Three Questions to Ask Your Interviewer

Taking the time to prepare for a job interview is one of the best ways to ensure you make a good impression on your interviewer. Practicing your answers to common interview questions helps you present yourself as a polished professional, but there is another way to improve your chances of getting a job. Think of several questions to ask your interviewer before your scheduled meeting. Asking questions helps you show enthusiasm and demonstrate your interest in the position.

Forbes writer Susan Adams suggests preparing several questions to ask your interviewer. She suggests asking how you stack up against the ideal candidate for the job. If the recruiter points out any shortcomings, address these in a follow-up note after the job interview. Asking this type of question emphasizes your willingness to identify and correct any deficiencies in your skill set, and it also shows the recruiter how much you want the job. The interviewer's answer could also help you determine if you need to take additional courses or brush up on skills you haven't used in several years.

Next, ask the interviewer what you will be expected to do during your first three months on the job if you are hired. The answer to this job interview question will help you determine if the employer has realistic expectations for its employees. If the recruiter says you will have to tackle two or three projects, there's a good bet you will be able to ease into the job and ask for help when needed. If the recruiter says you need to handle ten or fifteen big projects within a month or two, this is a sign the employer may expect too much from new employees. It might also indicate the company does not have enough employees to take care of everything that needs to be done.

Finally, ask the interviewer to explain how your performance will be measured. Formal interview programs tend to promote fairness, so the recruiter should be able to tell you about the performance evaluation process during your job interview. Some companies even have 360-degree feedback programs, which allow your peers and subordinates to submit feedback about your performance. If the interviewer cannot explain how employees are evaluated, you might want to consider other job opportunities. Without a formal performance evaluation system, employees have a hard time understanding what is expected of them or what changes need to be made in their performance.

If you have a job interview coming up, it is important to prepare several questions to ask during the interview. Demonstrate your interest in the company by asking how you compare to the ideal candidate, finding out what would be expected of you during your probationary period, and asking the interviewer to explain the company's performance evaluation process. This will help you make a good impression at your job interview so that you can move to the next step of the process.

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