Job Interviewers What They Really Mean

Job Interviewers What They Really Mean Job Interviewers What They Really Mean You’ve finally made it through weeks (or months) of job searching, and are now in the middle of a super important job interview. You’re answering all the questions like a champ, even the weird ones employers sometimes ask to stump potential job candidates. But no matter how well your interview might be going, there’s always going to be a chance that a hiring manager will say something to you that can be confusing, misleading, or even completely ambiguous. Below are a few tips on how to decode job interviewers and the statements they make. Heres how to decode some of the statements job interviewers commonly use: “You’re a well-qualified candidate for this position.” Hearing this is like music to a job seeker’s ears. But before you ask to see your new office, think about it: if you weren’t qualified, would you be sitting there in the middle of a job interview? Probably not. This is one of those generic things that most hiring managers say at the onset of an interview. You can respond by saying, “Thank you” and let the interviewer guide you to the next phase of the interview, which is the question and answer session. “We’re still working out some of the details of the job.” This is a tricky, murky statement. While it’s not exactly a kiss-off, in some cases it can be. For a leading job candidate, it could simply be a heads-up that some of the responsibilities of the position are still being ironed out, or that your potential boss is waiting to get clearance on funding for the position. It might also mean they’re not sure if the position will even be available or not, and they need some time to figure it out. That’s why you should accept what is being said without questioning what those “details” might be. “I’ll be in touch with you soon.” Argh. It’s one of the worst phrases for any ardent job seeker. What, exactly, does “soon” mean? A day? A week? A month? Never? Take whatever time period a hiring manager gives you to get back to you- and then triple it. Hiring processes can drag on indefinitely due to no fault of your own. The best way to cope with it is to keep yourself busy and, realistically, to keep applying for other jobs until you get official word from the person as to whether you got the job or not. “Feel free to email me with any follow-up questions.” When a job candidate is told this, it’s usually at the end of an interview and is used more as a wrap-up statement than anything else. The job interviewer doesn’t really expect you to email him, unless, of course, it’s something super important. You can (and should) send a thank-you email to your potential employer after your interview, and if the employer doesnt respond after the job interview, you can always follow up with one (and we mean one) email. Just don’t take this saying as a green light to email blast your potential boss. “We’re interviewing other candidates before we make our final decision.” Typically, this statement can dash a hopeful job candidate’s dream of working for a company to pieces. By its nature, this phrase could seem to imply that you’re not the candidate for the job, but that’s not necessarily the case. Many interviewers say this, and it can be to just let you know that the hiring process (and a decision to be made) might take longer than you expect. After all, you might be one of the very first job seekers to be interviewed out of a list of 20 potential employees. So don’t be disappointed if you hear this phrase; it’s just one of those things hiring managers say. If you’re looking to improve your job search success, try some of the following tips: 1. Update your social media channels. It’s all fine and dandy to have a Facebook page flooded with vacay and family photos, but you should always think about how you might come across to a potential boss. So set your personal social media accounts to private and open up new, professional ones that reflect your career goals and interests. 2. Don’t stop searching. You found the position of your dreams, and you’re in the middle of the job interviewing process. That doesn’t mean that you should stop job searching, though. Putting all of your proverbial job hunting eggs in one basket can hold you back should the position you really want fall through. So until you get offered a job- and you accept it- you should always continue your search and continue applying for positions. If you are searching for a flexible job, we invite you to browse over 50 flexible job categories. 3. Know what you’re worth. It’s always a deflating feeling when you finally get offered the job you want- and then come to find out the pay is paltry. Keep in mind that you can (and should) negotiate your salary. One way to start is by knowing what you’re worth. Salary calculators can help you determine what you should be getting paid based on what the going rate is for type of job. This can help give you the confidence to ask for what you deserve. Readers, are you familiar with any of these common statements from job interviewers? How did you respond? Let us know in the comments below!