Initial In-Person Meetings

Don't go into the meeting blind. Use these tips to help you feel comfortable and prepared.

So you've made it through the comprehensive four-step screening process, aced the phone interview and now you've been invited for an in-person meeting.

Everything seems to be going smoothly and safely (read: no scams here), so keep the flow going with these additional precautions for planning the initial face-to-face meeting.

GET A BACKGROUND CHECK

Looking through the person's background check should provide you with significant peace of mind. In the check, you'll find the person's name, address, Social Security number, criminal records, sex offender and violent crime offenses, even traffic violations. You'll be able to walk into the meeting more focused on building rapport than plotting a Houdini-like escape route for each different exit.

TELL A FRIEND OR PARENT ABOUT THE MEETING

Letting someone else know about your plans is like adding a safety net underneath a trapeze act. It will only have to be used in more dire circumstances, but at least the safeguard is in place just in case. Tell this person where you will be, who you will be meeting and when you plan to return. Choose a really nosy friend - she'll definitely remember the details.

TAKE A CELL PHONE

In this age, it's almost silly to tell someone to bring a cell phone with them (we're surgically attached to those things), but the reminder can't hurt. Keep it on silent or vibrate in your pocket, which is much easier to access than rummaging through the bottomless pit known as your purse, and make sure it is charged before you leave.

ARRANGE YOUR OWN TRANSPORTATION

Get yourself to and from the meeting. Not only will this allow you to be more in control, it also prevents the person you're meeting from getting your address to come pick you up. If you don't have a car or don't drive, ask a friend (maybe not the nosy one, unless you can stand to be in such close quarters with her...) to be your ride - the friend won't just hear about your plans, she'll actually see it for herself, which is even better.