Five Signs Your Interview Is Going Well

As a job seeker, you’ll spend a lot of time preparing for interviews (hopefully using some of our helpful resources!). There’s a lot to cover when preparing for interviews, as you want to do the necessary research, practice accordingly, and stand out (in a good way). We’ve often covered the pitfalls you can fall into during interviews, so let’s try the opposite approach. How can you know that your interview is going well?

If you’ve done the proper work beforehand and know the signs to look for, there are clear signals things are going your way. Watch for these green flags at your next interview, and that coveted job may soon be yours!

The interview ran long

Interviewers set a certain amount of time aside for each interview for a reason. If things aren’t going well, you likely won’t use the allotted time. But if the interviewer keeps chatting and asking you questions and there’s a delightful back and forth, it shows a clear interest in you as a candidate.

Time is money, friend, and recruiters don’t want to squander it. Career coach Emily Liou says that recruiters don’t want to waste either party’s time if it’s not a good match. “But when we found a stellar candidate, we would try to spend additional time to flush out what we needed to know to make an informed decision,” Liou said.

Just like when on a date, if you find yourself talking long after expecting to go home, things are going well. You may even get offered a second interview right away to continue the conversation!

You meet other team members

Depending on the position, relevant staff members you’d potentially work with may sit in on the interview. But if your interviewers take you on a tour of the office and introduce you to potential coworkers, that’s a very good sign.

According to Indeed, this is because they think you’re a good fit for the company’s environment and are excited to introduce you to the team. Remember, companies aren’t just looking for skills but for someone that aligns with their corporate culture and chemistry.

“If you got to meet some management or upper-management staff, take it as a good sign that you’re being seriously considered for the role.” –Alison Doyle

The interviewer sells you on the company

In any interview, you’re interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. You’re choosing to work there just as much as they’re choosing to hire you.

Zippia’s Sky Ariella says there will be a subtle shift from the interviewer learning about your skills and experiences to giving you the hard sell on the company. This includes discussing the culture, the company perks, exciting landmarks, and your day-to-day duties. If they want you to like the company, it’s a good sign they want you at the company. And seeing their excitement is a valuable window into the corporate culture. If they seem to genuinely be excited about what they are offering and it doesn’t feel like a canned pitch, that’s a green flag.

It’s even better if it seems to take a tangible turn. If they say “This is where you’ll be working,” or “You’ll work with these team members,” they may already be thinking of you as a team member.

The conversation turns casual

Again, organizations want to hire people they think will be a good fit for their team. No one is going to hire someone they don’t want to work with no matter how qualified you are. It’s always good to find a way to connect with your interviewer on a more personal level to build rapport and stand out.

Forbes’ Jack Kelly points to the subtle moment when the conversation turns from prepared questions to genuine personal conversation. If they start pointing out things in common and looking for shared personal experiences, they’re likely viewing you as a person they could work with.

“The interviewer stops with the standard corporate, cold and clinical facade that human resource professionals and hiring managers put on to show that they are serious and mean business, and starts smiling and laughing.” -Jack Kelly

The body language is positive

Perhaps the easiest way to tell if you’re nailing the interview is by judging the body language of your interviewer. We can learn to control our physical and verbal ticks, but some behaviors still shine through.

James Hawley writes that an engaged interviewer will nod, smile, and argue with things you say while opening the floor for you to elaborate. The more engaged they seem and the more they invite you to say, the better you’re doing.

“Does the recruiter seem engaged with what you’re saying? Are they leaning forward when you say something particularly incisive? Smiling? Do their eyes have some spark in them?” –Elliot Kaplan

Wrap up

You won’t get every interview you feel good about, but these examples are clear indicators you’re doing well. An interview has just as much to do with your personality and culture fit as it does your skills, and if you find the conversation flowing and the vibe to your liking, that’s an excellent sign the job may be yours.

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Job Search Behaviors To Avoid

A job search can be challenging in today’s climate. You need to commit time to do the proper research, prepare your resume and cover letters carefully in a way that makes them readable by both humans and tracking systems, and learn the best networking practices in order to find the job of your dreams. This is difficult enough, but it can be even worse if don’t mind your behavior during the process!

