ASK HR: Some bosses are from hades, so are some employees…

Q. I resigned from my job last year because I had a horrible boss who made my stay a living hell, which is unfortunate because I loved what I was doing.

One of my former colleagues informed me a few weeks ago that there’s a new manager in that department.

I want my old job back, how do I go about it?

Some bosses have the ability and inclination to foster positive working relationships with their direct reports and to cultivate a conducive environment for performance and growth while others would seem to go out of their way to breed misery for their teams.

Of course, just as some bosses are immigrants from hades, so are some employees.

Are you the only one who had poor chemistry with your former boss or did most of your colleagues share in your torment?

Did your former boss singlehandedly contribute to the poor relationship?

Organisations that appreciate and take advantage of how critical line managers foster engagement within their teams are bound to experience lower rates of regrettable staff losses and positive impact on business performance.

Bad bosses undermine an organisation’s bottom line.

Assuming that the position you held has not been taken up by someone else, have you considered enquiring from your former HR colleagues whether they are in the process of filling the position?

Would they be amenable to including you in the list of candidates for the position in case the new manager has requested for a fresh recruitment exercise?

Would your former colleagues be willing to intercede on your behalf and give an enviable account of your suitability to the new manager, based on your track record?

 If there are plans to fill your position, consider making an appointment to meet the new manager to put your case across.

It is likely the new manager will speak to the team and HR about you before acceding to a meeting request and you therefore need to be certain that a positive report precedes you.

Expect one or two questions concerning why you threw in the towel, the lessons you have drawn from your poor experience and what you would do differently if granted a second chance.

It would be detrimental to be seen as a character colonised by ego or one who is unable to persevere difficult circumstances or personalities, as there are chances you will find another special boss somewhere along your career.