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Did you nail your job interview, or will it be "Thanks, but no thanks?"
You walk out of the interview room, close the door behind you and let out a sigh of relief. It's over. You answered all the questions, figuratively ticked all the boxes, and sold yourself as best you could.
The interviewer or hiring manager said that they will be in touch next week, so now it's a waiting game. In the meantime, how can you tell if you've got a fighting chance? If the suspense is killing you already, check out these six signs that your job interview went well.
1. The conversation flowed
Were you chin-wagging away by the end of the interview? If the conversation felt natural and friendly, that's a good sign that the interview went well. During a job interview, the majority of the talking will be about business (e.g. the role, your background, and your qualifications), and the potential employer will have the same list of questions that they use for every candidate who walks through the door. It's a formal affair.
However, if things are going well and the interviewer or hiring manager thinks you could be "the one," the conversation may take a casual turn. Remember: landing the role isn't merely about being able to do the job ‒ it's also about how you will fit into the workplace and whether you align with the company culture. Put simply, it's about personality too. If the interviewer starts to talk to you in an informal way during the hiring process, they are trying to get to know you better.
2. The interviewer used "when," not "if"
Naturally, when an interviewer is speaking to a candidate, they don't want to give any false promises. For that reason, you will find that many hiring managers or interviewers use vague terminology such as "if you get the job" or "the candidate who gets the role." However, if the job interview is going swimmingly, the interviewer may give you hints by subconsciously changing their word choice.
For example, should the person interviewing you start saying phrases like "when you start" or "you will be working in X department," it could be a good sign that things are going well. It's a subtle change, but this shift in conversation style may indicate that they have ear-marked you as one of the leading candidates.
3. The interviewer gave you positive affirmations
When you're answering interview questions, such as "Tell me about yourself," you might be so focused on getting things right that you fail to pay attention to the interviewer. Don't make that mistake. The way that they respond to each of your answers could give you insight into how you're doing. For instance, if the interviewer nods, smiles, or gives you other forms of positive affirmation, that's a great sign of a successful interview. Take the time to notice how they react to you.
4. You were introduced to the team
Before the interview was done, did the interviewer whisk you into the main office to meet the team? Let's face it, introducing every candidate to the rest of the workforce is a waste of time. Interviewers only tend to do this if they believe you are one of the leading candidates or are intending to hire you.
Equally, they may call other team members into the room to speak to you or simply say hello. Either way, if the interviewer introduces the team during the hiring process, it means that you have a good shot at landing the role.
5. The interviewer sold you the job
How did the interviewer or hiring manager speak about the role? During the interview process, they would have told you what the main duties of the job would be and maybe some extra details. But if the interviewer speaks highly of the job and tries to sell it to you, chances are that the interview is going well.
Don't forget that an interview is a two-way street. You have the chance to determine whether this role and company are right for you.
So, should the interviewer decide that you're a stellar candidate, they're going to want you to accept a job offer. That means that they will tell you about the job and likely accentuate why it's a great position. If you hear things like, "there's room to progress in this role," or "you will learn loads of skills with this job," that likely means that the interviewer wants you to take the position.
6. You talked about salary expectations
Money is a complicated issue. If the salary wasn't listed on the job posting, the interview gives you a chance to delve into this subject matter.
The interviewer may state the salary of the position and ask about your salary expectations, but this will probably only happen if they're truly interested in you; if the topic comes up, the fact that you're discussing it can only be a positive sign. Opening this discussion is no small feat, and, frankly, an interviewer or hiring manager will avoid it if they are unlikely to hire the candidate in front of them.
Look for the signs of a good job interview
Did you notice any or all of the signs above? Whilst there's no surefire way to know what's on an interviewer's mind, these are a few signs that could reveal that the job interview went well.
From there, it's time to wait it out until you hear back. Good luck, and don't worry if these signs didn't pop up in your job interviews. There are plenty more fish in the sea! Keep your CV up to date and carry on applying until you find other job opportunities and the perfect fit.
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