7 signs you’ll get the job after an interview

There’s usually a huge sense of relief once a job interview is over, but that feeling quickly subsides as you start trying to analyse your performance.

Instead of torturing yourself over every little detail, you’re better off looking for clues that everything went well. There are certain tell-tale signs you will get the job after an interview – look at the indicators of how you went and help relieve some of that your post-interview angst.

“If the interviewer details the next steps and asks about your availability to attend a second interview or complete online assessments then you should expect to hear from them again,” says Leah Lambart, a career consultant at Relaunch Me Lambart explains. “Sometimes they may even ask about your availability to attend a training session or team day before you commence the role.”

But those aren’t the only hints. There are many other subtle cues that tell you your interview went well. Leah Lambart, a career consultant at Relaunch Me, shares her expert knowledge on how to tell if your job interview went well.

Before that, watch this video on the key signs to look out for after an interview that can tell you if you’re likely to get the job.

Signs you’ll get the job after an interview

1. Body language

How did the hirer act toward you during the interview? If they were really engaged in the conversation that’s not, simply a sign that they’re a good interviewer – it means they’re seriously considering you for the role.

“If the interviewer believes that you may be the right candidate, they will tend to display positive body language such as leaning forward, smiling, maintaining eye contact and making a genuine effort to build some rapport with you,” says Lambart.

Other examples of positive non-verbal communication include putting away their laptop or phone, paying their full attention to you, and a relaxed facial expression.

Alternatively, if they seemed rushed, distracted or disinterested, that’s not a good sign you will get the job. If the hiring manager seems to be answering emails or texting on their phone during the interview, they are showing you they aren’t interested. Negative body language, like not making eye contact, crossed arms and frowning are also signs your interviewer may not be seriously considering you for the role.

2. Introductions and office tours

Did the interviewer take you around to meet other people in the office? Or did they invite additional people to meet you, such as another manager or someone from the team you would potentially be joining?

These are also signs that you may be the preferred candidate, says Lambart. “If they take you on a tour of the office and casually introduce you to a few people along the way this is also a very good sign that you have a good chance of getting the role.”

Most hiring managers won’t take the time to introduce a new person to the team if they don’t intend on offering them the job or at least putting them through to the next round. The best sign you will get the job after an interview is the hiring manager introducing you to their boss or to the CEO. It means you’re shortlisted, and they want their boss’s opinion or approval.

3. Asking about your notice period and other prospects

“If the company is really interested in hiring you, the interviewer may ask about your notice period or how soon you would be available to start in the role,” says Lambart. “If they ask whether you could potentially reduce your notice period and start earlier that’s also often a positive sign.”

Additionally, “they may be interested in whether you’re interviewing elsewhere, so they can gauge whether they need to move quickly to get an offer out.”

A hiring manager may have made the decision to hire you and now wants to start planning the onboarding process. Things that will affect this timeline include your notice period, when you’re available to start, and if you could potentially be offered another job in the interim. They wouldn’t bother asking if they weren’t considering you for the job.

4. Casual chit chat

Friendly questions aren’t simply a hallmark of professionalism, says Lambart. “If the interviewer believes you may be the right candidate, they will make a genuine effort to bond with you.

So, take note if they ask about your family, hobbies or interests, and make an attempt to find some common ground. Lambart says hirers asking questions about your personal life is a “positive sign” that may also indicate that they’re “interested in forging more of a long-term relationship with you.”

Having a conversation with you is also a way of gauging your cultural fit in their team. Even if you don’t have much in common, a hiring manager can tell a lot about your communication style and personality through a short conversation. They’ll only do this if they already feel you’re a good potential match.

5. Talking about the future, with you in it

Did the interviewer mention any scenarios that included you or indicated that they’re seriously considering you in the role? Lambart says that if they start describing the role with the assumption that you will be working in the position then it’s “a pretty safe bet”.

⁠”For instance, they may say ‘When you start working here, we would be looking to…’ or ‘The key priorities for you if you join us would be…’ Likewise, if they start talking about your future career development with the organisation and selling the benefits of joining the organisation this may also suggest that they would like to get you on board.”

A more subtle example of this is if they talked about the role as if you have already been offered it. Rather than saying, for instance, “The role requires occasional evening shift work” they’d say “You’d have to do occasional evening shift work.”

6. Asking you to get in contact with any questions you might have

Did the interviewer indicate that they want to hear from you again? “If the interviewer or panel pass on their contact details or business cards and genuinely encourage you to call with any questions then this is also a great sign that they are keen to move things forward.

“Usually, an interviewer won’t encourage future communication if they don’t think you’re the right fit for the role.”

On the other hand, if they intend to offer you the role or you have made it to the next round, they will want to offer as much support as they could to get you to the next stage of the recruitment process.

7. Providing clear next steps about how and when you’ll hear from them

This can signal that the company has a thorough, professional recruitment process, but it can also indicate that they’re already thinking about you progressing through the recruitment process.

“If the interviewer details the next steps and asks about your availability to attend a second interview or complete online assessments then you should expect to hear from them again,” Lambart explains. “Sometimes they may even ask about your availability to attend a training session or team day before you commence the role.”

When a hiring manager doesn’t want to progress someone, they will provide only general information about next steps. This is a sign that they don’t know how many more interviews they will have to do before offering someone the job.

So, it’s not worth sweating the small stuff when you’re applying for jobs, as every interview is a learning opportunity that gets you closer to a new position. Next time, instead of looking for ways you could have done better, consider these seven signs you’ll get the job after an interview – like getting a workplace tour, chatting comfortably with the interviewer, and receiving next steps – and you’ll be able to tell very quickly how successful your interview was.

Sourced from Seek: https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/article/7-ways-to-tell-if-your-interview-went-well.