Even if everything else is going well, certain behaviors can harm your chances of getting the job before you even sit down for an interview. While some practices like watching the language you use or not being rude should be obvious, not every faux pas is intuitive or obvious to a job seeker.

During your next job search, don’t shoot yourself in the foot by making these common behavioral mistakes:

Being unprofessional

Obviously, you shouldn’t be swearing at or insulting hiring managers. I highly doubt any of you are engaging in knowingly rude behaviors during your job search, but this does need to be said. But being unprofessional comes down to more than just obvious rudeness.

One of the easiest ways to get rejected is to appear unprofessional before even speaking with a recruiter or very early in the process. If your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn, or email are riddled with typos, you’ll already appear to be massively unprepared for the job. This can quickly turn the hiring manager against you, even if you’re otherwise an ideal candidate. Make sure to proofread carefully and use tools like Grammarly to assist.

“Almost every job description includes “excellent communication skills” as a requirement. If your communications with the HR manager include spelling or grammatical errors, you’re shooting yourself in the foot.” -Recruiter.com

Recruiter.com also says to make sure your social media posts are up to par. Remove any unflattering photos, edgy posts, controversial opinions, and even negative posts about your current/old position. Refer to our social media guide for further details.

Finally, LinkedIn says not to beg for a job or expect others to help you for free. Not only will you appear unprofessional, but you’ll reek of desperation, another trait recruiters detest.

Being insincere

Even the most professional-looking recruits can still annoy hiring managers with their bad behaviors. Employers are seeking someone that adds value to their organization, and it’s hard to look valuable if you’re insincere or disinterested.

If it sounds like you’ll take the first job you’re offered, it’s going to be hard for a company to be excited about hiring you. Judith Humphrey lists authenticity as the most important quality a job seeker can possess. Recruiters don’t want canned responses or to be pandered to.

“I want to find out more about the candidate personally, and I find there is often this wall, and people are not letting me see who they really are.” –Amanda Luthra, recruiter

One of the quickest ways to appear insincere is by embracing the common “spray-and-pray” technique used by many inexperienced job seekers. Forbes’ Jack Kelly writes that while job seekers think a numbers approach will work in their favor, it does the opposite. Your generic resume will make you appear insincere.

Fight this by tailoring your approach to each specific job. Find a reason why you’d be excited to work for the company. Otherwise, you’re wasting their time and yours.

Being arrogant

Employers want an employee who wants to work for them and is confident about their skills, but don’t let that confidence become arrogance!

Reporter Morgan Smith cites Microsoft head of global talent acquisition Lauren Gardner, who said the number one red flag she looks out for on resumes is being a know-it-all. “We’re looking for folks that are motivated to constantly learn and grow.”

It’s good to demonstrate knowledge, but how you communicate is crucial. A candidate who talks down to others or acts pretentious is likely to be looking for a job elsewhere. Often this type of behavior shows a lack of confidence in your abilities and that you need to be pretentious to appear more successful than you actually are.

“No one wants to subject their staff to having to deal with an arrogant, self-aggrandizing windbag.” –Jack Kelly

Passion and humility are two traits hiring managers want to see, so express your desire to learn and grow and acknowledge that the people in the room can assist in that growth. Be confident while showing respect, and you’ll stand a much better chance of getting the job.

Wrap up

Self-awareness is one of the most valuable qualities a job seeker can possess. Some of these poor behaviors may seem like no-brainers. But sometimes we might not realize our small actions may be unprofessional, insincere, or arrogant. Take some time to really reflect on how hiring managers will see your communications, and it will go a long way towards finding a job you can be excited about.

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Four Reasons Not To Take The Job

Not every job you’ll get an offer for will be your dream job, unfortunately. We can’t always be picky about every opportunity that comes our way. Sometimes we need the money, and sometimes we need to gain experience so we can get that dream job down the road. But even with these truths, there are plenty of good reasons to decline a job offer.

We’ve previously covered red flags to watch out for in job descriptions, but things won’t always be readily apparent, and a good interview won’t always mean a good workplace. With any job offer, you’ll need to trust your gut on whether it’s the right fit for you. With a little help from the experts, we look into four of the most common and powerful reasons to decline a job offer.

