How to Tell If An Interview Went Well

You’ve talked about your experience, given great answers to the interviewer’s questions, and presented yourself with confidence. Although the hard part is over, you may be wondering what comes next and how to tell if your interview went well. It can be stressful not knowing what the final decision will be (and feeling like you have no control over it).

Fortunately, whether you’re interviewing for a paid or unpaid internship or an entry-level job, there are several hints you can identify that will let you know whether the employer considers you to be an extremely competitive candidate. While these hints don’t necessarily guarantee that you got the job, they are good indicators that an offer is coming.

1. You connected with your interviewer.

Smiling, nodding, and other positive body language point to the fact that you and the interviewer were on the same page. If you noticed any of these signs during your interview, it means that the hiring manager was really interested in what you had to say and was able to engage with you on a personal level. Although having a great connection isn’t the only determining factor in getting an offer, it’s a positive sign that the interviewer liked you enough to seriously consider working with you.

2. You got to meet the entire team, including senior managers.

If your 30-minute interview turned into an hour-and-a-half-long meeting and the hiring manager wanted you to meet the entire team and kept saying things like, “Do you have an extra 10 minutes? I’d love for you to talk to Mike and Lisa,” you can be confident that you made a good impression. Meeting multiple people during an interview, especially someone senior like the hiring manager’s manager (or at a smaller company, the CEO), means that the interviewer is seriously considering you as a candidate and wanted to make sure that you would mesh well with potential coworkers.

3. You were shown a detailed part of the role.

No, your interviewer did not show the password-coded, company-specific admin area to all the candidates interviewing for the position. So if this happened to you, it’s another positive sign that the hiring manager is envisioning you in the role and wanted you to seriously consider the responsibilities and tasks you will be managing.

4. They asked for references.

Since professional references don’t come into play until the employer is very interested in you as a candidate, if the hiring manager asked you to provide references during your interview, it means that the company wants to make sure they have all the information they need before making a final decision. This is another encouraging sign and one that usually comes during the final stages of the decision-making process.

5. They gave you a clear timeframe.

Since a lot of interviews end with a vague “We’ll be in touch,” if the interviewer gave you a clear indication of what the next stage would be, it means that they’re planning to follow up soon and to move forward with the hiring process.

6. They spent a lot of time answering your questions.

If the hiring manager spent a lot of time answering your questions, it’s because they wanted to make sure they were highlighting all the great things about the organization and the role. This indicates that they’re very excited about you as a candidate and want you to be equally excited about the position.

7. They asked when you could start.

This one speaks for itself. If the interviewer asked this question, it means that they’re seriously considering making an offer and wanted to know how soon you’d be available to start. By asking this, they were also gauging your enthusiasm for receiving the offer and looking to see how excited you’d be about potentially joining the team.

Although waiting to hear back after an interview can be a little frustrating, reflecting back on the experience will give you some important insights. And if you notice most of the signs mentioned here, it means an offer letter is probably on its way.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Top 10 Things You Should Look For In a Company and find answers to common interview questions such as Why Do You Want to Work Here?