10 Signs Your Interview Went Well

You did it.
You landed an interview, dressed to impress, had great conversation and you think you might actually have a shot at getting a job offer.
But is there any way to actually know if the interview was in your favor?
Many times, job seekers are so focused on what they did wrong in an interview that they don't think about the many things they did right. While no signs are 100 percent foolproof, there are definitely some indicators that you have won over your interviewer.
Justin Honaman, director of customer intelligence at Coca-Cola Customer Business Solutions, says that although you may think you've executed well in the interview don't stop the process there. Even if all signs point to a job offer, you should follow-up effectively to complete your career transition.
Here are 10 signs that indicate you rocked your interview:
1. Round two
The easiest way to gauge short-term success is if the interviewer asks you to return for another round of interviews. If he wasn't interested, he would be evasive as whether or not you could expect to hear back from someone. "The hiring manager does not want to waste any more time interviewing you if you are not a fit," Honaman assures. "Invitation to the next round is a win!"
2. References pleaseWhy would you be asked for references unless someone cared to learn more about you? "A firm will not spend the time to do background checks and talk with references if you are out of the candidate pool," Honaman says. "Provide specific, knowledgeable references and bring those to the interview."
3. Meet the teamIt's a good sign when the hiring manager chooses to introduce you to the team on the spot, or mentions that there are some people she would like you to meet. If she wasn't interested, again, she wouldn't take the time in making acquaintances.
"Leaders are protective of their team and will not risk introducing a candidate if they are not a potential fit to join the organization," Honaman says. Remember that the hiring manager may request feedback from the team on their first impressions of you, so be nice to anyone you meet.
4. What are the transition steps?
When a company is interested in you, you'll be asked things like the amount of time needed for a transition or what non-competes might be in place, Honaman says. "If the hiring manager is interested in moving forward with an offer, they will typically ask what steps need to be taken for your departure from your current organization so that you can assume the new role," he says.
5. Dollars and senseDepending on what stage of the interview process you're in, it could be a good thing if you're asked about salary expectations. It demonstrates that the company might be willing to invest in you. Honaman suggests answering this question with caution:
"You can have the absolute best interview ever and be dead in the water if you answer this question incorrectly," he says. "The question comes in two forms: 'What are your salary expectations?' or 'What is your current compensation?' Arrive at any interview with current compensation details written down for your own reference -- if asked -- and have an idea of how you will answer this question."
6. HR smilesThe human resources representative or recruiter is generally a good indication of how things went in the interview process. Take note of his or comments after the interview; they are your No.1 contact during the process and are often a guide to the projected outcome, Honaman says.
7. Your turnWhen the interviewer spends a lot of time answering your questions, it's a signal that the he wants to sell you on the business, the team and position rather than you continuing to pursue the role, Honaman says. "In most interviews, the hiring manager will ask if you have any questions as standard procedure, but spend less time with questions and answers if the interview has not gone well in their mind."
8. Let's keep rollingIf hiring managers are uninterested, they typically look for ways to wrap up the interview. "At times, interviews will go well beyond the allotted time as the hiring manager or interview team wants to know more about you, or share with you more about the organization and role," Honaman says. If they are not interested in your candidacy, they won't drag out the interview.
9. Non-verbals speakNon-verbal signals are often a good predictor of interview performance. Pay close attention to the interviewer(s) and observe such non-verbal cues as taking notes, smiles, head-nods or asking probing questions, Honaman says. "At the same time, if an interviewer is taking few notes, looking at their watch repeatedly [or] not asking detailed questions, the interview may not be going well."
10. Cultural fitThe more a hiring manager talks about how you'll fit into the mold at a company, the better. "Most leaders are looking for candidates that can easily fit into a team environment or operate well as an individual contributor," Honaman says. "If the hiring manager is interested in your taking the position, they will share additional details about the culture and shift into 'sales' mode on the organization."
Again, none of these are surefire signals that you've gotten the job. Plus, even though you did everything right, there is always the chance that someone else did, too. But if you continually see a couple of the above signals you'll know you've at least got a shot.
Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.
source: http://www.careerbuilder.com

How to be More Successful in your Next Job Interview

After you have submitted your application, the next step is to wait for been short listed and called up for an interview. You should feel proud if you received interview invitation as not many candidates can reach up to this stage, particularly those positions which are hot and received hundreds or thousand of applications. Below are a few tips that can help to increase your success rate in your next interview;
1.Research
All employers prefer their staffs to show genuine interest in their job and company business. If you able to show this enthusiasm to your prospective employers, surely you will get additional plus point for been selected for the post. Therefore, do more research of the company's business, background and latest development before the interview. You can find these from the company's annual report, magazines and newspapers from your local libraries. Chat with any friends who are staff or ex-staff of the company.
2)Practice
If you are newbie just entering the job market, it is best to practice handling interview questions. You can do this with your friends or family members, ie. let them be your interviewers for you. You can get them select questions from some good job interview books for this mock up practice. Try to record down all the conversation using voice recorder and playback later. This way you can review your interview conversation and improve it from that point onwards.
3)Punctual
All employers want their staffs to be punctual in their work. Therefore, if you can show this attitude during interview, such as arriving early, surely it is a plus point for you. Plan your trip early. Find out the location of the company and plan a trip to there before the actual interview date. This way, you can estimate your traveling time and how convenient (or inconvenient) for you to travel if you are been selected for the job. If you could not bear with the inconvenience, you could decline interview early which can save both parties' time.
4)Backup plans
It is wise to have some backup plans. For example, bring extra copies of your resume, academic documents or qualification papers. Try to bring sample copies of your past projects which can be used to impress your prospective employers or interviewers.
5)Attire
You want dress up accordingly and professionally for the interview. If you do not know which is appropriate, you can check with the caller for the interview or any friends who are in that industry. At the end, it boiled down to how match are you with them since you need to work along with them as a team if you are been selected. No one wants to employ someone who cannot work adapt to their current job culture or working environment. This also shows the employer sincerity on the part of the applicant applying for the job.
For more powerful tips to increase your success rate of your next job interview, check this link, http://tinyurl.com/2e7jdes

About the Author

Lawrence Art. Helping out people to be more successful in securing a job thru better job interview in the fierce competing job market. http://tinyurl.com/2e7jdes