“RAP” Your Way Up in Bagging a Job Offer

After days or weeks of waiting, your application was noticed and you got invited for a face-to-face interview. On paper, you were deemed qualified – nice! But how would you ensure that once you walk in that door, you will go home with a signed job offer in your hand and a new career opportunity to look forward to? For that to happen, you have to get ready for the big day by doing three (3) things: Research, Assess, and Prepare. Here are some tips to help you build up confidence, have the necessary knowledge, impress your potential employer on the day of your interview, and to RAP your way up in bagging that job offer:

Research

• Company
  • Thoroughly research the company you are applying for. Check their website for information such as their history, services or products they offer, how long they have been in the industry, their office location, and the members of their management team. You may also want to check information about their competitors.
  • Looking into their LinkedIn or Facebook page can also say a lot about the company you are interviewing with. Company reviews from previous employees and clients can also help you determine if they are a good organization to be in. You can also tap your network of contacts to get any insight about your potential employer.

• Hiring Process
  • Ask your point-of-contact about your application’s processing time. This can help you plot your schedule if there will be a series of interviews.
  • Clarify if the interview will be done by one person or will be a panel interview. This will help you prepare once the interview starts and a group of people marches inside the interview room.

• Interviewer/s
  • Ask your point-of-contact about your interviewers’ name and job title. Try to do a Google or LinkedIn search to get a glimpse of who you’ll be talking to. You can stumble upon pieces of information which can help you establish rapport much easier.

Assess

• Resume
  • All work experiences, skills, training, and certifications you have listed on your resume are fair game to talk about during the interview. The documents you provide will give your potential employer an idea of what you can bring to their table and most of the possible interview questions will be generated from them.

• Possible Interview Questions
  • It is important for you to have an idea about the questions that may be asked by the interviewer/s so that you can effectively formulate appropriate responses. Being caught off-guard and getting your well-built confidence messed up because of an unexpected or difficult question is the last thing you want to happen during an interview.

• Posts in Social Media Platforms
  • Social media postings are among the things you need to keep an eye on when applying. There are HR professionals who check social media accounts of their applicants to see or have a glimpse of their attitude outside work. Your social media accounts can leave a good or bad impression, depending on the posts that you make publicly. You can try to Google yourself to see what will appear should your prospective employer conduct an online search on you.

Prepare

• Proper Outfit
  • Most of the time, your appearance creates a great impression. You have to look neat and well-groomed when you face your prospective employer.
  • Business attire is the standard outfit for corporate offices but you may also want to look into the company’s culture and standard attire first. You would not want to be overdressed. Business casual or even smart casual attires are often the safest bets. But again, it will still depend on the company dress code.

• Supporting Documents
  • Aside from your resume, you should also be mindful of other documents which might be needed for your prospective employer’s future reference, i.e., certifications, portfolios, etc. It won’t hurt bringing additional credentials.

• Itinerary
  • Check the location of your interview and your estimated travel time to avoid being late.
  • Arriving at least 15-30 minutes earlier will give you time to freshen up or rest before facing your interviewers. Arriving early will also give a good impression compared to showing up at the last minute or late.

• Mind
  • Spend your time not on rehearsing questions but reflecting on your work experiences. This can help you prepare should you be asked some situational questions related to your past work experiences.
  • Come up with a go-to phrase to help you avoid dead air should you need time to gather your thoughts, i.e., “That’s a great question. I think I would have to say…”.
  • Observe body language. Be aware of what you’re communicating through your posture and stance, i.e., sitting with your arms and legs crossed sends a message that you are closed-off or defensive.
  • Get a good amount of sleep.

Always remember to follow up a job interview with a thank you note or message indicating your interest for the job. It can be sent via SMS or email to your point-of-contact thanking them for the opportunity. Do not forget to reinstate your interest for the possible career opportunity they are offering. Keep your message simple and not too aggressive. You do not want to sound needy or too hasty.

Are you ready to bag that job offer? Let us know in the comment section below.