12 Signs Of A Good Job Interview
Publié le 23 October 2023
Walk out feeling confident after speaking with a hiring manager by knowing the 12 signs of a good job interview.
You’re hunting for a new job and you finally found one that excites you. You submit your application, get a call from the hiring manager, and schedule an interview.
You complete the interview and think it went well, but now—you wait.
Truth is, the waiting period after the job interview can feel much more nerve-wracking than the interview itself. Especially for a job you desperately want. Research has found that the average interview process length in the US is 23.8 days—almost a month.
So while you’re waiting for good news, how do you know if an interview went well?
In this article, we’ll uncover 12 signs of a good job interview. Once you know what to look for, you’ll be able to feel confident in yourself while you wait to hear the good news.
How to Tell if a Job Interview Went Well: 12 Signs
According to Zippia, every person hunting for a job has roughly a 26% chance of receiving an offer. The more job applications you submit, the higher those chances become.
Alt text: Zippia research showing interviews received by applications sent
And it can take 20-40 days after an interview to receive that offer.
So if you’re wondering how to tell if an interview went well, look no further. Here are 12 signs of a good interview and why they matter.
1. The Interview Lasted Longer than Expected
Your interview running longer than planned is one of the most prominent signs a job interview went well. It means the interviewer had a major interest in you.
Interviewers and hiring managers are busy people with 8+ hour jobs, too—they don’t invest more time than they have to on candidates they’re not highly considering for the position.
2. You Were Introduced to Other Team Members
If the interviewer introduced you to other team members, that’s a positive sign of a good job interview.
Similar to the last point, hiring managers don’t take the time to introduce you to their team if they don’t see you as a potential part of it.
They want to see how you might mesh with your future coworkers, introduce you to your potential direct reports and any stakeholders that might be in the office, and demonstrate their interest in you.
3. They Give You Next Steps and a Timeline
One of the 12 signs of good job interview signs is if they outline the next steps of the hiring process at the end.
Usually, this entails receiving an email or phone call to schedule another interview. If you’ve already been interviewed more than once, it might just be a follow-up call to let you know whether you received the position or not.
Another possible next step would be speaking to someone higher up the corporate level, such as the general manager.
Regardless, even being told that you’ll be given “next steps” is a sign your interview went well.
Bonus points if they give you a timeline, such as how long you can expect it to take before you hear from them.
4. The Interviewer Tried to Convince You How Great the Role and Company Are
If the interviewer tries to “sell” you the job position, it’s usually a sign that they’re so interested in you that they want to ensure you choose them over another company. They want to meet your expectations so that you don’t consider other job offers.
It’s also not unusual to be asked questions like, “How’s your job search going?” or “Are you interviewing anywhere else?”. These are more signs of a good interview.
Take these questions as good signs in an interview. Instead of you trying to prove your worth to the company, the company is now trying to prove its worth to you.
5. They Asked About Your Availability
Being asked for your availability is one of the best signs an interview went well.
The interviewer might ask which type of shifts you prefer to work, or if you have any conflicts with the current availability the role requires.
It could also mean the interviewer wants to know when you’d be available to start. This is almost always a positive sign.
Finally, they might also ask when you’d be available to come in for another interview with managers. If they try to get you to agree on a date and time before you leave, this is an even better sign. It shows they’re eager to talk to you again and are highly considering you for the role.
6. The Interview Felt High-Energy and Natural
If you’re looking for good signs in a job interview, pay attention to the energy, tone of voice, and body language of the interviewer.
If the interviewer seemed relaxed, highly engaged, and natural, it’s a positive sign. The interview should feel like a natural conversation rather than a rigid test.
Conversely, you don’t want the interviewer to seem distracted, dry, or uninterested.
In the case of body language and energy, it’s typically safe to assume their level of interest in you as a candidate is equal to the interest they pour into the conversation.
7. They Ask If You’re Interested in Other Positions, Too
It’s not uncommon for interviewers to ask if you’d be interested in any of their other positions. It’s one of the best signs a job interview went well.
It means they see you as a valuable part of the team, even if not in the position you’re interviewing for.
This might happen if there’s another candidate they’re having a tough time choosing between for the role.
Or, the other mentioned positions might have better compensation, be a better fit for you after they’ve gotten to know you, provide advancement opportunities, or have a more urgent need to be filled.
For example, the interviewer might find you’re outstanding at building client relationships, so they suggest a more sales-focused position—where you’d be speaking with potential clients more—rather than a marketing-focused role.
Conversely, if they think you’re better at behind-the-scenes work like lead generation and conversion, they might suggest a marketing role over a sales role.
8. The Interviewer Asked You Lots of Follow-up Questions
While tons of questions might cause a bit of nervousness during an interview, they typically mean the interviewer is highly interested in you.
If they dig for deeper responses or ask questions about something specific on your resume, you’ve piqued their interest. Now, they want to know more.
It goes back to the idea that interviewers won’t waste time on people they don’t see potential in. So take follow-up questions as a positive sign!
9. You Received a Fast Response to Your Follow-up Email
If you’re trying to figure out how to know if a job interview went well, look no further than response time to your follow-up email.
Quick responses are typically always signs that your interview went well. The hiring manager wants to keep you interested and is eager to take the next steps with you.
Research from Indeed has found that 44% of candidates receive feedback within a few weeks of the interview on average. 37% get it within a week, and only 4% within a day.
Thanks to online tools, you can also use email trackers that notify you when a recipient opens your email. It also does this discretely, so no one knows you’re using email tracking.
10. They Sent You a Follow-up Email (or Call)
Want to know an even better way to tell if an interview went well? The interviewer or hiring manager emails (or calls) you to follow up.
If the company takes the initiative to follow up with you before you reach out to them, it’s a positive sign. They took time out of their busy days to contact you, usually in an attempt to keep your interest until they can meet with you again. This is a great sign of a good job interview.
11. They Talk as if You’re Already Part of the Team
Using language like “when you join our team,” or “as part of our team,” is always a big hint that you’ve aced the interview.
If the interviewer is using “when” instead of “if” language, they’re usually trying to get you excited about the position and hint that you’ve got the job. Or at least, an insanely high chance of getting it.
Introducing you to other team members, explaining systems and processes, giving you the name of your future direct report, and the like are also green flags.
This might also entail asking you to take an assessment.
Many companies now ask employees to complete assessments or quizzes that demonstrate their personality type.
These usually aren’t right-or-wrong-answer assessments. Instead, they’re a way for your higher-ups and the people you’ll interact with daily to get to know you better, including your strengths and weaknesses.
12. The Interviewer Talks About Potential Career Advancements
Discussing career advancement opportunities the role brings is a way for the interviewer to get you excited about the job. It’s another part of “selling” you the position and is a positive sign.
They want you to recognize every benefit of taking the position and are trying to prove that it would be excellent for your future. Of course, it’s also a way for them to determine whether or not you see yourself staying in the industry and continuing to develop and grow within the company.
Conclusion
So, how do you know if an interview went well? With these 12 signs of a good interview, you can make a well-informed guess as to whether you aced or not.
Of course, you won’t ever know for sure until you get the call back. But positive interview signs will help you make a safe bet.
