9 signs you just nailed that job interview

If the hiring manager takes the extra time to give you a tour of the office or introduces you to employees before you head out, that could mean they're thinking about offering you the role.

"Most interviewers will give you an idea of what the schedule will look like ahead of time," says Amber Cloke, an academic advisor at Ithica College. "If, at the end of the interview, the employer unexpectedly offers to introduce you to the rest of the team, it could bode well for you."

If the interview runs over the scheduled time slot, the employer clearly wants to continue getting to know you a little better, Cloke says. "You've likely already passed the initial criteria they were seeking, and the fact that they continue investing more time and energy toward you can be promising."

As the candidate, it's expected that you will spend a lot of the interview talking about yourself and your expertise, in an attempt to persuade to the interviewer that you're the right fit for the position. But if the interviewer makes a conscious effort to talk up the company, that's a great sign they're impressed with you and trying to sway you towards the position.

"You may be able to tell that your interview has gone well by how much the recruiter 'sells' the role and/or the organization," says Dale Austin, director of the Career Development Center at Hope College. "If the recruiter spends a lot of time doing the talking, that may be one indicator that the organization is very interested in your candidacy."

If an interviewer makes a point to work your name into the conversation, don't be weirded out.

Devony Coley, senior consultant for recruiting firm WinterWyman told Fast Company that this could be a subtle sign that they're already visualizing you as a part of the team. "When a person is referencing you, they're making a connection," she says. "They're already envisioning working with you, and by using your name they're trying to engage you."

This may be part of their "sales tactic." If and when an interviewer starts discussing company policies and benefits — and even gets into a serious discussion about pay — there's a good chance they're planning to make an offer. They most likely wouldn't waste their time voluntarily sharing all this information if they weren't interested in you.

At the close of the interview, if the recruiter or hiring manager enthusiastically brings up the next step in the hiring process without you even asking, then it's a clear indicator you're still in the running for the open role. (Unless, of course, it's just a generic: "We'll be in touch soon.")

"If an interviewer is interested in a candidate, they may even ask when you'd like to or need to have their decision by," said Kevin Hewerdine, director of Career Services and Employer Relations at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. "They won't let you leave without knowing what your timeline looks like."

If, on your way out, they say something along the lines of, "We'd like you to email us a list of three professional references with their contact information as soon as possible," you should feel pretty excited. Most hiring managers don't ask for references until they plan on contacting them…which they usually only do if they're seriously considering a candidate.

Okay, maybe the hiring manager is just super talkative — but if they continue asking questions or selling you on the company as you're saying your goodbyes, you probably made a great impression.

"If the interviewer seems to 'linger' as they walk with you toward the main lobby or escort you out the door, see if they attempt to chat a bit more to keep the conversation going," Randall says. "Typically, interviewers unconsciously do this because they feel comfortable with you being a strong candidate and know that, since this relationship may continue in the future, they want to spend a few more moments to strengthen their professional rapport."