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Connor Benz wrote:Hi all,

since its spring semester and people are job searching and having interviews (while taking Property ) I wanted to share my interview experience and ask if these are indicators that the interview went well. I'm hoping some can give feedback or discuss what their interview experience was like.

So here is a summary of points of what happened in my interview:

- He kept taking notes on points that I brought up about myself
- He kept referencing a personal story about my mom I told him about (i.e. "like in your mom's case, or when this happened to your mom...")
- He laughed at a few of my comments
- We went of course and began discussing sports
- He asked if I wanted to work in the summer or fall and if I could work full time
- Discussed compensation
- He told me he had a few more interviews next week and I should expect a decision at x time and that he needs to fill the last 2 positions of 3
- He stated that my past work is aligned with they do at this job
- He mentioned at the *beginning* of the interview, after I told him about myself, that they are going to be hiring and that maybe I could end up working there when I graduate or potentially next year.

I guess I have HUGE anxiety about this because I need a job! Any thoughts would help.Thanks TLS Folks!

soj wrote:I submitted some of my best job applications in Property.

ph14 wrote:

Connor Benz wrote:Hi all,

since its spring semester and people are job searching and having interviews (while taking Property ) I wanted to share my interview experience and ask if these are indicators that the interview went well. I'm hoping some can give feedback or discuss what their interview experience was like.

So here is a summary of points of what happened in my interview:

- He kept taking notes on points that I brought up about myself
- He kept referencing a personal story about my mom I told him about (i.e. "like in your mom's case, or when this happened to your mom...")
- He laughed at a few of my comments
- We went of course and began discussing sports
- He asked if I wanted to work in the summer or fall and if I could work full time
- Discussed compensation
- He told me he had a few more interviews next week and I should expect a decision at x time and that he needs to fill the last 2 positions of 3
- He stated that my past work is aligned with they do at this job
- He mentioned at the *beginning* of the interview, after I told him about myself, that they are going to be hiring and that maybe I could end up working there when I graduate or potentially next year.

I guess I have HUGE anxiety about this because I need a job! Any thoughts would help.Thanks TLS Folks!

Sounds like your interview definitely went well. But some parts of this you might be reading a bit too much into. I bet they say stuff like: "they are going to be hiring and that maybe I could end up working there when I graduate or potentially next year" to a lot or all of the candidates.

And more importantly, you don't know who else is being interviewed, their qualifications, who is doing the interviewing, etc. There's just a lot of variables you don't know. Best of luck to you though and it sounds like the interview went well so.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:I mean, it's always more pleasant to come out of an interview feeling good than feeling like crap. But I honestly don't think you can ever really tell how it really went, except maybe if it was a true unmitigated disaster (like, you vomited on the interviewer/insulted the interviewer/forgot how to speak English). You have no idea what they're really looking for or how you compare to the other people they're interviewing. (In fact, it's pretty much just like how you have no idea coming out of a law school exam how you did, because you can't compare your performance to everyone else's.) You may have given the best interview you've ever given in your life, and someone else was just better/went to the right school/is related to the right client.

Basically, I want to quote the (sometimes) wise author of this post: Stop reading tea-leaves: Do the interview and move on.

(This isn't to say that you can't think about your own performance and how you could improve - you should probably come out of an interview thinking about what you, personally, would have liked to answer better so you can be better prepared next time. But do not try to read meaning into anything your interviewer said; some interviewers want to be liked and make everyone feel good about the interview, others want to give you a hard time and stress you out and see how you handle it, and rarely is any of it about you. Put it all out of your mind and move on to the next thing.)

A. Nony Mouse wrote:I mean, it's always more pleasant to come out of an interview feeling good than feeling like crap. But I honestly don't think you can ever really tell how it really went, except maybe if it was a true unmitigated disaster (like, you vomited on the interviewer/insulted the interviewer/forgot how to speak English). You have no idea what they're really looking for or how you compare to the other people they're interviewing. (In fact, it's pretty much just like how you have no idea coming out of a law school exam how you did, because you can't compare your performance to everyone else's.) You may have given the best interview you've ever given in your life, and someone else was just better/went to the right school/is related to the right client.

Basically, I want to quote the (sometimes) wise author of this post: Stop reading tea-leaves: Do the interview and move on.

(This isn't to say that you can't think about your own performance and how you could improve - you should probably come out of an interview thinking about what you, personally, would have liked to answer better so you can be better prepared next time. But do not try to read meaning into anything your interviewer said; some interviewers want to be liked and make everyone feel good about the interview, others want to give you a hard time and stress you out and see how you handle it, and rarely is any of it about you. Put it all out of your mind and move on to the next thing.)

Connor Benz wrote:How soon should one send a thank you note? Or would a thank you email be better? I figured mailing a letter may be too long because you don't know if they are making these decisions with haste or are taking their time.

Danger Zone wrote:The only Number onesign that your interview went well: they call you.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:Send it immediately after the interview or the following day, if you're going to send one.

Hutz_and_Goodman wrote:My experience is that it's hard to know. If it goes badly that's really obvious. I've never gotten a callback when I thought it was terrible.

AntipodeanPhil wrote: The main problem, I think, is that some interviewers are just very good at making you feel like things are going well - because they're likable people, good at connecting, ask the right questions, etc. Unfortunately, it can be hard to know if it's you or if they're like that with everyone.

dead head wrote:

AntipodeanPhil wrote: The main problem, I think, is that some interviewers are just very good at making you feel like things are going well - because they're likable people, good at connecting, ask the right questions, etc. Unfortunately, it can be hard to know if it's you or if they're like that with everyone.

Interviews are especially inscrutable if they are the product of lottery bids. In that case the employer may have absolutely no interest in you, in which case most interviewers will use it as an opportunity to shoot the shit and talk sports or whatever (although there are some who won't even attempt to appear interested).

Connor Benz wrote:

dead head wrote:

AntipodeanPhil wrote: The main problem, I think, is that some interviewers are just very good at making you feel like things are going well - because they're likable people, good at connecting, ask the right questions, etc. Unfortunately, it can be hard to know if it's you or if they're like that with everyone.

Interviews are especially inscrutable if they are the product of lottery bids. In that case the employer may have absolutely no interest in you, in which case most interviewers will use it as an opportunity to shoot the shit and talk sports or whatever (although there are some who won't even attempt to appear interested).

Dude, we talked about sports at the end of the interview. He had a framed picture of Citi Field on his wall. We started talking about how he is a Mets fan and how I am a SF Giants fan