How to Know If a Hiring Manager Wants You: 17 Signs (2024)

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Co-authored byMaureen Taylorand Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: September 27, 2023Fact Checked

They use positive body language.

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1. Positive body language signals interest and engagement. While talking to the hiring manager, look for positive body language signs including firm, consistent eye contact and an open posture. They're fully engaged in the conversation if they’re leaning forward while you talk instead of leaning back with their arms folded. It’s also a good sign if they seem cheerful—smiling, laughing, and nodding along when you speak.^[1]

   • On the flip side, a hiring manager might be signaling their disinterest if they don’t make much direct eye contact, fidget often, or seem preoccupied with other things in the room.

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The interview takes longer than expected.

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1. If the interview goes long, they probably enjoyed chatting with you. Time is precious for a hiring manager, so they’ll normally only extend an interview past its scheduled time if they’re really interested in you as a candidate. If the hiring manager has a few extra questions or wants to chat for a little while and get to know you, that’s a strong sign they want to hire you.^[2]

   • For example, say the hiring manager tells you to expect a 30-minute interview, but you spend an extra 15 minutes answering questions and talking about your experiences.
   • In that case, the fact that a hiring manager was willing to spend a little extra time with you likely means they’re very interested in you!
   • Sometimes, a hiring manager might act distant (as opposed to being attentive and engaged) because they’re trying to play it cool—but if the interview still goes long, that means they’re interested despite their attitude.

They have you wait while they finish another task.

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1. If they want you, they’ll prioritize talking to you, even on busy days. Most interested hiring managers will do their best to focus on you during an interview, but sometimes emergencies (or just urgent tasks) come up. However, if they’re really invested in interviewing (and possibly hiring) you, the hiring manager will likely ask you to wait while they handle whatever urgent issue requires their attention.^[3]

   • Conversely, if a hiring manager isn’t very invested in speaking with you, they might wrap the interview up early or ask to reschedule.
   • If they ask you to wait, that’s a sign they truly want to continue the conversation!

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They do a deep dive into your qualifications.

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1. A hiring manager who wants you will want to evaluate you carefully. Expect the hiring manager to ask detailed questions about your work history, education, and any relevant skills. They may also follow up and ask more questions after talking to your references or researching your history. If they’re interested in you, they’ll want to ensure you’re a great fit for the job.^[4]

   • Be sure to give the manager honest and thorough responses when they ask questions about your qualifications!
   • If the hiring manager is interested, they’ll almost certainly ask your references about your skills and qualifications, too—which is why it’s so important to be honest rather than bluffing during an interview.

They compliment specific skills.

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1. Compliments prove that they’re especially impressed by you. It’s the hiring manager’s job to ask you questions—but if they take a moment to compliment you, that means you’ve really caught their eye. The more specific the compliment, the more likely you’ve won over the manager. In some cases, they might even directly tell you that a particular skill will be a great asset for the job and company.^[5]

   • For example, they might say, “I love that you’re experienced with the Adobe Creative Suite! That’ll be a huge help for this job.”
   • Alternatively, they might say something like, “It looks like you have really strong project management skills,” or “You’ve got an amazing resume with lots of experience in the software development industry!”
   • It’s also a good sign if they go on to ask you in-depth questions about the skill they singled out and complimented you on. It means they’re genuinely interested in exploring how you might use that skill if you get the job.

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They ask about your long-term goals.

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1. If they bring up career goals, they’re invested in your future success. Simply put, a hiring manager might ask about your long-term goals if you’ve made a good impression on them, and they genuinely want to see you have a fulfilling career. Thus, they may ask questions to ensure the job you’re applying for aligns with your goals—and that you can see yourself growing within the company and its future plans.^[6]

   • If the hiring manager brings up future growth opportunities within the company after hearing about your long-term goals, that’s an even stronger sign that they’re interested!
   • It means they can see a future for you at the company and want you to know there’s room to grow professionally if you choose to work there.

They ask deep hypothetical questions.

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1. The hiring manager wants to know how you'd handle the role. Being asked a string of challenging questions might feel like a hassle, but it’s their way of delving more deeply into your skills and experiences. In particular, the hiring manager might pose a few hypothetical questions—which likely means they’re interested in learning more about you beyond what's on your resume.^[7]

   • For example, you might transition from typical questions (like “What are your strengths?”) to hypotheticals like, “What if you had to work with a difficult coworker on a task?” or “How would you make a great impression on a client?”
   • Additionally, they might surprise you with odd or unexpected questions like, “If all the world’s a stage, what role would you play?” or “If you were shipwrecked on an island, what two items would you want with you?”
   • If the manager asks hypothetical (or downright odd) questions, it likely means you’ve answered all the core questions well—and now they want to get a sense of your work style and principles.

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They seem encouraging but pose tough questions.

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1. They may act inconsistently to see how you react under pressure. If a hiring manager seems inconsistent—like throwing a deliberately confusing question at you with a smile on their face, for example—it’s likely just their way of testing you. They may want to know if you can think critically and give a thoughtful response, no matter the circ*mstances. It’s not because they secretly want you to fail! They’re likely still rooting for you, no matter how tough the questions get.^[8]

They want to know your availability.

