10 Clues to Decoding the Interview

By Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor

Wonder whether you nailed that interview? While you won't truly know until you get "the call," there are many signs throughout the process that can help you determine whether or not you'll make the first cut. Following are questions and clues to help you decode the interview.

These are major plateaus that we reach at varying times in our lives. There will always be someone younger than you who you perceive as being more successful, but only a fool truly believes that the grass is greener on the other side.

1. What is the interviewer doing?

“If I am interested in what a candidate is saying, I will nod my head, smile and likely jot down a few notes,” says Inside Sales Manager Karen Nance. “I may also ask questions to probe further about what the applicant is talking about or share some thoughts on how this topic relates to the open position.”

Nancy Kim-Phillips, owner of NKP Consulting in Chicago, says that candidates should observe the interviewer's body language for positive signs, “I find myself leaning forward when I'm interested in what someone has to say. I would expect the candidate to match my body language and lean in too.”

Watch for negative signals as well. If the interviewer seems distracted, is checking her watch, shuffling papers or looking at his Blackberry, you're probably not captivating your audience. “I'll often put down my pen if I'm not feeling good about what the candidate is saying,” she adds.

2. What is the interviewer doing?

“An interview is going well when there is a dialogue,” Kim-Phillips says. “If I don't have to refer to a list of questions, and the conversation flows smoothly, it ...”

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