A lot of people ask me: is there a way to tell during or after an interview whether you're moving forward? Honestly, yes — if you've had enough practice reading people, you start to pick it up.
I think about the interview a lot like dating. The outcome depends partly on how well your background matches what they're looking for, but also on how many other strong candidates are in the pool, how well you showed your best self during the conversation, and whether the exchange actually felt good. If those elements aren't there, all the anxious follow-up emails in the world won't change anything. Better to move your energy toward finding roles that are a better fit and prepping more thoroughly for those.
One thing that's underappreciated: get clear on what kind of "product" you are as a candidate, and which buyers — which companies — are most likely to want exactly that. If your background is heavy on retail, e-commerce, and social media, lean into e-commerce companies. Get deep on that world: follow the trends, network with people in the space, learn the tools. That kind of focus makes your prep much easier and your confidence in the room much stronger.
During the actual interview, pay attention to body language. Is the interviewer leaning in, actively engaged? Or are their eyes wandering, their energy flat? Adjust accordingly — if they seem disengaged, try a slightly different angle or pick up the pace.
The positive signals to watch for: the interviewer's posture is open, they're nodding, they volunteer their email for follow-up, they tell you what the next steps are specifically. Negative signals sound like: "We'll be in touch" or "We'll let you know our decision" with no specifics. It's like dating — if someone's into you, they make it obvious. If they're hedging, they probably already know the answer.
© 2026 Rachel Hong · Accelerator Consulting