Six Questions To Ask In The Interview To Avoid Any Surprises on Your First Day On The Job

By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter

Originally published on Forbes.com

Marty was a hiring manager I coached who left to join a new firm. Not long after he started, he called me sounding like he was ready to cry.

“I made a terrible mistake taking this job. I took over a program for my firm and didn’t know that at the time I took it over, 80% of the money budgeted had already been spent, but only 20% of the work had been completed. The guy who previously headed it quit and is heading elsewhere.”

“I’m ‘the fall guy’ for the failure.”

Too often, when people start new jobs, they ask their new boss or manager little more than “Tell me about the job” in the interview. As a result, a new hire is walking in blind to the expectations of their new boss has.

Instead, here are a few questions you should ask in order to get a better feel for your potential new role.

1. ‘Let’s say you hire me and I come on board. What would your expectations be for the first 30, 60 and 90 days after I join?’

Start by getting right down to the point. What will you actually be doing once you join and how will they measure your success? This allows you…