Clues that you've aced the interview!

Getting to the interview stage can already feel like a big win in your job search, but often walking out of the interview it’s hard to judge how it went. Many people tell us they don’t always remember what they said, even those who get the role.

So how can you tell if the interview was a success?

Your recruiter will be able to call you with specific feedback after they talk to the interviewer, but in the meantime there are a few ways to tell if your interview went well.

Fortunately, there are a few signs that indicate you knocked your interview out of the park (and conversely, there are some clues you can pick up on if it didn’t go so well). As with everything, these are guides and insights but in reality you can never really tell until you get feedback.

Here are some signs that you might have aced it!

Your Interview Ran Longer Than Scheduled

If your interview went on for much longer than it was scheduled for chances are that your interviewer was interested in you and was highly engaged in the information you were providing and you had a good rapport. That is encouraging.

Body Language Cues Were Positive

Nonverbal communication, particularly body language, can be very insightful. Does the interviewer seem engaged with what you’re saying? Are they leaning forward when you say something particularly incisive? 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 out for. For example, it’s a good thing if your interviewer makes frequent eye contact with their camera and sits upright rather than slumped in their chair. Perhaps they are nodding when you are speaking and smiling when you talk about your experience? If so, then all good. Are they mirroring your posture?

Conversation rather than a question/answer session

While this is easy to forget when your nerves are running high, interviews are really conversations to find out about you (and you the role) and see whether your experience is a good fit and whether the organisation is right for you. Your interaction should flow more like a natural discussion and less like an interrogation shows that you are engaging in a positive dialogue rather than a routine question/answer session.

However, some companies conduct very structured interviews with set lists of questions asked in a certain order to satisfy diversity and inclusion criteria or abide by other company policies, so don’t get discouraged if your interviewer seems to stick to the script. Also some hiring managers involved in the interview process are not recruiters and may not understand or have the experience or skills required for an interview.

You are told what you would be doing in this role

By this, I mean that the interviewer says things like “In this role, you would be expected to…” as opposed to “The successful candidate would be expected to…”.

Following this, the interview went into great detail about the ins and outs of the role. This is one of the signs that they are already imagining you in this position, and now want you to get the full picture of the role and what it entails.

Questions

Interested interviewers will dig deeper into your answers with related questions so think about whether they are asking follow-up questions that build well upon what you are saying? Pressing you for additional detail is a good sign, it shows (in its most basic form) that they want to know more. However, if they’re simply restating the same question they already asked, it could be a sign that you aren’t giving enough information in your initial answer or they feel they need you to clarify something and are giving you another chance to rectify a poor or perhaps misleading answer.

Your Interviewer “Sold” You on the Job and Company

Remember, the interview process is a two way conversation. The employer is evaluating if you’re a good match for the role and the company, and you’re collecting more information to see if this is a place you’d like to work.

With that in mind, if your interviewer is actively selling you on the job—by touting things like growth opportunities, perks, company culture, accolades, and more—that’s a sign they want to get you excited about the position. Similarly, take note if they ask about your job search and if you’re interviewing with other employers. They could be evaluating how competitive of an offer they need to make.

Generally speaking, an interviewer doing their best to entice you to join their company is usually a good sign.

Next Steps

Getting to this interview is a big deal, but it’s also just one step in the hiring process. If your interviewer went into detail about the hiring timeline and what you could expect to happen next, that means they’re interested and want you to be in the loop on what’s coming up.

Not only is this a good sign about your candidacy, but it also says a lot about that employer. It’s proof that they have a clear and organised interview process and value transparency for their applicants (and likely their employees too).

Remember, every single interview, whether it ran off the rails or went off without a hitch, is a chance to learn something. Try to take away some important learning from each interview, own your mistakes and celebrate your wins so you’ll be ready to make the most of whatever opportunity comes your way next in the future.

Find your next opportunity with Auxeris. Take a look at our current vacancies here.