In today’s job market, even landing an interview is a challenge, so when you do, the pressure can feel insurmountable. Interviewees are often filled with excitement, nerves, and sometimes even desperation.
After the interview, it’s easy to overthink everything you said and every answer you gave. Did you highlight your past experience enough? Did you come across as personable? Did they like you?
Employment expert and author of “Interviewology: The New Science of Interviewing,” Anna Papalia says there are a few indicators that make it clear you did well in your interview. Hopefully, these will allow you to feel some post-interview peace and quit any unhelpful rumination.
In this expert’s opinion, there’s one telltale sign that an interviewer is interested in you as a candidate: they revert to “pitching” you to the company instead of asking you questions or diving into your experience.
“Do they start selling you on the organization? Do they start telling you about all the benefits of working there?” she questioned. “If the recruiter or hiring manager moves into sales mode, that means they’re so impressed with you that they’re trying to sell you on working there.”
Especially for positions with hundreds of candidates, tons of interviews, and lots of interest, interviewers aren’t going to waste time selling you on the roll if they don’t genuinely see you as a good fit. The more time, energy, and engagement they share, the more likely you are to be at the top of their radar.
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Picture this: You’re wrapping up your interview with an HR representative. They catch a glimpse of the team’s boss or a star colleague and quickly invite them to say “hi!”
That’s a great sign! They likely enjoy the energy you’re bringing to the interview and want to get a hard start introducing you to the team and familiarizing you with your potential co-workers.
While most interviewers will wait until a second or even third meeting to discuss salary in-depth, harping on job goals or competing employers early on can be a great sign of an employer’s interest.
If they ask questions like “Are you interviewing anywhere else?” and “What are your salary expectations?” Papalia insisted, “You nailed the interview.”
After all, the answers to these questions only matter if they’re interested in pursuing you for the role.
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“If your interview was scheduled for an hour but it went an hour and a half or two hours, that is a great sign,” she asserted, adding that “just like in dating, in interviewing, if they respond to your emails quickly and are very quick to schedule the next interview, they are interested.”
They won’t spend the extra time on candidates they’re not interested in, and they surely won’t keep you waiting if you’re in high demand within the job market.
If not you’re seeing the above signs after a meeting, Papalia suggested spending time evaluating how you interview. “Get to know your interview style,” she advised. “Ask yourself, ‘Do I know how to answer interview questions like X, Y, and Z?’”
By preparing for common interview questions and researching the company’s expectations and values, you set yourself up for success, and ensure that the outcome is one that you’re elated with.
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Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
