How to get a hovering boss off your back

Q: I have a micromanaging boss who has trouble with trust and who is wearing me out. He gives me a job to do, tells me how to do it, repeats himself, and then checks to see if I've done it. Later, when I hand it to him, he's already done it for me. What's with this guy? How can I get him to back off?

A: There's no telling what motivates your boss to badger you about your work. And there's no telling what you may or may not be doing to encourage his behavior. Most hands-on managers repeat their requests and end up doing work they've delegated because they don't trust others to get the job done. If you want your boss to back off, you'll need to prove that you are trustworthy by his definition, not yours.

That means to work according to his preferences. If he repeats himself when he asks you to do something, he thinks you don't get it. So tell him what he told you along with your agreement to get the job done as he has requested. Then, keep your word. When you do this consistently and over time, he'll see you as dependable, he'll trust you without hovering, he won't do the work for you, and he'll stop micromanaging.

Q: I have an interview soon. I haven't worked in a while so I'm pretty jittery about the whole thing. For example, how do I handle the question about why I'm out of work? And what do I say if they want to contact my former employer?

A: Set aside worries and focus on intentions. The employer's aim is to select the best candidate for the job. Your goal is to be the best candidate for the job. Make your case by describing what you do best, specific examples of when you've done it and how it benefits the people for whom you have worked. If you're asked what happened at your last job, tell the truth succinctly. If you were laid off because of business conditions, say so. If you were terminated because of something you did, say so and explain what you learned from the experience. If the prospective company wants to check references, give your permission.

About those worries: if you're concerned what references will say, call them. Describe the job opportunity, why you think you'd be a good match, and thank them for whatever support they can provide.

Q: I've been sending out résumés right and left and I'm not getting any responses. I can't prove it but I think it's because my past employer is bad-mouthing me. What can I do to make him stop?

A: Your past employer isn't the problem unless your termination was the lead story on the news. The likely culprit is that résumé you've been sending out right and left. Keep it on the straight and narrow by using keywords from the advertisement in your objective or career summary and in the body of your résumé. Stay under two pages, use 12-point type and use wide margins.

Joyce Richman is a career coach, leadership development consultant, and author of "Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job" and "Roads, Routes & Ruts: A Guidebook for Career Success". You can read her blog at www.richmanresources.com or call 3P Career at (540) 989-0046.