By Career Savvy,

It can be a nerve-racking time waiting for feedback from your interview, and it’s tempting as time ticks on to focus on all of the things you think you did wrong. This will only seek to bring your confidence down, so it’s important to focus on the positives. Although they don’t guarantee that you’ve been successful, the following signs will help you to ascertain whether your interview went well or not.

It overran.
If an interviewer is unimpressed by a candidate and isn’t receiving the answers they’re looking for, they will attempt to end the interview as soon as possible. On the other hand, if they’re impressed by an applicant then they’ll want to spend as much time as they can getting to know them better. The employer has probably established a set time for each interview, so it’s unlikely that the margin by which it runs over is going to be large, but if yours was above average you can feel confident that you sparked enough interest to keep the interviewer talking and wanting to know more.

Non-verbal communication.
The interviewer will have given away many subtle clues about their thoughts on your performance simply through their body language. If they smiled, nodded their head and took notes throughout your interview then this is an example of positive non-verbal communication. This can help reassure you that you gave a good impression on the day, even if more experienced candidates pip you to the final post.

Talk of the future.
If you discussed the responsibilities and projects the role will involve in the near future, then this shows the interviewer was at least considering the possibility of you holding the position. In particular, if they say ‘you would be involved in…’ rather than simply referring to whoever is successful, they’ve likely actually pictured you in the role and believe you have a good chance of progressing to the next round. Plus, telling you about the great opportunities ahead indicates that they were trying to sell the job to you, thus they want you to succeed.

Personal connection.
If you managed to find common ground with your interviewer and you ended up talking about your favourite sports team or having a laugh with them in general, then no doubt your interview went well. Making this personal connection with the assessor shows them that you’re a great person to work with and you would fit in well with the company. In addition, if your interviewer took this even further by inviting you to meet some of the team members you’d be working with, then this is also a great sign. It shows they were happy with what they’d seen and they were ready to hear their team’s thoughts.

Q&A
At the end of the interview you likely had a chance to ask your own questions. A good indication that your interview went well is if you were given a significant amount of time to do this and your interviewer was more than happy to answer your questions in great detail. Their enthusiasm to answer your questions shows they were impressed by those you chose to ask and that they were willing to sell the company to you because they want you to continue to the next stage.

So if you’re feeling uneasy about your performance, think back to your interview and try to remember whether any of these signs were given. You can also look out for them in interviews to come. However, note that every company has different procedures so if you do witness any of these signs it doesn’t mean you’re definitely going to get the job. Keep your chin up, ask for feedback and you’ll get there!