6 Signs Your Job Interview Went Well
1. They give you a firm answer about when you’ll hear back.
This is not a foolproof indicator, but it’s a good one none the less. You don’t want to hear, “We’ll let you know.” You don’t want to have to ask, “When, exactly?” If they say, “I’ll have an answer for you on Monday morning,” that usually means they’ve made a decision. The decision might not be for you, but at least they’ve made a decision. This is sort of like a poker tell… if someone hasn’t made up their mind yet, they don’t really know how long it will take to do so, and thus are evasive about estimating how long it might take to make up their mind. If the interviewer gives you a vague answer, that might mean that there are plenty more interviews scheduled and your interview performance was not enough to make them cancel the others.
2. You covered topics beyond the job description.
A good interview is one where you handily answer all their questions, clearly demonstrate that you can meet all the job requirements, AND THEN start to discuss all the other things you can bring to the job. You win the job by using the interview to convince them that hiring you will bring them all sorts of additional dividends they didn’t even expect.
3. The interview went longer than scheduled.
This one is logical enough. If you’re in and out in a hurry, you might not have struck their fancy. But if you hang out for a while shooting the breeze (especially if you hit point number 4 below, that’s a good sign.
4. You discussed personal stuff.
This is maybe the best indicator. As I’ve said before, a job interview is largely about personality… even more so than skills or qualifications. If you start chatting away with the interviewer about this thing or that thing… if you’re sharing jokes and laughs, you’re probably home free. If you feel like the interviewer got to like you on a personal or professional level, that’s the best indication you can get.
5. The interviewer describes their frustration with the previous employee.
If the interviewer begins to talk about how poorly the last guy did in your position, then that’s a good indication that they’ve decided you can do a better job. If you find the interviewer comparing you favorably to previous or existing employees, then you’ve likely done a good job of selling yourself as qualified.
6. You begin plotting with the interviewer.
The best interviews I’ve ever had were the ones where we were already making plans for the things I would be doing once I started. I had not only sold myself, I had sold a game plan for the improvements I would be bringing to the position… and the interviewer had bought what I was selling. “I can’t wait for you to get started overhauling that inventory system. Do you think you might have any ideas for our shipping system as well?” That’s what you want to hear.
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