top of page

7 Questions to Ask Your New Supervisor


As someone new in a company, expect there will be a lot of performance reviews with your new supervisor. The performance review meeting should be a two-way conversation to understand and boost employee performance. But all too often, the discussion often ends with a sigh of relief, and crucial concerns are not in the topic of discussion.


The key to a successful performance review lies in the questions that make up the performance review. Asking the right questions lets you figure out the right areas for improvements and gain deeper insights into your boss's expectations.


Here are some best questions to ask your supervisor and get the most out of your performance review.


1. How frequently do you prefer to hold a conversation?

Ideally, you and your supervisor should be on the same page; perhaps you both prefer to have an alignment once a day or give more in-depth updates once a week. However, if you and your boss have different working styles, it is your responsibility to adjust to your boss, not the other way around.


That's why it's crucial to figure out how often they want to communicate right away.


2. What would you like to see me accomplish in the first week, month, and three months?

It might need some adjustment regarding this schedule, depending on the length of your contract. The most crucial aspect, though, will remain the same: recognizing your supervisor's top priorities for you.


The answer to this question will help you decide what should be your top priority and what should be put on hold.


3. Have I met the expectations you had for me?

One of the main goals of a performance review is to get honest criticism of your work, both positive and negative. By asking this question, you will learn which aspects of your work are good and which areas need improvement.


The initial response to your inquiry will be either a simple yes or no, followed by a lengthy explanation of why they stated what they said. You can anticipate accolades if you answer yes. If the response is no, you should expect suggestions for areas where you might improve.


4. How do you measure my progress?

This question helps you better understand what criteria your boss uses to evaluate your performance in addition to your set KPIs. You can use the precise criteria to measure your performance and develop yourself if you know what they are.


What to expect here is your quality of deliverables, job knowledge, or feedback from other team members, among other things, could be the answers to this question. Feedback reports, progress charts, and personal notes are all examples of this. Remember to inquire about these criteria from the standard and how you may improve it.


5. What are the technical skills I should improve?

Asking this question demonstrates to your boss that you are serious about improving yourself. If you have particular expertise in mind, mention that as well. Then, you can determine whether or not that talent is indeed required for your job.


Honesty is what you can expect. Brutal honesty. This question encourages your boss to discuss the abilities required for success in this position and indicates whether you have a future with the organization. If your boss believes you have a bright future with the company and an opportunity to rise, they will offer you resources to help you succeed.


6. How can I improve [specific technical skill]?

This tip is a follow-up question to the one that came before. If you're wise, you'll take advantage of this opportunity to get as much feedback and guidance from your boss as possible.


To get the most out of your manager's experience, make a list of the significant insights and keep asking follow-up questions.


7. How would you like to receive feedback from me?

Whatever you do, you will not always agree with your boss. But you don't have to sit there fuming—as long as you know how to express your dissatisfaction adequately.


To avoid a future dispute, find out how your boss prefers to receive feedback. If you follow their rules, whether that means scheduling a one-on-one meeting rather than catching them off guard in a hallway conversation or summarizing your thoughts in an email, you'll get a much better response.


You'll have much more preparation on what to ask for what you need once you know how to provide constructive feedback: It'sIt's critical to be able to feel comfortable making requests, whether you want more frequent deadline updates, regular one-on-one time, or faster project decision-making.


Try these tips and have better growth in your new company. Then, learn more advice for any self-development topics and consult with us! Also, follow us at Instagram @baikgp and @ayureadypodcast for more information and extra insights!

bottom of page