By Interview Question Team in Job Interview — Aug 11, 2021

How to End an Interview as an Interviewee

• How to Close An Interview • What Exactly to Say • How to Begin Your Sentence • How to Show Intent in Your Closing Statement • How to Reiterate Your Strengths at End of the Interview • How to Politely End the Interview Early

Wrap up the interview with this how-to guide (examples & exact words to use are listed below).

When your spidey-sense tells you that there is nothing much to talk about, it may be time to end the interview. Here are some winning ways to end an interview.

If you are an employer, you can also use the information here too.

How to Close An Interview

There are 5 main steps to close an interview.

Ask if the interviewer has any questions.
Thank the interviewer for taking the time to interview you.
If possible, establish a connection with your interviewer to make yourself memorable, such as mention something about your shared alma mater or interest in the same sports team.
Use a closing statement. For example, close by saying: "I look forward to hearing from you soon." This statement implies that you are eager and excited about the opportunity.
End with a handshake.

Note: If you have not asked the interviewer any questions, it is a good time to do so.

What Exactly to Say

This section is basically a cheat sheet (or script) to use. You may want to come up with your own ways of saying this with your own words rather than using the suggested words.

How to Begin Your Sentence

Below are examples of what you can start your sentence off with to close the interview.

It was nice talking with you about...
I think I’ve given enough information today...
Do you have any questions for me?
What is your next step in the hiring process?
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me..

How to Show Intent in Your Closing Statement

Below are more examples you can refer to, to show your intent:

"I appreciate your time and all that you’ve told me, but I think it’s best for both of us if we go in new directions."
"I really enjoyed talking with you. Thank you for the opportunity and I hope to hear back from you soon."
"Thank you so much for your time, this has been an invaluable experience. However, I'm afraid that this position isn't quite what we're looking for at the moment."
"This has been an amazing conversation; thank you again. (You leave it neutral.)

Have something positive to share; It brightens up the mood.

How to Reiterate Your Strengths at End of the Interview

Below are examples of concluding sentences to rehash your strengths and leave a final impression:
“I hope my experience and skills are going to be of use for you.”
“Thank you for your time. I hope I get the opportunity to use my [programming knowledge] to build the next product soon."
"I think we’ve covered everything about me, thank you so much for your time."

You can use power words from your resume to highlight your strengths.

How to Politely End the Interview Early

Below are examples of closing statements you can say to hint at the interviewer to end the interview early:

"I think that’s all the time we have for today."
"It’s getting late, and I appreciate your time. Let’s call it a day."
"We have been talking for about 20 minutes, I think a few more minutes would be sufficient for this interview."
"I really enjoyed talking to you, but I think we have covered everything that needs to be covered on both our ends."
"May we wrap this up? This arrangement may not beneficial for both of us."

After the interview, you should follow up on the next steps in your job application.