You just wrapped up a job interview for a role you’re excited about. You believe it went well. You felt excited immediately after the final thank you. But how well did it really go?
It is a version of Monday-Morning Quarter-Backing when you are searching your memory for clues about how well the interview went:
- conducting a post-game analysis on the interview
- analyzing every question and response
- searching for evidence about whether or not you can expect to move on to the next round or land the offer!
Where IS that crystal ball?
My clients always think I have the Fortune Teller gene that can help them know how well they did on their interviews. If only I did!
You can have confidence in my experience of having interviewed thousands of candidates. There are a few tell-tale signs that can help you feel more confident about your performance:
- Did your interview run longer than scheduled?
- Have they asked you to meet other team members?
- Do you observe positive body language?
Your Interview Ran Longer Than Scheduled
As a recruiter, if I felt the candidate was not a good fit after a few questions, I would wrap up the interview quickly. I didn’t want to waste my time or the candidate’s time.
On the other hand, if the potential candidate was confident, prepared, and answered my questions with ease, the scheduled interviewing time would likely go longer.
If you, the candidate, are not prepared and your responses are convoluted or confusing, that’s a sign that your work quality may not be straightforward or reliable either. Another reason for you to do a mock interview with me and be prepared with the concise responses an interviewer is looking for.
You were Asked to Meet Other Team Members
When you’re asked to meet with other team members who weren’t originally scheduled or you’re asked to meet with their boss, that’s a very strong indicator that they are excited about you and the prospect of your working with them. By meeting with others on the team, they can ensure that your approval process gets expedited.
This isn’t necessarily a common scenario, especially if your job interviews are taking place virtually. So if you only meet with your scheduled interviewer and no other team members, don’t take it as a bad sign.
Did the hiring manager mention wanting to introduce you to his/her boss or another decision maker? If you are interested in pursuing the position, hopefully you let the interviewer know your interest and provided your schedule.
If you didn’t provide your schedule during the interview and you want to encourage them to schedule interviews with additional team members, do it now in an email and speed up the process. This tells them that you are 1) interested in pursuing the position, 2) organized in your approach, and 3) diligent in scheduling your time.
Your Interviewer Showed Positive Body Language
Nonverbal communication –particularly body language– carries a lot of weight.
Did the recruiter seem engaged with what you’re saying?
Are he/she leaning forward when you said something particularly incisive?
Was he/she smiling?
Do their eyes have some spark in them?
While these types of cues can be more difficult to pick up on in a video interview, there are a few things you can look for. For example, it’s a good sign if your interviewer makes frequent eye contact with their camera and sits upright rather than slumped in their chair. Leaning into the camera and focusing on eye contact shows interest and engagement – for both of you.
Though you don’t have a crystal ball either, if you observe these tips, it can help you with your post-interview analysis and give you clues as to the next play you need to make in this ballgame.
In doing a mock interview with me, we will review all these tell-tale signs and help you feel confident in moving forward in the interview process.