The offering isn’t good

Ultimately, we work so that we can live our lives. We hope you can find a job that feels like a calling, but even the people with the best work-life balance need to eat. Generally, if a job is paying below market value or not willing to provide what you’re worth, you won’t want that job.

Monster’s Mark Swartz says that although there are sometimes good reasons to take a pay cut, it isn’t ideal. And it isn’t just salary, but the job title, the benefits package, and potential vacation time all fall under this category. If you feel you didn’t get what you deserved, it might be a while before you can schedule a change. This can lead to anger and resentment, making the position even worse.

Thankfully, this is something that can be fixed or acknowledged early in your interview process according to Indeed. Despite what others might say, don’t be afraid to ask about salary early in the process. If it’s not to your liking, you have options to fix things before declining the offer, including:

  • Try to negotiate the compensation package with the prospective employer
  • Request that a salary review is done a few months into the job potentially after probation
  • Decide if the employee benefits on offer compensate for the lack of salary

The people aren’t great

But money isn’t a cure-all for everything, and plenty have left jobs that paid well that were otherwise unpleasant. If your bosses or coworkers don’t seem up to par, you may want to save yourself the headache and decline.

Jen Hubley Luckwaldt mentions the old adage “Workers don’t quit companies. They quit managers.” Studies consistently back this up, with bad bosses being a common reason for employee departures. Your direct supervisor should be one of the people in your interviews, so pay close attention to them. What are they like, and how do they describe their work style? Luckwaldt says that while you won’t be able to tell everything about them in one quick meeting, you should be able to get a good picture of whether you can work with them or not.

Your potential coworkers can be a great clue as well. What is the energy like in the office? Do people seem engaged with one another? Pay attention to body language and try to pick up on any clues you can.

“If the job is in Engineering, for example, it matters who is running Manufacturing and who is running Sales. If these latter managers are not competent, what the Engineering team designs may not be fully realized as viable products, and Sales may not be able to sell them.” Nick Corcodilos

The company isn’t a good fit

Most companies have good people, but if the culture isn’t great, it will trickle down. People want value in their jobs, and if a culture seems off or the company appears to be failing, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any value.

If you found yourself getting ghosted or the communication felt poor during the interview process, that’s a bad sign. The mission statement might not be something you agree with, or you might have different priorities. And sometimes, what works for one person doesn’t for another. A fast-paced office might be the dream to some and a nightmare to others. The company might not be bad—just not right for you. And that’s okay!

Beyond culture, there are many other signs a company might not be right for you. Beth Braccio Hering lists a revolving door of employees, a bad reputation, and no clear path to advancements as signs the company isn’t doing things right. Meanwhile, Ask The Headhunter’s Nick Corcodilos suggests looking up the company’s finances and trying to talk about them in the interview. It won’t do you much good to accept an offer if the company is close to bankruptcy!

The quality of life is poor

Sometimes a job might look fine on paper, but enough little things add up, and the job might be a poor fit for your lifestyle.

One of the most common reasons to decline a job is because of the commute. Maybe the job is amazing, but it’s just too far away to reliably get there or your kid’s school is in the complete opposite direction. You’ll have to ask yourself if it’s worth it.

“Getting to and from work should not be the most exhausting part of your day. If it is, you’ll arrive to your job with frayed nerves and get home in a bad mood.” Mark Swartz

Another example is if you can’t agree on remote or hybrid work model. If you’re looking for some sort of balance and the employer isn’t offering what you need, it’s okay to look elsewhere.

Wrap up

In the long run, it’s better to decline a bad job offer than to accept and quit shortly after. Constant quitting can affect your pay grade and career trajectory down the road. If the money, the coworkers, the company culture, and the effects to your quality of life seem poor, don’t feel bad about declining an offer. We hope that knowing there are good reasons not to accept a job and knowing your worth as an employee can help steer you to a job you’re excited about, not just one that pays the bills!

