Did your job interview go too well? But haven’t got a confirmation from them yet? Maybe they will hire you – maybe they won’t – who knows?
Amidst such a situation, we know how challenging a job interview can be these days – especially when that feeling of uncertainty lingers around. But after reading our article, you won’t need to wait around for days for a reply. Instead, you can judge the scenario and suit up for another interview. So, read on!
But first, assess how your interview went. Is it bad? – How bad?
Signs That Your Interview Didn’t Go Well
Your Interviewer Acts Weird
If your interviewer is having fun interviewing you, then you’ll know from their expressions. And you’ll know – if they don’t. If they don’t enjoy your company, they will probably not tell you.
They might act weird – smile unnecessarily shows fake curiosity and do much more. But, on the other hand, maybe if your interviewer is way too straightforward, they will cut it short, saying, “Okay! See you soon!“
They Did Not ‘Sell’ The Company To You
Did the interviewer try to convince you about how great it would be to work in the company? Or at least, did they have a convincing tone? It is certainly a positive vibe if they do so at the end of your interview. If not, maybe there’s no luck to try anymore.
The Interview Ended Suddenly
Did your interviewer pause you suddenly in the middle of the interview? Maybe they didn’t engage with the topic you were hanging on to.
Or, maybe you couldn’t grab their attention. But, whatever the scenario is, you were cut short – and that’s not a positive sign for your job.
They Don’t Ask For References
If someone likes you and wants to hire you – they will surely ask you for references from your previous jobs and achievements. The references give them a clear idea of whether you will be an ideal fit for the company.
If they don’t, consider it as a negative gesture. They probably have no interest in you as a candidate, and thus they do not want to waste any time glancing through your references.
The Interviewer Offers Some Friendly Career Advice
Once in a while, you come across such generous interviewers who don’t let you realize that your interview is going bad. Instead, they end the interview with hope.
So, when the interviewer tries to console you or give you some future career advice – they are probably prepping you up for a ‘No.’
The Interviewer Looked At Their Watch As You Spoke
An interview is crucial – right? So, what can such a casual expression of ‘looking at the watch’ imply? Probably, they are least interested in you. Or maybe, they have already decided not to hire you – thus, listening to you doesn’t make sense. Either way, it’s not a good sign for your job interview.
The Interviewer Would Cut You Off As You Answered Their Questions
Maybe the interviewer is asking you the questions but not letting you answer. Then, what’s the point? They are probably doing so because they do not want you to answer them. Or maybe, you previously bored them off with your questions – so they probably don’t want to give you a second chance.
Not Much Eye-Contact
Yes, that is true – if your interviewer is not making much eye contact with you, they are probably just avoiding the chance to convey the awkwardness.
Though it’s a probable reason, there’s no positive intention to it – and, not really a great thing for your job interview.
Asks You the Same Question A Number Of Times In Subtly Different Ways
Has the interviewer asked you the same question again and again? Maybe they are trying to test your patience, or maybe they are trying to confuse you.
If that’s the case, and you have already fallen into the trap – your job interview is not going to be a good one at all. You’re only going to babble and blabber now.
Questions Being Asked Are Not Related To The Role And Are Just Very Easy
Is the interviewer asking you questions not related to the role? Probably they are just looking for excuses to reject you from the job interview.
Maybe they have already developed a dislike for you previously, and now they are just looking forward to a valid reason to reject you from the interview.
You Are Seeking Help/Clues For Each Consecutive Question For Solutions/Explanations
Well, for a job interview to go wrong, it’s not always the interviewer’s fault. Maybe you’re the one who is making everything fall apart by asking for help at every step.
They have probably identified your lack of confidence, and now, no matter what, they can’t let go of your weak image.
There’s Less Interaction Between You & The Interviewer
Interviewers and HR managers are supposed to be interactive and friendly. However, if your interviewer is interacting less with you particularly, they probably didn’t like you in the first place. And, there’s nothing you can do.
Your Interviewer Gives You Suggestions For The Following Interview
Did you bag some great suggestions for the next interview instead of the job? Then, probably, bitter news is on the way – you have already attempted a bad interview.
If the interviewer starts giving you suggestions for the next interview before the present one ends, they have probably decided not to hire you.
Your Interviewer Does Not Give You One Of Their Business Cards
While exiting out of the interview room, it is a general courtesy for the interviewer to share their business cards with you. If they don’t do so – probably, you’ve failed to impress them throughout the half-hour interview session.
What Can You Do After A Bad Interview?
It’s not a Marvel movie ‘Endgame’ – it’s a job interview, and there will still be plenty of it after this one. No doubt, bad interviews can be hard to cope with – you feel regrets, you feel stupid, you feel dumb – but that’s how it is.
Here are some suggestions we have for you to get over the fear of rejection from the job.
These were few things to do if your interview goes bad. However, there might be certain evident signs which indicate that you won’t get the job. Let us see a few of them.
