6 best practices to help you secure a job offer

Securing a job offer can feel like an elusive task, especially if you’ve been on the job hunt for a long time. And while finding (and applying for) a job has changed dramatically in the last decade, the best practices for securing a job offer remain the same. Consider these guidelines to help you secure your next job offer:

1. Reach out to your network. 

One of the first steps in securing a job offer starts before you even apply for an open position. If you’re in the market for a new job, begin your search by reaching out to your network. The chances of you securing a job offer increase dramatically if you have someone inside the organization vouching for your strengths and skill set. 

Review your network and find out if any of them work at a company with open positions that match your search. Reach out through LinkedIn, text, a phone call, or even over lunch to spread the word about your job search. If you need to be more discreet, narrow your conversations to the people that you can trust to be quiet about your job hunt.

What you should do: Ask your network to submit a referral for you (at most companies employees are incentivized to do this, creating a win-win for both you and the employee). 

2. Show excitement for the job. 

One mistake too many applicants make if they make it to the interview round of the job search is not showing enough excitement for the job. It’s an easy misstep—showing too much confidence can come off like you’re disinterested or aloof. 

What you should do: Don’t just show excitement with your tone and body language, verbalize your excitement to make sure the interviewer clearly understands that you are excited for the job. 

3. Practice for the interview. 

Wild card interview questions aren’t likely—there are plenty of resources to review to help you prepare for any type of interview question so you don’t walk into a situation without an answer. But if you don’t prepare and practice for the interview, your chances of securing the offer will significantly tank. 

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What you should do: Research typical interview questions for the job type and your industry. Consider these resources: top 19 behavioral interview questions, common software engineering interview questions, and common sales interview questions and answers. And don’t forget the 10 questions you should ask the hiring manager in a job interview.   

4. Ask for the job. 

Just as showing excitement for the job is a critical piece in securing a job offer, asking for the job is a pivotal piece of the pie. And while it might sound difficult, practice can make this step easier. By asking for the job you’re reiterating that you want the job and that you recognize the interviewer (and perhaps the team) has a say in whether or not you get an offer. 

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What you should do: Let the interviewer know that you want the job. You don’t have to say, “can I have this job?” but you do need to let the recruiter or hiring manager know that you want the job. 

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Here are two examples: 

“I’m very interested in this job. Everything I’ve heard about the company and the team sounds really great and it all aligns with my goals and experience.” 

“I would love the chance to work here. Thank you so much for your time. I know it’s difficult to find the right candidate, but I know I can do this job and get incredible results for the team and the company.”

5. Show flexibility. 

Most businesses aren’t interested in hiring candidates that don’t present themselves as team players. Use the interview as an opportunity to showcase your flexibility—detail how you are interested in working at the company, with the team, and helping everyone achieve the goals that are likely already laid out for the position. If you position yourself as someone who won’t go above and beyond the listed job responsibilities, you likely won’t secure the job offer. 

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What you should do: Share your availability and flexibility during the interview. Let the recruiter and hiring manager know that you are flexible not just on the start date for the position, but on job responsibilities and compensation as well. (Best practice for compensation conversations is to withhold your desired salary and instead reply that you are negotiable—this can help you stay in the running for the job vs. saying a number that is too low or too high.) 

6. Send a thank you message after the interview. 

While sending a thank you message or email after the interview sounds like common sense, many applicants fail to complete this step. For many, the task can feel challenging because they don’t know what to say. Don’t complicate it—say thank you for the interviewer’s time and considering you for the position. 

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What you should do: Follow up with the recruiter or hiring manager (or both) within 24 hours after your interview. Send your message via email (or LinkedIn if you don’t have their email addresses). Use this opportunity to reiterate your excitement and desire for the job. 

Need more resources? Check out these links: 

7 signs you will get the job after an interview

How to respond when a recruiter asks: “What’s your salary expectation?”

What to do before you accept a new job offer

Can you lose a job offer for negotiating?

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