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1. They may already be planning next steps if they ask about availability. Take note if the hiring manager asks you questions like, “When would you be available to start?” or, more specifically, something like, “Could you start next Monday?” Direct queries about your availability may mean the hiring manager is already picturing you in the role and wants to get you hired and trained as soon as possible.^[9]

   • They may also ask questions like, “Do you have another company in mind?” or “Have you been offered any other jobs elsewhere?”
   • If a hiring manager asks about your other job prospects, this may also be a sign of interest; they want to know how strongly you feel about working for them and how quickly they might need to make an offer if they want you to accept.

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They bring up salary and compensation.

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1. Discussing a salary means they’re serious about making you an offer. Even better, if the salary they discuss with you is competitive (meaning it’s better than the average market value of that job), it likely means they see you as a strong candidate and want you to know that they value the skills you’ll bring to their company. Either way, if they kick off a conversation about your future salary, chances are they want you.^[10]

   • Alternatively, a hiring manager might ask, “What salary are you expecting?”
   • If they’re willing to negotiate over your desired salary, that’s another sign they want you on their team.
   • It’s also a good sign if the hiring manager makes a point to discuss the benefits and rewards that come with the job. They may highlight the job's perks because they know you’re a strong candidate and want to hire you!

They mention speaking to your references.

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1. Speaking to references likely means they’re serious about hiring you. Managers typically reach out to references when they already feel like you could be an excellent fit for the job and want confirmation from other people who are familiar with your skillset.^[11] So, if a hiring manager requests references from you—or, afterward, says that they heard positive things from your references, it means they’re genuinely considering you for the job.

   • Many hiring managers need at least 2 or 3 references to call, if possible, so be sure to ask a few different people to be references when you apply for a job!

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They give you their undivided attention.

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1. Attention and active listening are signs of sincere interest. If a hiring manager is only half-listening to you and constantly getting distracted by phone calls or text notifications, they’re probably not that invested in the interview. On the other hand, if they’re willing to press pause on everything else going on and give you their undivided attention for the entirety of the interview, that means they truly believe you might be the right fit for the job.^[12]

   • For example, you might notice an interested hiring manager silence all their phone notifications or ask a coworker to wait until the end of the interview to come in and talk because they want to focus on you!
   • You might also notice that an interested hiring manager will listen to you intently and ask insightful follow-up questions based on the information they get from you.
   • Not all interviewers are always completely attentive. Some may even seem distracted while you answer questions—but don’t despair. It’s not necessarily a bad thing.
     • In fact, they might just be thinking ahead about the next steps and how you might fit in with the company culture, which is actually a good thing.

They answer your questions thoughtfully.

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1. A responsive hiring manager likely feels enthusiastic about hiring you. Interviews aren’t just the manager’s opportunity to quiz you on your qualifications; they’re also your chance to learn more about the job and whether you’d be a good fit! So, how does the manager respond when you ask questions? If they seem engaged and consider your questions carefully before giving a full and clear answer, they likely want to leave you with a good impression!^[13]

   • If you feel you’ve established a good rapport with the manager, you could ask them directly what they think of you as a candidate.
   • For example, you might say, “Do you feel I’m a good fit for this job based on our discussion and my qualifications?”

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They introduce you to the rest of the team.

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1. They might seek a second opinion if they want to hire you. If you’ve interviewed (perhaps multiple times) and impressed the hiring manager, they might try to see what other colleagues think of you. So, if a hiring manager introduces you to their peers, bosses, or your potential peers (if you get the job), it may mean they’re evaluating how compatible you are with the rest of the team.^[14]

   • They may also offer to give you a tour of the office (or building) along the way, introducing you to team members as they go.
   • This likely means they want you to get a taste of the company culture and atmosphere and see what it might be like to work there.

They give you information about next steps.

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1. If they want to move forward, they’ll tell you all about the hiring process. Did the hiring manager tell you when you can expect to hear from them next? Did they explain the next steps in the application process (including interviews or assessments you might need to take)? If so, it’s a positive sign. Clear communication and prompt scheduling indicate that the hiring manager is interested in you as a candidate!^[15]

   • For example, if you finish an interview and the manager tells you they’ll be in touch by the end of the day (or directly asks to schedule a second interview), that strongly indicates interest.
   • They may even say “when” instead of “if” (for example, “When we have a follow-up interview…” instead of “If we have a follow-up interview…”), which may mean they already think of you as their candidate of choice.

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They give you a friendly goodbye.

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1. Warmth is a sign of approval from a manager. Some hiring managers are just friendly—but if they were impressed with you and want to hire you, it’ll most likely show in their goodbye as you leave an interview. Take note if the manager gives you a strong, steady handshake while smiling and making eye contact. That kind of warmth implies that they’re pleased with the outcome of the interview.^[16]

   • If the manager really liked you, they might even walk you to the lobby (if there is one) and say goodbye there rather than just showing you out of their office.
   • After a successful interview, the hiring manager might ask to connect on LinkedIn! This is a great way to keep in touch—and check out the company’s highlights on their LinkedIn page.

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1. A quick reply likely means they’re happy to hear from you. Hiring managers are busy! So, if they take the time to reply to the quick “thank you” email you sent after an interview, it probably means they’re prioritizing communication with you over other tasks. And, if that’s the case, there’s a good chance they’re emailing you back because they’re interested in hiring you.^[17]

   • Remember: regardless of how well you think an interview went, sending a follow-up “thank you” note to the hiring manager who interviewed you is always essential.
   • “Thank you” emails are courteous and professional; if you’ve already made a good impression on your interviewer, a polite email is sure to make you look even better in their eyes.

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