should not accept a job offer without knowing the details of what they are paying and how that is determined.

For many of you, myself included, salary negotiations are one of the more intimidating parts of the job process. Here are some great tips: How To Negotiate Your Salary (Tips and Examples)

4. Willing To Discuss Accommodations

When applying to jobs, likely you will get the chance to disclose indicated a disability. If you need accommodations, that needs to be a discussion from the beginning. If they don’t want to talk about it, they push it off or you get a sense it’s not important to them- red flag! Ideally, to make sure that your needs can be met and the job be performed to the necessary standard, this conversation should happen during the interview.

5. Opportunities For Personal And Professional Development

When you enter any job, you should not be in the same skill level after you’ve been there for several months or years. A job that values you and your career will have pathways for personal and professional development. This is something you should ask about during interviews. If they have ways for you to improve upon your skills and advance within the company then they value you.

Companies that fear you will leave after developing better skills and so do not provide them are only concerned about their bottom line. If a company is treating its employees right and giving them the ability to learn and grow within that environment, then they won’t want to leave.

PRO TIP: Download our Professional Development Plan eBook. This eBook includes tips, tricks and templates to get you started in building a successful Professional Development Plan.

6. Open About The Company/Team And How They Function

Naturally you should always be curious about how a company and/or the team you will work with functions. This should be one of the easier conversations to have during your interviews, but is also an important topic to watch for red flags. If the answers you get are vague or your questions are dodged, there may be potential problems. No matter the topic, transparency and honesty is what you are looking for. If they have problems that they are actively looking to find solutions for then they should make those known.

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Meet The Writer!

Hi! I’m Madeline Jefferson. I am a freelance writer, editor, and designer who has a wide breadth of experience and knowledge on many subjects including: fiction writing, religion, law, politics, history, literature, chronic illness, and mental health. I have a B.A. in Religion and Middle Eastern Studies from Washington and Lee University. As a freelancer I offer services such as: blog writing, copywriting, ghostwriting, manuscript editing, and print and digital design. You can find me on: LinkedIn; Twitter, Instagram; and on my website: https://www.madelinejefferson.com/.

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6 Powerful Signs That The Boss Interviewing You Will Care About Your Career