9 Ways to Tell if a Job Interview Went Well
You might think about how the interview went and wonder what you could have done differently. You won’t know for sure if your interview went well until you hear back, but you can look for signs that it did. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most common signs that an employer might want to hire you. Tell if a Job Interview Went Well
There are 9 things to look for after a job interview.
If any of the following things happen at your interview, you may have made a good impression:
- Your talk went on for longer than you expected.
- You talked to more people than you had planned to.
- They are wondering when you can start.
- People say that you fit in well where you are.
- They ask if you want to look for other jobs.
- The person doing the interview seems happy.
- The team is talked about.
- At the end of the interview, they give details.
- The person who is interviewing you says they would like to talk to you again.
1. Your talk lasted longer than you expected.
If an interview goes longer than expected, it could mean that the person asking you questions was really interested in what you had to say. For example, it usually only takes about 30 minutes to finish the first phone or video interview. If the interviewer asks you questions that aren’t on the usual list, it could mean that they think you’re the best person for the job. Be ready to talk about your past jobs, skills that are relevant to the job, and experiences that show how you helped your past employers.
2. You talked to more people than you expected.
When you have a phone interview and then get a call to come in for a second interview, your potential employer will usually tell you a little bit about what to expect. They might tell you that you’ll meet with them and a few other people on their team. If you go there and end up meeting everyone they told you about, it’s probably because they wanted to see how you would fit in with the other people. But if they end up putting you in touch with people you didn’t talk about at first, it could mean that your credentials really impressed them.
3. They are asking when you can start.
It’s usually a good sign when the person interviewing you asks how soon you could start the job. This is especially true if it happens at the end of the interview because it shows that they liked you and might be thinking about hiring you.
They might ask, “How soon could you leave your current job?” How soon could you start working for us full-time? When an employer asks you questions like these, it could mean that they are thinking about hiring you and are starting to plan the next steps.
Be honest with them and tell them how long you have to give your current employer before you can start working for them. Always leave a job on the best possible terms.
4. They say you look like you belong.
If you are having a phone interview, it might be harder to tell how well the conversation is going. The way their faces change when they hear your answers doesn’t tell you what they are thinking. But you can count on their tone and what they say in response to what you say.
A recruiter might tell you that you seem perfect for the job. They might even tell you that they’re glad to have you because of your credentials. Your interviewer might tell you that they are sending your resume to their boss or that you should talk to the next person in the hiring process.
Even though they give the person in charge of hiring their notes, the person in charge of hiring makes the final decision. If they talk about what will happen next, it could mean that they want to hire someone right away.
5. They ask you if you’re considering other jobs.
Sometimes, hiring managers will ask how your job search is going or if you are talking to or interviewing with other companies. Often, the answer to this question will tell you how well your interview went. The hiring manager might be figuring out what offer to make you so that they don’t lose you to a competitor. They might also be trying to find out who their competitors are.
Most of the time, the timing of this question will tell you what it means for your chances. If your interviewer asks you this right away, it may be one of many questions they have planned. But if you hear this question at the end of the interview, it could mean that your interviewer is starting to see you as a member of their team and wants to know if they need to hire you quickly.
6. The person doing the interview seems happy.
If the person you’re interviewing seems happy, that could be a good sign that the interview is going well. This may be especially true if they keep that attitude as the meeting goes on, because they may be thinking that you could help their company. If they laugh or talk about personal things like hobbies, they might be trying to figure out what kind of person you are and how you would fit on the team.
When the interview moves away from standard questions and starts talking about why you should work for their company, that’s usually a good sign. It could mean that they want you to join the team and be excited about the job. They might start talking about the company’s benefits, like their retirement plans, vacation policies, gym memberships, health insurance, and more.
7. They discuss the team.
If the job interview has moved on from asking questions to describing the job in more detail, that could be a good sign. Your interviewer could start talking about the people on your team, the people you would be working closely with, or what everyone does on a typical day at work. If they tell you about your possible coworkers, it means they are starting to think about how you would fit into the company.
8. At the end of the interview, they give details.
Pay close attention to how the interview ends. If they tell you a range of dates at the end of the meeting, that’s when you can expect to hear from them. You might also learn more about the company itself at the end of your interview.
When you’re leaving an interview, it’s usually a good sign if you hear something like, “We loved meeting with you and want you to come back to meet the manager.” They might start naming people and what they do, which is usually a sign that they are already making plans. The hiring manager might tell you when and who will call you and give you a business card so you can follow up if that time frame passes.
If you haven’t heard anything by this date, it’s a good idea to send a follow-up email to remind the employer that you’re still interested in the job and that you’re qualified for it. Keeping in touch will show your interviewer that you’re still interested in the job and help them remember you as a good candidate.
9. The person interviewing you says that they want to talk to you again.
If they say they’d love to have you come back and meet more people, that’s a good sign that your job interview went well. The person interviewing you might ask when you can come back to meet the CEO or other important people in the company. If they tell you to come back in a week, it could mean that they need to make a decision soon.
