Make sense out of confusing interviews
Q: Going on interviews and guessing if I will be invited back for a second round is confusing. I could use some advice on how to judge if a meeting was successful or not. Recently, I had an interview and thought: “Sure, everything went well.” I even stopped my job search while waiting to hear from them.
What should I be looking for during an interview to know if it is going in the right direction?
A:
Being invited for an interview takes a lot of effort, and naturally, knowing the next steps would take out some of the mental guesswork involved. There is often a delicate balance between being hopeful and frustrated when anticipating the employer’s interest.
You are not the only one to misread an interview. The desire to move your job search forward can influence your perception. Discussions can become confusing when you build good rapport with the interviewer and receive positive vibes, yet you hear nothing from them.
Any time there is a lack of communication, you are left to fill in the blanks and your imagination can get the best of you.
It helps to focus on what you can control in your search, which is doing your best to answer questions and make a good impression during the interview. Keep your search momentum moving forward until you hear otherwise.
Keep in mind that being invited for an interview is only the beginning of a good discussion.
Manage your expectations and maintain your job search; hold off the temptation to stop your search and wait.
Here are signs that an interview is going well:
Verbal and nonverbal cues that indicate interest from the interviewer. Interviewers will show attention and often nod in agreement to build rapport.
During the interview, your name is used when the position is mentioned. For example, when the interviewer says things like, “You would be working on this project team and help us coordinate meetings,” it could indicate they see you in the role.
Manage your expectations and maintain your job search plan to hold off the temptation to stop your job search and wait.
Interview questions become more centered on your values and interactions with people outside of the technical skills involved with the position. Interviewers want to understand how well you relate to people and fit into the work culture.
Building rapport seems comfortable while discussing the needs of the employer. You are finding out the employer’s real needs by hearing about the (priorities) current goals.
You are given a tour of the workplace and how work is conducted. If potential colleagues are present, the interviewer might introduce you to them.
The interviewer will intentionally discuss the next steps during the interview process to let you know what to expect, while at the same time showing interest in additional meetings with decision-makers.