How to Read an Interviewer: Body Language, Tone, and Clues That Matter

Knowing how to “read” an interviewer can give you critical insights into a company. Along with this, you can get an understanding of the overall tone and energy of a company by conducting a little research. Today we’re going to go over subtle signs to look out for, as well as how to spot red flags before you accept an offer. Let’s begin.

Before the Interview: Clues from the Company

Before you even speak to a human, you can gain information about a company’s overall tone.

The Job Description

Job postings that sound overly vague, full of jargon, or bloated with buzzwords like “rockstar” or “fast-paced ninja” can be a red flag. Is the description clear about responsibilities and expectations? Does it reflect structure or chaos? Keep questions like these in mind while reading though job postings.

The way a job description uses language can often be a dead giveaway. For example, “Must be willing to wear many hats” often translates to “We’re understaffed and we’ll overwork you.” On the other hand, a job post that clearly outlines day-to-day tasks, reporting structure, and success metrics shows that the company knows what it wants and is likely to support its teams in getting there.

Their Digital Footprint

Part of your research should always include checking out a company’s LinkedIn posts, Glassdoor reviews, and blog content (if applicable). Are they celebrating their team’s wins or only posting sales numbers? Are former employees warning of high turnover and toxic managers?

Check for these telltale signs:

• What kind of content do they post? Does the content spotlight their teams or is it full of vague PR language?
• How does the company respond to reviews, if at all?
• Do they talk about mentorship or employee development?

Researching these aspects of a company’s digital footprint can help you get a sense of how human-centered (or not) the company really is.

During the Interview: Reading the Interviewer

Once you’re in the interview, it’s time to fire up the old EQ (emotional intelligence). Remember, emotional intelligence is just as much about reading others as it is about regulating yourself. Be on the lookout for:

Body Language and Energy

Does your interviewer make eye contact, nod, or smile? Are they engaged in your answers or checking their watch? Positive signs to watch out for are the interviewer leaning slightly forward, mirroring your energy or tone, and smiling or laughing when appropriate. Any or all of these indicate the interviewer is engaged and listening.

As for the negative signs, keep an eye out for crossed arms, lack of eye contact, distracted or disengaged behavior such as checking their phone, or dismissive responses. You can also pick up on these signs during virtual interviews.

Their Questions

Interviewers can also reveal a lot by what they choose to focus on. First, let’s go through some common questions that might indicate poor work/life balance, a chaotic working environment, and a workplace culture that doesn’t respect boundaries:

• “Are you comfortable working long hours?”
• “How do you handle stress?”
• “Would you be okay taking on additional responsibilities outside of this role?”

Next, let’s take a look at some questions that indicate a balanced workplace that values its employees and provides the necessary tools to help them succeed:

• “What kind of management style helps you do your best work?”
• “What would your ideal onboarding process look like?”
• “What’s your proudest achievement in a team setting?”

Tone and Demeanor

Throughout the interview, pay close attention to the interviewer’s tone. Are they curious and attentive, or combative and dismissive? Encouraging, or cold? A rushed or robotic interviewer may signal an overwhelmed team, a disorganized hiring process, or worse yet, a disorganized workplace.

Keep in mind that the possibility exists that the interviewer is having an off day, so what you’re looking for here is the totality of the situation. If you’ve observed other red flags leading up the interview and the interviewer seems off during the interview, it could be a sign of something bigger.

Questions You Can Ask to Gauge Company Culture

Typically, the interviewer will give you the chance to ask them questions towards the end of the interview. This is your chance to learn as much as you can about the company outside of what you gathered during your initial research. Here are some examples of questions you can ask:

• “How would you describe the team culture?”
• “What’s one thing the company is working to improve?”
• “What are some recent challenges the team has overcome?”
• “Can you walk me through a typical week in this role?”

The key here is to pay attention to the level of transparency with which the interviewer answers questions like these. If they struggle with or stutter through their answers, it could be an indication of a toxic culture or other issues. For more on questions that can help you gauge company culture, check out our previous advice here.

After the Interview

The days following your interview can also reveal a lot. For starters, most interviewers or hiring managers will follow up with you for the next steps, or to at least inform you that the company has decided to move forward with other candidates. If they don’t follow up when they say they will, it could be a bad sign; however, it could also be a slip up—once again, consider the totality of the situation.

Pay close attention to how the interviewer responds to your communications. Do they send thoughtful, energetic messages? Or do their communications seem rushed or generic? What you’re looking for here is professional, timely responses, indicating they respect your time. If this isn’t the experience you’re getting, it could suggest a disorganized or inconsiderate company culture.

Rob Porter is an editor at Vault.