7 Signs Youre Interviewing with a Bad Boss

7 Signs Youre Interviewing with a Bad Boss Difficult bosses make everything about work mora challenging. Some hover and dont feel comfortable relinquishing any control. Others are negative, have a temper, or are prone to outbursts.There are all kinds of badeanstalteanstalt bosses out there. If you can learn how to spot them during the interview process, you just might save yourself a world of trouble. Here are a few signs to watch out for1. They talk about themselves a lotTheres elendhing quite like a boss who needs to have their ego continuously stroked. If a boss seems more interested in talking about themselves than they are in asking about you, it could be a red flag, according to Sarah Dowzell, COO ofNatural HR.The best example of the inflated ego Ive come across was a candidate being told by the hiring manager that hed looked at his LinkedIn profile, and then he asked why this wasnt reciprocated, Dowzell toldFast Company. This rolle does not only have an inflated ego, but theyr e also needy. Who wants to work for a needy boss?2. They dont listen to youGood listeners make better employees, and they make better bosses, too. If the person youre interviewing with gets distracted and stops paying attention to what youre saying, it could be a bad sign. (It also could indicate that youre going on and on, so be careful.)Pay attention to how much attention youre paid during your interview. If your potential boss loses focus, it could be a sign that they dont value their employees opinions very much.3. They dont trust their employeesGregg Stocker, author ofAvoiding the Corporate Death Spiral, advises interviewees to ask about a companys problems, and their causes, during an interview. AtMonster, he says that if your potential future boss responds by blaming others, it could be a red flag. Its not easy to work for a boss whos always looking over your shoulder. Bosses who dont trust their employees tend to do that.4. Theyre inconsistent or contradict themselvesHave yo u ever worked for someone who tells you to do one thing one day and then changes their mind and has you do it entirely differently the next day? It can be really frustrating, not to mention demoralizing and just plain exhausting. If your potential new boss has tendencies toward these behaviors, you might see evidence of them during the interview. Take note if theyre changing their mind or contradicting themselves during your talk.5. They dont seem to really get itSome bosses understand the business better than others. Working for someone whos out of the loop is never easy.Things tend to run more smoothly when the person at the helm knows how to plot a course. So, pay attention to your potential new bosss understanding of the business during your interview. Dont just assume theyre an expert because theyre the boss.You want a manager whos flexible, yes. But, you dont want one whos in over their head and just trying to keep up with everything thats going on.6. You pick up on some negat ive emotionsIf youve ever worked for one whos unpredictable emotionally, you know how challenging it can be. So, be on the lookout for signs of anger, frustration, fear, or other negative emotional displays during your interview. If the new boss is willing to show you that side of their behavior already, you could be in for a lot worse further down the road.7. You feel terrible around themLeaders empowerthose around them, but bad bosses tend to do just the opposite. They might demand too much of your time while never showing appreciation. Or maybe they shoot down all of your ideas just to feel a little better about themselves and their abilities.In short, good bosses make you feel good and bad bosses make you feel bad. So, pay attention to how this boss makes you feel during your interview. First impressions can be misleading, but you might also have a knowing sense about this person deep down.Listen to your instincts. If you walk away from the interview feeling emotionally or menta lly drained, or just kind of icky, its a bad sign.This article originally appeared on PayScale.