How do I tell if an interview went well?

Write a brilliant, original, terse and proof-read follow-up letter.

Your instincts work well; but that might not be enough to land you the job. Being called back is also a good sign.

Well…it’s kind of like taking a test. All you can do is think you did well (or not) but then wait for the results to find out for sure.

If they call you to hire you or to come in for a third interview, then you will know.

I expect the best for you – and from you. Good luck.

If the interview runs long, that’s a good sign as is laughter. You also know you’ve done well, if they tell you you’ve asked good questions or they say they have no further questions.

@rOs : I wish you only the best of luck.

Your impression sounds like a good interview to me. @gailcalled‘s advice is the next logical step.
I recently had an interview for a technical position at which one of the 3 interviewers I spoke with told me “if it was up to me, you’d be hired” which I interpret as a hopeful sign (and in fact, I was offered the position two days later, though I turned it down due to the length of the commute).

I’m curious- what does a ‘project administrator’ do? Is it ‘project management’ by a different name?

@gailcalled- That’s a great idea, thanks!
@Dutchess_III- So true: The wise man says,“We’ll see”.
@SpatzieLover- I suppose I will!
@CWOTUS- You’re too kind, really… thanks for believing in me!
@hawaii_jake- The interview did run long, Yay!. They particularly liked my last question, “What are your reservations about hiring me?” It also gave me a chance to speak to one small issues they had before leaving. : ) Thanks pal!
@koanhead- I almost was hired immediately when the job opened, because the VP liked me from last time. Also, two of the three interviewers were the same as last time, and they both really liked me then- despite the fact that I had less education and experience than most applicants. As for the job duties, it is basically project management (e.g. acting as an intermediary for different project leaders, quality assurance of deliverables, ad hoc requests, conference calls, working with Microsoft Office, etc..). It’s right up my alley, I think.

If you think it went well and you feel good about it, it probably did go well.

I wish I could tell you that that’s a good predictor of whether you’ll receive an offer, which is what I think you really want to know. Unfortunately it might not be; there are so many variables, and you can’t control all of them. I hope this turns out favorably for you.

Job interviews these days are not like a few years ago. There was a forum or a blog on Yahoo made by a man who studies these things. He was willing to point out most new changes… following on your interview seems to be the most strategic move. You call them in the next 2 days and ask if they need infos and if they are satisfied.

There are several things listed there .. to bad I do not remember the guys name. I listened to him all summer because of the lame commercials on yahoo radio [though the info he gave in some were helpful enough].

@rOs Thanks for the answer, and I hope you get the job!

I would guess the interview went well but would question the wisdom that was so callous as to interview a hundred people for a job then cancel the position. My guess is the person that finished first told them to pound salt when they called him back. I really wouldn’t trust these people if you are looking for long term employment. It sounds like they waste a lot of time and don’t care about their employees.

@Ron_C, I’ve seen that happen from the inside. The hiring managers might not have had any choice if their higher-ups ordered them to freeze hiring or close requisitions as opposed to laying anyone off. (And they might have interviewed only six out of a hundred applicants.)

Trust between employers and employees has taken a beating in recent years. I don’t know that there’s such a thing as secure long-term employment any more. I’d regard any “permanent” position as a long-term contract that could expire without notice and take the view that getting paid for a while is better than not getting paid for a while.

@Jeruba I guess the lack of trust is just the price we have to pay on our way to becoming a third world country. It’s a shame, I’m old enough to remember when your boss was usually your friend.

And I’m old enough to remember that when you went to work for a company in a career position, you were choosing a lifelong relationship in which both parties felt bound by a commitment of honor that took a lot to break. Lack of trust is a consequence of the age of bottom-line fever, the disposable employee, bean counters driving policy, and quantity over quality. Longevity with an employer used to be a matter of pride; now if you stay too long, they think there’s something wrong with you.

They called you back as a formality, the job is already yours.

@Jeruba One of my daughters went to Japan on scholarship, and she tells me that long term commitments between employee and employer is still the norm there. I wish it were that way here too.

Update, they have one more interview Wednesday morning.. Inside information says he has an associates degree and more experience… ugh…

Fingers crossed; hoping they will go with the “cheaper” option ~ rOs

Update v2

My source has informed me that my competition blew his interview. Even better, they’re considering me for a second position as administrator for a different group. Technically, doesn’t this mean my chances have doubled? : )

Hooray! Who cares about chances? It appears as though you are seriously being considered and that’s what you need to focus on. :)

Yahoo! Roll with it, baby!

@snowberry Japanese labor practices aren’t as good as they seem. True that they retain people as long as possible but when their job disappears, the guy gets a seat by the window so that he can look out of it and have something to do. There is a name for that which escapes me at this time. Many Japanese men see this as a a dishonor and quit.

Then, again, the some of the Japanese manufactures are adopting western ways and simple discard workers. Fortunately, many CEO’s in Japan still have a conscience and do all they can to avoid laying off workers. I suspect that they will rapidly catch on to the western custom of seeing labor as commodities instead of people.

@Ron_C OK, thanks. I’ll pass this information on to my daughter!

The Results Are In!

…They just called…. . Same story as last time – they aren’t going to hire for the position at all, but they’ll keep me in mind for the future.

It came as no surprise really- I heard a couple days ago that they just lost a huge client and they had to lay off a bunch of people. I feel worse for the people who lost their jobs than about me not getting hired.

Time for me to figure out my next move- I’ll get back with you!

Sorry to hear this one didn’t work out for you!

You will learn from this, too. The interview process is a lot trickier than it used to be. Many companies don’t even “look at you” in person until you’ve complete two or three rigorous phone interviews.

My husband’s company went through the same process of lay-offs just before he was hired. Now, the company is over a million in revenue above their projections.

@rOs : I’m sorry to hear about their decision not to hire you. Keep on plugging.

I don’t envy the person who has to walk in as a new hire, or even a contractor, and establish working relations with coworkers who have just seen their friends and former colleagues get laid off. It’s very hard not to become the instant target of resentment. You’re probably better off, @rOs, avoiding that whole scene. Even if it’s tough in the short term, you do know that you looked good to them.

And if they’d hired you three weeks or six months ago, you probably would have been at the top of the cut list as the most junior member.

Right you are, @Jeruba! They hired another guy, to a similar position, at the beginning of the month. He was laid off and offered severance before his first day!

I got the job!!!

+45% Salary, Better benys, Walking distance, & Overtime to boot!

I really needed this- My SO has just been diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis and needs all the support she can get. We’ve been doing well in spite of the harsh medications- we’re living comfortably in our 5th floor apartment downtown. Now we’ll finally be able to afford it :)

Excellent news, @rOs. Took a while, though, didn’t it?

:D