How Do You Know If Your Job Interview Went Well?

Imagine the scenario; you’ve been for a job interview which you think went well. You liked the company, and can see where the role will progress in the next three to five years, but how do you know if the interview went well? Are there any signs that will help you decide whether your job interview was a success?

Why You Need to Know

Too often over the last few years, I’ve met candidates who’ve had a couple of interviews are convinced the job is theirs. They stop interviewing at other companies and focus solely on preparation for their job interview. The problem, they never get invited for a second round.

If you’ve been for a job interview, you need to think about how it went. There is no point getting your hopes up for a job offer that you were never in the running for. Worse still, imagine if you’d turned down other job offers for a role where you weren’t in contention.

Job Interview Success

It’s straightforward to tell when an interview went badly. If you could not answer the interview questions or did not get on well with the hiring manager, you can safely say you didn’t get the job. Deciding if the interview went well is slightly more difficult, however, there are a few key pointers that you can use to determine how well your job interview went.

Remember, even if the interview went well and the recruiter liked you, you may still get rejected. A lot of “Finding A New Job” is luck and whether you’re in the right place at the right time. 

One Point

It’s important to be aware of how your job interview is going, but make sure that you’re not continuously thinking about whether your job interview is going well, or it could drive you crazy. Hiring managers want you to relax and show what you like as a natural person. If you’re always trying to make sure that your interview is going well, you’re likely to come across fake and unnatural.

Here’s How to Tell If Your Interview Went Well

While not full-proof and of course there will be exceptions, below I have tried to give you some clues that you can use to work out if your job interview went well.

  • Body Language – If the interviewer’s arms are open it could mean that they’re relaxed in your presence. Having the same body language could also mean that you’re synced together and therefore will work well with each other.
  • Interviewers Presence – What did the interviewer look like? We can all give that “I am bored” look. Taking phone calls, and generally not paying attention to you or what your saying is not a good sign.
  • Interview Length – Typically my interviews will last between 45 minutes and one-hour, however, I can get this down to 25 minutes if I know the candidate is no use to me.
  • The Hiring Manager Starts to Sell You the Position – When I know someone is right for a role I will spend extra time explaining the advantages of the position and where it could lead to in the future.
  • You are Introduced Other Members of the Team or shown around the office. I would not waste my time doing this with someone I did not want to impress and therefore employ.
  • The Interviewer Spends a Lot of Time Answering Your Questions – Again another great sign that the interviewer is interested in you and wants to make sure that you understand the role and the company.
  • Your 2nd Interview Is Booked – This is a very common question; however, I think it’s a good sign when its asked by an employer as it shows that they are planning the interview schedule to which you’re included.
  • Your Salary Expectations are Discussed – Another very common question, however one that I think if time is taken to discuss the salary, package or benefits then is a good sign.
  • The Interviewer Gives You Their Business Card and says “Call Me with Any Questions’ – This shows the interviewer is interested in making sure you have all the answers to your questions. I would not give my business card to someone that I did not want to meet again.
  • You Have Discuss Personal Topics – Successful Interviews are primarily about making sure you have the right personality. If the interviewer starts talking about life or sharing jokes, then this is probably the best sign that you can have.
  • You Hear from Your References that the employer has called. Taking reference is time-consuming. Unless I’m serious about a candidate, I will not do this.

Follow Up

If you’re reading this and thinking back to your interview and the answer to many of the signs is “yes” then most likely you have done well. That said, there is still a chance you won’t be invited to interview again. In this case, lady-luck was against you, and you need to pick yourself up and keep going.

If you have answered “no” to most of these questions, most likely you will not be invited for another round of interviews or get the job. In this case, you need to step back and have a think about how you can improve yourself for the next job interview. Maybe you need to change your body language to come across as a friendlier person or perhaps you need to prepare more and ask better questions at your interview.

After the interview has finished, you can use your instincts to check on how well you think the interview went. You will most likely be correct with whatever your thinking. 

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Nick Jones

My name Nick Jones, I am a professional Head-Hunter with over 20 years of experience working all over the world. I specialise in out-of-the-box job search strategies to get your CV directly to the hiring manager, thus skipping any ATS portals or recruiters who think they're important.

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