Updated September 2025
What’s the number one reason most people are unhappy at work – or decide to leave?
It’s not usually the workload, the pay, or even the company itself. It’s their boss.
A difficult manager can make even a dream role miserable, while a supportive leader can turn an ordinary job into something truly fulfilling. Yet when most people look for a new opportunity, they rarely stop to consider who they’ll actually be working for.
If you’re a Workamper, your supervisor can make or break your experience. Here’s how to research, ask questions, and evaluate your next manager before you roll into the job.
Tips for Investigating Your Next Workamper Supervisor
Know What You Want
Start by identifying what kind of supervisor you work best with. Everyone thrives under different management styles. Think about whether you prefer someone who is:
- Active or hands-off
- Business-like or casual
- People-focused or task-focused
- Hands-on (does the same work) or delegates tasks
- Detail-oriented or goal-oriented
Good managers are clear communicators who support their team, provide feedback, and treat people consistently. Knowing your own preferences helps you find a better match.
Do Your Research
Prior to your interview, review the companies website and read online reviews to get an idea of what it is like there and how satisfied customers are. Poor ratings overall could very well indicate a management problem.
Review the Employer Profiles at Workamper.com where Workampers can post a review about their experience working for a specific employer. Workampers can search a company name or location to see if there are any existing profiles, and if not, create a new business entry and leave their review.
Take reviews and ratings with a grain of salt, however. Just as managers have different styles, Workampers have different preferences; a good manager in one Workamper’s eyes may be awful in another’s.
One more way to connect with Workampers who are or did work for a specific Employer is by using the Workamper Member Map (available to Seeker and Pro members). Find the physical location of the Workamping opportunity you are researching on the map, and then contact any Workampers who are there to see if they happen to be working for that Employer.
When contacting a Workamper directly, ask who the manager was they worked for. A different manager is a whole new ball game.
You’ll get more useful and objective information if you ask specific questions related to your needs. Examples are:
- How far in advance did you know the work schedule for the week?
- How often was the owner/manager there? Did he/she delegate or do the same tasks?
- Were employees treated fairly and equally? Were they given regular feedback about how they were doing? How were problems handled?
- Was the manager flexible if an employee had special needs or circumstances?
When talking to other workers or the employer before the interview, besides finding out specifics of the job, pay attention to what they say that could indicate the atmosphere. Was the person who answered the phone helpful or curt? Was the employer willing to provide enough information? Can you talk to another Workamper working there?
Be Prepared for the Interview
In addition to all the other things you need to find out about the job itself and your RV site, prepare questions for your prospective supervisor. Ask about leadership style. How are things communicated if it is a large operation? What is the chain of command? Pay attention to tone changes or hesitations. If you aren’t interviewing with your supervisor, request to speak to that person as well, to get a feel for his/her personality.
You don’t want to “badmouth” a former employer, but if a situation developed with a previous employer that you’d like to avoid, provide a brief scenario and ask how it would be handled here if something similar came up.
Red Flags to Watch For
Some warning signs should make you pause before committing to a Workamping job:
- Unwillingness to talk about the job and answer your questions: A Workamper can spend a lot of time and money getting to a job. It is important that it be a match. On your part, you should know what you want and have focused questions and not waste a manager’s time.
- Lack of a job description: If the manager does not have a clear picture of what you are supposed to do, he/she may run his/her business the same way or have no clear idea when you show up.
- Unwillingness to provide or sign a written work agreement: This usually goes with along with the first two; if one and two haven’t happened, you can’t get a good written agreement.
Finding a job is similar to dating; the employer and potential employee are checking each other out to see if this is “the one.” At that time both are generally on their best behavior. If you have any misgivings during this “courtship” period, listen to your intuition; don’t make excuses. Poor behavior now (on either side) will likely get worse over time. The more times you talk to the employer the more likely you’ll get a true picture of his/her personality.
And finally, remember that it is you who are choosing this job and you will be the one spending your time working for this person, not the people you talked to. The information you obtained in your research is how others saw this person and may not be a good reflection of the experience you may have with them.
Put forth a little effort in your pre-employment investigation and decide if your next supervisor will be a good fit for you – you’ll be much more likely to have a great season.
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