MAKING DECISIONS
AFTER THE JOB INTERVIEW

1. Are you enthusiastic about the position?

Try to remember what drew you to the role in the first place and whether you now feel more or less interested than you did before the interview. For example, you may have been attracted to the scope for progression, the stretch opportunities, and the variety of work involved. Now you have been to the interview and found out more, can you honestly say this opportunity would push you to your full potential? How does it fit in with the career plan and objectives you first set out when you embarked upon your job search?

Another key indicator is how you felt when the interviewer was explaining the role in more detail to you. Did you feel excited, and like this is the challenge you have been waiting for? Did you find yourself asking more questions about the opportunity? You may have felt slightly nervous and daunted by the increment in responsibility, as anyone does when stepping outside their comfort zone, but ultimately, were these positive nerves?
Remember why you decided to go to this interview in the first place – something is clearly missing in your current job. The question is, does this new role have what your current one lacks?

2. Are you and the company a good match?

Before you attended the interview, you may have had an idea of what type of company you wanted to work for next, in terms of its purpose, values, culture and possibly even size. Now you have met with this organisation, how do they compare? Could you see yourself buying into their vision, and feeling passionate about working here?
What about the “personality” of the company, that is, the company culture? It can be tricky to get a feel for a company’s culture in one interview, but try to think back to how the interviewer described the business and team. They might have used words such as “close knit” or “sociable”, giving an indication of the dynamic you would be walking into. Does this suit your personality? Perhaps you were even shown around the office or introduced to your potential colleagues. What were your first impressions upon meeting them?
Ultimately, could you see yourself integrating well with the company culture and values, and do you think you would be a good fit?

3. What is your impression of your potential new boss?

Speaking of your future colleagues, how did your potential boss come across during the interview? This is important, after all, you would be reporting to this person on a daily basis, coming to them for guidance and support, especially during those early days on the job. Again, it isn’t always easy to get a clear picture of this from just one interview, but certain behaviours will indicate what this person is like to work for:

• How good are the interviewer’s communication skills? Did they explain the job and their expectations for the role clearly? If so, this indicates that you would know where you stood with them if you were to report into them
• Did the interviewer listen carefully? Part of being a strong communicator is being able to listen effectively. Did they listen to your answers, and were they encouraging and receptive to what you had to say? Did they answer all of your questions fully?
• Was the interviewer approachable and friendly? Did you feel comfortable talking and asking questions?
• Did you have the impression that the interviewer is enthusiastic about the job, the team and the company? Never underestimate the importance of a zealous boss who loves their job, their enthusiasm is infectious and soon spreads within the team. Try to recall whether they seemed animated and upbeat as they spoke, or whether it felt like they were reading from a script
• Did the interviewer show interest in your future plans and in what you would like to achieve if you got the job? If they smiled and nodded as you spoke, and asked you to elaborate further, this indicates that they are true people managers, that they care about the goals and progression of their employees, and that they would be supportive of you if you joined their team

4. What is your gut feeling after the interview?

Your gut feel isn’t just a suspicion; it is your intuition telling you that a certain decision is for the best, even if it doesn’t make complete logical sense at the time. For you, maybe this position isn’t 100 per cent perfect, but your gut is telling you that it doesn’t matter; this is a risk worth taking. If you walked away from this interview feeling more excited than when you walked in, even though certain boxes in your “perfect job” criteria remained unchecked, then that’s your instincts kicking in and you should pay attention to them.
Our intuition knows us better than anyone, and it is important that we listen, especially when it comes to our careers.