Interview Signs You Didn’t Get the Job
Here are some of the things interviewers say that lets you know you won’t get an offer.
No responses on your follow-up mail
Is your follow-up mail not being followed up? Maybe because the interviewer doesn’t intend to. Yes, it’s no coincidence. However, we suggest you wait for two days – if you still don’t get a reply, consider it a lost game!
If they escort you out soon
An interviewer invests too much time and effort in an interview. In case they don’t like you, they won’t certainly waste their time hanging on to you. Rather, they would escort you out.
Salary didn’t come up at all
Did your interview go pretty well – but they didn’t bring up the salary matter? But, then, your job isn’t confirmed yet, and the chances of getting a “NO” are higher.
They probably liked you as a person, but they didn’t find you as a right fit for the job. And thus, the salary-talk didn’t happen.
You know, you babbled
We’ve all felt that adrenaline rush when, on the spot – call it embarrassing, call it disappointing – but it has happened to us all. If the same has happened to you on an interview table, and you ended up babbling instead – then we’re sorry, but you’re not getting the job.
They’re still open for other candidates
When would your interviewer still look for candidates after having a pretty good interview with you? – When they don’t want to hire you.
Maybe the criteria they were looking for didn’t match, or maybe they negotiated someone at a lower salary package. The scenario can be any – and hard to predict.
You can’t get in touch with them
The interviewer isn’t your long-lost friend. So there’s no reason as to why it would be hard to contact them.
However, if it’s happening to you again and again – then probably it’s not a coincidence, and they want to avoid you. Because the interviewer who would pick up your call at once till yesterday can’t vanish today.
Emphasizes the “type of candidate” they want
If your interviewer keeps emphasizing the type of candidate they want during the interview, you’re not the ideal fit.
They have probably identified your weakness during the interview, thus mentioning the ideal candidate they are still looking out for.
You can see that they have been skipping over some of the questions
Most interviewers sit with a questionnaire in hand while conducting an interview. And, they tend to repeat the same questions one-by-one for each candidate.
They probably want to end the interview sooner if they are skipping out on some of them while interviewing you. But, undoubtedly, they aren’t shortlisting you for the next step.
You aren’t asked when you’re available to start
Did they not ask you when you’re ready to start at the end of the interview? Then there’s not much hope left from the job. Or, probably, you’re the backup candidate.
Every company, once they have found their ideal employee, wants them to start immediately. If they haven’t asked – probably, they are not counting on you.
You didn’t get a heads-up on what to expect next
Did they tell you what to expect next from them? Even if the interview ended well but they didn’t inform you about the next stage – it might still be a negative sign that you’re not getting a job.
Examples of Things Interviewers Say That Lets You Know You Won’t Get an Offer
- Good luck/We wish you luck
Oh! The most frustrating words an interview candidate can ever hear – and no interviewer gets tired of saying it, especially when rejecting you from the interview.
- If the interviewer says nice talking to you
If the interviewer is trying to convince you for a better opportunity and a better future at the end of the interview – they probably have no good news from this job interview.
- “The interviewer said they liked me“
Oh, that’s great! So you may be a person worth liking – but there’s no point in thinking that they will hire you as an employee because of that.
- The interviewer didn’t say they would be in touch
Well, there’s a 50-50 chance if the interviewer says so. But, to be honest, they have put you on hold as a backup candidate.
- “We are still in the process of interviewing other candidates“
If the interviewer says so, then either they don’t want to reject you on the face, or they aren’t sure about hiring you yet.
- “I want to pass your resume on to a colleague of mine“
Well, they are either really great, or they do not want to throw the rejection on your face. They have probably thought of the statement as a safe option to avoid you.
- “We have other interviews to conduct today, so we will be in touch with you, either way“
It couldn’t have been more prominent than this that they are rejecting you from the job. If they had any plans of selecting you, they probably wouldn’t have mentioned other interviews being lined up.
- “I’ve got a meeting to attend“
There cannot be any better reply to reject a candidate’s job interview than by saying this. You’ve probably bored the interviewer previously, and now he wants to avoid you.
Well, these are a few things that may indicate that you have had a bad interview. However, you might take a chance to get the job back. Let us see, how to ask for a job after a bad interview.
How to Ask for a Job After a Bad Interview?
Did you ever get a chance for a second date after the first one went bad? Maybe, and maybe not. Though the chances seem slim – be it for a date or a job; there are some etiquettes you can take advantage of to ask for a job even after a bad interview.
Concluding Thoughts on Things Interviewer Says to Let You Know That You Won’t Get a Job
You probably had a bad interview, and you’re probably not bagging the job here – but that’s not the end of the world. There’s always a second chance to look out for. So, thank your interviewer for the opportunity, and move on to the next one. Also, if you get an offer, you can decline the interview without burning bridges.
We wish you good luck!