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Curating Your Social Media As A Job Seeker

Whether for business or pleasure, social media usage is on the rise. We’ve come a long way from the MySpace days, and now a social media presence is an expectation rather than a hobby. We’ve previously stressed how vital a strong LinkedIn existence is, but even your personal accounts across the web are relevant to your job search.

Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and even Facebook make up your digital footprint, and this is something all job seekers must be aware of. A 2018 CareerBuilder survey found that 70% of employers use social media sites to vet candidates, and that number has surely risen since then.

“70% of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates (on par with last year), while 7% plan to start… And that review matters: Of those that do social research, 57% have found content that caused them not to hire candidates.” –CareerBuilder

Make sure your profiles are helping rather than hurting your job aspirations. Keep your social media profiles safe for work by following these strategies!

Avoid anything unprofessional

Some of the basics should be fairly obvious. You might not be actively trying to generate “content” on every platform, but be wary of what you post. Even on accounts that are completely personal, you don’t want to share anything offensive, overly risque, divisive, or overly argumentative.

Your personal pages are your personal pages, but employers are wary about hiring a candidate that might make them look bad down the road, and the previous study mentioned that over 50% of employers that have researched candidates’ social profiles found something that caused them to look elsewhere.

Google yourself

If you want to see what your potential employers can see, throw your name into Google, or your preferred search engine, and see what comes up. You can use Incognito mode or a different computer if you’re afraid of your regular system’s biases.

From there, you’ll be able to see how an outsider will view you. What pops up first? And is it flattering? By Googling yourself, you may find questionable profiles or posts you don’t even remember, and you can take necessary action. If nothing else, you can see which accounts need to be made private.

If you want to be really thorough, David Cotriss recommends setting up a Google alert on yourself to regulatory see if anything comes up.

“If you appear on an undesirable website, try reaching out to the webmaster to remove you. Ask people who have tagged you in inappropriate posts on social media to remove you as well. You can be sure employers will do a Google search on you, so why not be one step ahead?” –Michael Moran, recruiter

Look into privacy options

Every major social media platform has some sort of privacy settings, so you’ll want to learn what they are and curate them to your needs.

For example, if you only use Facebook to keep track of birthdays and keep up with what your high school friends are up to, it may not matter. But if you regularly post pictures of nights on the town, you may want to keep an eye on who can see that content.

It can be worth having both a private and public profile on the same site, depending on your needs. A public-facing Instagram and a personal one can have completely different content, and only the public one will be viewable to employers.

Keep an online presence

Even if you have a few less-than-professional things pop up during your self-scout, your first instinct shouldn’t be to put everything on private and delete every account. David Cotriss writes that 1-in-5 employers won’t hire a candidate that has zero online presence. This can make it seem like you have something to hide. Cotriss also says that deleting a profile won’t always hide all offending content, and employers may be able to see cached versions.

Instead, keep some accounts active and engaged. Make sure all of your contact information is up to date Keep your LinkedIn profile updated regularly, have nice conversations on Twitter, and keep telling your friends happy birthday on Facebook. You’ll be able to connect with people that can help you, and you’ll seem like a real person.

Engage carefully

“The good news is you can leverage social media to build your image as much as to wreck it.” –Jeff Lipschultz

Now that you’ve curated what you’ve already put into the digital world, make sure you continue good habits by making your engagements worthwhile. Alessandro Biascioli says to be choosey about your likes and follows, especially on public profiles. It’s not hard to see what posts you’ve liked and who you engage with. If you’re liking divisive content, you’ll scare employers aware, but if you’re engaging with professionally relevant content, this can be viewed as a plus.

Meanwhile, Alison Doyle says that you don’t need to connect with everyone. Quality is better than quantity, and you’ll be much more likely to find value or offer value to others in a more curated network.

“Put aside all the trash talking and trolling on Twitter and consider using it to your advantage. Look for your tribe on the site. Seek out trending topics that align with your skills and background. Then, weigh in with your comment, offering your unique perspective.” –Jack Kelly, Forbes

Wrap up

Social media is an endlessly valuable tool that needs to be used correctly. At its best, you’ll show off your personal brand and make valuable connections. At worst, you’ll frighten potential employers. Google yourself to see what employers can see, and clean up as necessary. Avoid posting anything vulgar or unprofessional and familiarize yourself with different platforms’ privacy options. Keep an online prescience, and make your engagements count!

