Here’s a little insight on what hiring managers actually discuss once you’ve left the room.
Every day thousands of job seekers are invited for an interview and most of them are wondering the same thing after they’ve left the room: how did I do? Did I phrase everything right? What does it take to actually get chosen as the one perfect fit for this particular job?
Read: 4 red flags your interview isn't going well - and how to save it
Most of us are still struggling to find the answers to these million dollar questions. How nice would it be to be a fly in the room and hear what you did wrong during the interview? Because recruiters are probably nit-picking on every little thing you said, right?
Actually that’s not necessarily the case. Here’s a little insight on what hiring managers actually discuss once you’ve left the room.
If you made it to this stage of the hiring process, recruiters have already established that your CV and the accomplishments you’ve listed in your motivation letter are fine and that you might be a good fit for the job. During the interview they are not only finding out if everything you said checks out, but they are also searching for some other characteristics.
First of all hiring managers are looking for some enthusiasm. Anyone can memorize the company mission and their values from the website. Recruiters are looking for candidates who look like they will genuinely engage with the company and the job, have a passion for what he or she will be doing and who show that they already have a lot of great ideas. If your enthusiasm appears genuine is transparent and undeniably contagious, you’ll have a good chance of getting the job. If you’re not sure if your excitement was shown enough during the interview, make sure to send a thank you note afterwards to make it even more obvious.
Second, Recruiters will try to establish if you actually care about the job. They don’t want to see a candidate that is looking to do only the exact tasks assigned and not a thing more. They also don’t want to feel like you will only come to work to collect a pay check. During the interview you need to not only say you really want this, but also show it in, for instance, your tone and your body language. Recruiters are seeing potential candidates all day every day. And if you’re faking it, they will see right through it.
Read: 4 insightful company facts that will impress any hiring manager
The only things left to discuss is (a) whether they are choosing you out of all the candidates, and (b) if anybody else at the company should have an interview with you, such as your direct boss, or some co-workers you will have to work with closely.
Experience tells us that recruiters won’t be making fun of your answers or the clothes you were so unsure about wearing. They have more serious issues on their minds. So try to stop worrying too much, shake off the nerves and be excited to show them why you are their perfect match.