Signs That Your Interview Went Well
You just wrapped up an interview for a job you’re excited about. Do you think it worked out well? But wait, did it?
Now that you’ve got the opportunity to calmly take a breath and reflect on that discussion, the confusion and self-doubt have kicked in. You’re biting your nails and overanalyzing each answer, random comment, and look, looking for pieces of information about whether or not you can expect a second interview.
You’re not alone—we all have been there. The pursuit of employment is loaded up with a great deal of uncertainty, and there’s no surefire approach to getting inside your interviewer’s head. Luckily, there are a couple of signs that show your interview went well.
Signs That Your Interview Went Well
Your interview ran longer than scheduled
Your meeting was booked for thirty minutes, yet it was more like 45 minutes or an hour before your discussion wrapped up. Chances are, your interviewer is interested in you and was engaged with the information you were giving. Employers are occupied, and will not waste time talking further with an applicant who they aren’t keen on.
An interviewer who talks with you longer than the designated time is intrigued by your potential. Taking extra valuable time from their day to discuss your skills and work experience says a lot about their commitment to recruiting you.
Your interviewer’s body language cues were positive
Nonverbal communication—especially body language—carries a ton of weight. Pay close attention to how the interviewer reacts during the meeting. After you’ve answered a question, do they give you a positive, nonpartisan, or negative reaction? An enthusiastic interviewer can mean they’re excited about the possibility of recruiting a strong applicant, like you. These signs can be both verbal and non-verbal communication.
Here are some examples of positive body language:
- Nodding due to understanding or in agreement
- Focus and interest in the discussion
- Eye contact
- Engaged with what you are saying
- Smiling
- Leaning forward when you say something interesting
When you get responses from the interviewer like “That’s an excellent answer”, “That skill could be very useful for an employee in our company” or “You would bring a lot of experience to this position”
While these kinds of signs can be more difficult to pick up in a video interview, there are a couple of things you can look out for. For instance, it is a good sign if your interviewer makes frequent eye contact with their camera and sits upright instead of drooping in their seat.
Your conversation flowed naturally
While this is not easy to remember when your nerves are running high, interviews are just human-to-human discussions. If your interaction flowed more like a conversation and less like a cross-examination, that is a positive sign. Polite casual chitchat shows that the interviewer was not only keen on you but he or she felt comfortable around you.
It’s normal to feel restless before an interview, however, if the conversation flowed smoothly all through once you arrived, you’re likely to get a job offer. Hiring managers value interpersonal skills and an interviewer with whom you believe you have developed a rapport would by the end of the interview remember you favorably.
Just be aware that some organizations conduct extremely organized interviews with setlists of questions asked in a certain order, so don’t get discouraged if your interviewer seemed to stick to the script.
You were asked follow-up questions
Intrigued interviewers will dive further into your answers with related questions. Pressing you for extra details is a good sign, regardless of whether it feels a little intimating or scary at the time. Remember, however, that if they’re restating the same question they previously asked, it very well may be an indication that you’re not giving sufficient information in your initial answer.
They want you to meet other team members
If you’re asked to meet with other colleagues who weren’t initially booked or you’re asked to meet with their boss that is a solid indicator that they are excited about you. Most likely, they want to advocate that you’re the ideal fit and ensure that the approval process moves quickly by having other stakeholders meet you.
You’re introduced to different people
A hiring manager taking out time to acquaint you with various team members is an incredible sign that they were impressed with you during the interview. There’s no compelling reason to introduce individuals that certainly aren’t landing the position. Meeting a couple of people from the organization, either during the meeting or after, is the initial step in bringing you on board as an employee.
Your interviewer “sold” you on the job and the company
It’s easy to forget that interviews should go both ways, however, they do. The employer is assessing if you’re a good match for the job and the organization, and you’re gathering more information to know whether this is a place you’d like to work.
When a hiring manager decides you’re an ideal employee, the tone of a meeting may move from accessing your capacities to selling you on the job. This doesn’t imply that they’ve offered you the job opportunity yet. Selling you the job implies that when they offer the job opportunity, you’ll be enticed to take it, and this process can be subtle often.
In light of that, if your interviewer is actively selling you the job—by promoting things like growth opportunities, the company’s culture, accolades, perks, etc.—that is a sign they want you to get excited about the position. Also, take note if they are trying to get information about your job search and if you’re interviewing with other organizations. They could be contemplating how competitive of an offer they need to make.
Selling you on the job could mean:
- Describing your daily activities
- Telling you about the benefits package
- Going into details about company perks
- Highlighting company culture
Your interviewer gave you a timeline for subsequent steps
Getting to this interview is no joking matter, but at the same time, it’s only one step in the hiring process. If your interviewer went into details on the hiring timetable and what you could expect to happen next, that means they’re interested and want you to be in the know on what’s coming up.
Not only is this a good sign about your candidacy, but it also says a lot about your prospective employer. It’s proof that they have a clear and coordinated interview process and value transparency.
Your follow-up email got a quick response
When you send a thank-you note after your interview, and you get a message almost immediately to thank you for your time and to tell you that they’ll be in touch soon, a quick reply is a confirmation that you’re a top applicant and they want to keep you up to date with the hiring process. Even better than that, there was an email about subsequent steps in your inbox before you even got an opportunity to press “send” on your thank you note.
The interview gives you an office tour
A hiring manager giving you a tour of the workplace is another example of them taking time to prepare you. A tour in which you meet co-workers, and see the space you could be working is a lot of effort to extend for a candidate they’re not planning to recruit. This could be a good sign that they’re happy with the interview and need you to get comfortable with the environment.
Exchanging contact information
At the end of the interview, the hiring manager may supply their business card or general contact information and this is a good sign that the interview worked out well. There’s no reason to give you the means to get in touch with them if they don’t consider you’re qualified for the position. Use the interviewer’s contact details, respectfully. Consider reaching out with a follow-up and thanking them for setting out a time to meet with you. A professional follow-up call or email has the potential to get you the job.