Mastering The Lunch Interview
Interviews can be nerve-racking, brain-draining,
headache-inducing experiences. These days, recruiters have found
a way to make the interview even more difficult by combining the
experience with a meal. This means that in addition to listening
to the interviewer, formulating intelligent responses, and
trying your hardest to be confident, you now have pay attention
to how you look while eating.
Interviews over lunch or dinner are an increasingly popular
recruiting tool. This http://www.WorkTree.com career article
gives you the need-to-knows of the meal interview.
1. Mind your manners 2. The dish dilemma 3. Consume and converse
4. Finish with a bang
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1. MIND YOUR MANNERS It may seem unnecessary to mention, but
those basic table manners you were taught as a child still
matter. In casual settings, poor manners are not always
corrected. Therefore, you could have picked up some habits that
your mother would be ashamed of and more likely than not, your
interviewer probably will not be too be impressed by them
either.
Here are just a few of the habits you should be mindful of
during a meal interview:
- BE POLITE. In addition to evaluating your answers to
questions, an interviewer is also assessing your personality. Be
courteous and respectful to everyone, especially the wait staff.
Words such as "please" and "thank you" speak worlds about your
character. - BE AWARE. Keeping you elbows on the table, chewing
with your mouth open, talking with your mouth full all convey a
negative impression. Pay attention to even your smallest
actions. - BE PREPARED. If you feel uncertain about your table
manners, consult the experts. Emily Post's books on etiquette
are considered to be among the definitive works on etiquette.
There is no shame in doing research; after all, this is an
interview.
2. THE DISH DILEMMA Even though you are being treated to a nice
meal, you are not free to order any dish you like. You are in an
interview, and therefore, you have the duty of maintaining a
certain level of professionalism and formality throughout the
meal.
There are no definitive rules of food selection, and you may
have to make a game-time decision. However, following these
rules will help you steer clear of trouble:
- AVOID MESSES. Steer clear of foods that have to be eaten with
your hands or have a tendency to splatter. It is hard to recover
from the embarrassment of splashing your interviewer with
spaghetti sauce, nor do you want to inadvertently adorn yourself
with gravy or cream sauce. So stick to foods that can be cut
into small pieces with a knife and fork. - NO STENCHES. Avoid
foods that have a strong or unpleasant order. You are better off
having an interviewer not remember you at all rather than as the
candidate with bad breath. So no matter how much you love onions
and garlic, lay off the stinkers for one meal. - KEEP IT QUIET.
You need to be able to conduct a civil conversation. Avoid foods
that are crunchy and noisy to eat. In a public setting there is
a lot of noise that could drown out the voice of a person
sitting across from you so try not to order food that would add
to the problem. - FOLLOW THE LEADER. You may be wondering if a
menu item is priced too high or if to order an appetizer first,
etc. The answer is to follow your interviewer's lead. Try to
order food in the same price range as the interviewer and order
the same number of courses. You do not want to be sitting idle
while the recruiter is still eating.
3. CONSUME AND CONVERSE You are at an interview and also dining
out. This means you need to not only be talking, but also
eating. It can sometimes be difficult to do both.
Try and keep these issues in mind when posed with the challenge
of eating and talking at the same time:
- YOU ARE IN CONTROL. Don't feel so pressured to talk that you
don't eat at all. This can be interpreted as nervousness. - ASK
QUESTIONS. When going to an interview, it is always a good idea
to have questions. This will allow you get more information on
the company and show that you have done your homework. During
the meal interview, it will also give you the opportunity to
actually eat as your interviewer responds to your questions.
4. FINISHING WITH A BANG Unlike that of a standard interview,
the end of a meal interview does not just end with a handshake
and a "Thank You". There are other things to keep in mind
including:
- DON'T OFFER TO PAY. It's never expected of a job candidate,
and you don't need to do it. - NEVER ASK FOR A DOGGY BAG. No
matter how delicious the meal was, requesting to take a portion
of it home is not appropriate for the setting. - REAFFIRM YOUR
INTEREST. Let the interviewer know how much you would like to
work for his/her company. - A "Thank You" AND HANDSHAKE CAN'T
HURT. As in any interview, don't forget to thank the interviewer
for taking the time to meet with you. In addition, be sure to be
gracious and say that you enjoyed the meal and end the interview
with a firm handshake. Make sure to follow up with a thank you
letter in the morning.
CONCLUSION The meal interview is tricky, but not impossible.
With a little guidance and a lot of confidence, you can sail
through them with flying colors. Just try to keep these helpful
hints in mind. Good luck and bon app