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What To Do If You’re Overqualified For A Job

At some point in your job search, you’ve likely felt unqualified. Maybe there’s a required skill you’re lacking, or perhaps you simply don’t feel like you have enough experience. In those cases, you’ll have an idea of what you need to achieve to reach your dream job. But what do you do when you’re overqualified?

Surely employers would love the chance to hire someone that exceeds their wildest expectations, but the opposite is often true. Hiring managers may think you made a mistake or that you won’t be fully engaged and invested in a position seemingly beneath your experience level.

There are a myriad of good reasons to apply for a job you’re overqualified for, but there are many more reasons employers will be wary. If you wish to proceed regardless, we’ll analyze what these employer fears are and how you can quash them.

“For overqualified applicants, an impressive résumé might sometimes be the reason for employers to say, “Thank you, next!”” –Hire Veterans

Why apply for a job you’re overqualified for?

Being overqualified simply means you far exceed the education, experience, and skill level of what a job description is seeking. For example, if you’re applying for an entry-level sales role after leading a sales team for ten years, you’ll be viewed as overqualified.

While an employer might question your reasoning, there are plenty of good reasons to proceed. Maybe you want more meaningful work in your industry and need to seek a lower position to find it. Maybe despite your experience, you’re looking for new challenges or opportunities within the role. Or you may simply need a job in your industry. Layoffs and relocation happen, and sometimes you need the work.

Whatever your reason, you’ll need to be conscious of it, because employers will be asking.

The problems of overqualification

So why is being overqualified actually a problem? While companies want the best hire for the job, there are plenty of questions surrounding why someone with your qualifications would want to stay for the long term.

Madeleine Burry lists four principal problems with being overqualified: fear you’ll be bored, concern you’ll be temporary, the uncertainty you’ll follow directions, and nervousness that the pay won’t be enough.

The main fears are if this appears to be a step backward at this stage of your career, will the work and benefits be enough? The work may not be challenging enough for you, leading to boredom with your daily duties. For someone used to more responsibilities and a higher salary, potential employers will worry what they offer isn’t enough. Because of your experience, you may not follow their directions if you’ve done things a certain way or the person training you is less experienced. These factors lead to the idea that you’ll quickly move onto another position, costing the organization time and money.

Shonna Waters of BetterUp adds that employers can be guilty of age discrimination and use overqualification as an excuse to not hire you. They may fear you won’t be quick to adapt to new ideas or try new ways of learning.

“Whether they say it or not, they may also want someone younger for cultural reasons or training purposes and pass on you.” –Shonna Waters

Indeed also believes that these factors can lead to a negative work environment. If a person isn’t feeling engaged or challenged, it could create a toxic work environment.

What to do if you’re overqualified

If you’re set on a job you’re overqualified for, don’t let these common objections stop you. You’ll just need to do a bit of extra work and be ready to answer the questions when they come.

Shonna Waters says to make your resume “pop,” but not necessarily explode. Tailor to the position as always, but feel free to downplay your accomplishments or leave off irrelevant positions (obviously, be truthful). You still want to prove you have the skills needed to succeed in the position—you don’t want to take off too much and appear unqualified! But you can certainly downplay just how experienced you are.

Feel free to rip the Band-Aid off early and address the overqualification issue in your cover letter. Emily Morrison thinks this is the best way to get ahead of the question and express your genuine interest immediately. You can tell the recruiter you’re looking into a new industry or that you’re excited about the chance to learn new skills and have new experiences. This allows you to showcase your passion and express your desire for growth.

“You can make sure that they look past your qualifications by emphasizing two different things: that you’re looking for an opportunity to learn beyond what you already know, and that you’re looking to stay somewhere for a long time.” –Emily Morrison

Wrap up

Only you can decide if a job position is right for you. There are plenty of reasons one might seek a job they appear overqualified for. Hiring managers may be skeptical, and often for good reasons, but if your heart is truly set on a position, go for it! Take the extra time to tailor your documents and position yourself as a passionate person eager for new experiences and you’ll put the opposition to rest.

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