Interviews are a big part of any job search, but no matter how many of them you’ve had, they’re always scary and tricky to maneuver. There are so many things you have to prepare for, such as the tricky salary expectations question, or what to do in case you’re caught in traffic and are running late — all before you even have the actual interview! And when it does come time for the interview itself, you’re super nervous and really want to make a good impression and suddenly you feel like you need to drink some water but you’re also worried that you might have to run to the bathroom in the middle of the interview and , but no matter how many of them you’ve had, they’re always scary and tricky to maneuver. There are so many things you have to prepare for, such as the tricky salary expectations question, or what to do in case you’re caught in traffic and are running late — all before you even have the actual interview! And when it does come time for the interview itself, you’re super nervous and really want to make a good impression and suddenly you feel like you need to drink some water but you’re also worried that you might have to run to the bathroom in the middle of the interview and aaah! It’s all so much!
However, it’s very important that you remain calm during your interview, no matter how badly you might be freaking out inside. In fact, you might be so nervous that you don’t even realize that the interview is actually going great! The next time you’re sitting across from an HR manager and panicking about whether or not they like you, see if you can spot any of these signs. If you can, then don’t worry, it’s all better than you might think!
The interview lasts longer than scheduled
HR managers are busy people who usually interview several people a day, which means they have to stick to fairly strict schedules. If your interview runs longer than your interviewer said it would, then that’s a really good sign. It means that they think you’re a great candidate and don’t mind spending more time with you, even if it means the rest of their schedule gets slightly delayed.
They ask you if you’re applying anywhere else
If your interviewer asks you if you’ve got any other interviews lined up, that’s a sign that they want to get an idea of how in demand you are and how fast they should move you to the next step of the hiring process. If they schedule a second interview by the end of your first one, then that means they really don’t want to lose you to a competitor.
They introduce you to other members of the team
As a potential employee, you don’t really have to meet anyone else at the company apart from the person (or people) interviewing you. However, if they take you by an executive’s office or introduces you to the rest of the team by name, then you can take that as a sign that the interview went well. They wouldn’t want to waste their colleagues’ valuable time if they didn’t think you were definitely a potential finalist for the role.
They display positive body language
Body language is a subtle but good way to tell if the interviewer is actually interested in you. If they’re leaning in to listen to you, smiling, and making lots of eye contact, that means they’re engaging with you and are really enjoying the conversation.
You aren’t nervous at all by the end
You can tell when you naturally (and quickly) develop a great rapport with the interviewer — you two are laughing and making jokes and you find yourselves talking about more than just the job. If the interviewer feels like an old friend to you by the end of the interview, then chances are, they’re thinking the same thing about you too. In addition to being a great professional candidate, they’re probably already regarding you as someone who would make a great colleague and friend to have as part of their team.