A job interview can be stressful, especially when it’s for a job you really want. After all the preparation, you make it through the interview. Chances are, before you even get into the car to head home, you start thinking about it…replaying the entire interview in your head, trying to decide if it went well or not.
Before you spend the following hours…days…weeks worrying about it, take into consideration the following signs that the interview went well. While these signs don’t guarantee that you will get the job, they do show that the interviewer was interested and could be considering making you an offer.
Chances are good that the interview went well if the interviewer:
Seemed genuinely interested in the questions you asked. If an interviewer is interested in hiring you, they are going to do their best to answer your questions thoughtfully and positively. Good employees can be difficult to come by, and if they recognize that you are a good candidate during the interview, they are going to do their best to keep you interested in the job.
Carried on a warm conversation, and asked personal questions about you and your experience. If so, it’s a good sign. They enjoyed talking to you, wanted to get to know a little more about you, and were trying to connect with you on a more personal level. Any information that is not critical to the job itself, such as where you’re from or other friendly small talk, can be taken positively (as long as they are not breaking any laws by asking questions such as your marital status, or about a disability. You do not have to give that information during the interview).
Introduced you to other employees. If an interviewer is really impressed with you during the interview, they may decide to introduce you to others within the company- whether it be other managers, or employees who you would be working with if you were hired. This enables the interviewer to get others’ opinions about you, and is a good sign that they consider you someone who may be worth hiring,
Asked how soon you could start. If they’re asking you about starting, they are genuinely interested in hiring you. Even if they bring up the topic of where they are in their search process, or give you a timeline for the rest of their search, take it as a positive sign. If they were absolutely not interested in hiring you, they wouldn’t likely bring this up during the interview.
Checked your references after the interview. Ask your references to let you know if they are contacted by a potential employer who is asking about you. If an employer is checking your references, they are serious about making you an offer and are most likely nearing the end of the search process.
Followed up with a call or email. Whether it’s to ask for more information, see how you feel about the position, or just to thank you for your time, if an interviewer goes to the trouble to get in touch after the interview, it’s a sure sign that they are considering you as one of the final candidates and want to keep you interested in the job.
Most of the time, when you leave an interview you have a general feeling about how it went. If you felt confident and comfortable in your responses to the questions you were asked and your ability to perform the job requirements, it’s a sign that the interview went well. If you had trouble answering questions, or didn’t feel that you really connected with the interviewer, then the interview may not have gone as well. However, there are many factors going into any hiring process, and you really never know what an interviewer is going to do or what the final decision will be until you get the call- or don’t get the call- offering you the job.
After each interview, take a little bit of time to review how it went and identify the positive and negative aspects. Even if you don’t get the job, this will help you learn from each interview and will better prepare you for the next one.
