Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Preparing for your lunch interview
• Method 2 of 3: Ordering Meals and Eating Meals
• Method 3 of 3: Make a good impression
• Tips
• Warnings

A lunch interview is a great opportunity for your potential employer to get to know you in a less formal setting and see your communication skills in action. Interviewing at lunchtime can be a little unnerving, especially if you've never had this experience. This article will give you some good advice on how to prepare and successfully complete your lunch break interview; just go to step 1 to get started.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Preparing for your lunch interview

1. 1 Understand your lunchtime interview motivation. Sometimes employers invite candidates to meet at lunch or dinner time, especially when they are interviewing for positions that involve frequent customer interactions.
   • This type of interview allows an employer to assess a potential candidate's communication skills in order to analyze how they interact with people in a normal setting and to see how they behave under pressure.
   • Lunch interviews are more difficult to prepare than regular interviews because you must focus on the practical aspect of ordering and eating lunch in addition to answering questions during the interview process and engaging in small talk. However, there are certain restrictions on what can and cannot be done that should be adhered to.
2. 2 Dress in a business style. For your lunch interview, you should dress the same way as for your regular interview - a formal suit. This applies regardless of the location or type of restaurant.
   • Make sure your interview attire is clean and well ironed. The hairstyle should be neat and the nails in perfect order. Women should have modest makeup.
   • Don't worry if the interviewer is dressed more casually than you are. Remember, it's always best to dress more formally than usual when it comes to interviews.
3. 3 Check out the menu in advance. If you know the name of the restaurant where the interview is taking place, be sure to preview their lunch menus. This will give you an idea of ​​the cuisine it offers and the price range, making the ordering process less stressful and time consuming.
4. 4 Bring a copy of your resume, paper, and pen with you. Print out an updated version of your resume and repack it in a bag with paper, pens, and other documents you may need. Your interviewer may not ask for them during the interview process, but in any case, it's best to be prepared.
5. 5 On the day of your interview, read the news in the morning. Usually lunchtime interviews are more chatter and small talk than regular interviews, so it is important to be aware of the current events and have a couple of interesting stories in stock to tell if possible. The best way to prepare for this is to just read the newspaper.
   • Read the large, large-format, not the local newspaper or tabloids. Pay special attention to those articles or sections of the newspaper that may be work-related - be it finance, business, politics, or international relations.
   • You should also listen to or watch the news the night before and the morning before your interview. You don't want to feel embarrassed if you are not aware of the latest important events.
6. 6 Think about how you will get to the restaurant so that you can arrive there on time. Before interviewing, make sure you know exactly how to get to the restaurant and how long it will take. Planning your itinerary will allow you to arrive at the restaurant early, which is always advisable for your lunch interview.
   • Be sure to take into account the traffic conditions at lunchtime or public transport schedules.
   • If you arrived at the restaurant before the interviewer, wait for him in the waiting room, lobby, or just before entering the restaurant. Avoid waiting at the table.

Method 2 of 3: Ordering Meals and Eating Meals

1. 1 Avoid ordering sloppy-looking or pungent-smelling dishes. It's important to order very carefully during your lunch interview. You should avoid ordering messy, strong-smelling food as it will look awkward when you eat and push the other person away.
   • Avoid foods that contain a lot of garlic and onions as they have a strong odor. Avoid ordering sloppy dishes such as spaghetti, burgers with a lot of spices, sloppy sandwiches, salads with large leaves, fatty fries, and foods that sound too crunchy when eaten.
   • Instead, choose foods that look flavorful and are easy to eat in small pieces, such as finely chopped salad, frothy pasta, or fish.
2. 2 Don't order the most expensive dishes from the menu. Avoid choosing the most expensive meals, such as steak or lobster (unless the interviewer insists), as this could be seen as taking advantage of the company's credit card and will not bring the desired result.
   • However, this does not mean that you should order the cheapest item on the menu. You should feel free to order what you like, within reason, and show the potential employer that you feel comfortable and confident in the restaurant setting.
   • You should refrain from ordering dessert unless your interviewer orders it first.
3. 3 Stay away from alcoholic beverages. In general, it is best to refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages during a lunch interview, even if the interviewer is drinking. Alcohol can liberate you and cause you to talk or behave in a professional manner. This does not mean that you should stick to and only drink water - order soda or iced tea instead.
4. 4 Be nice at the table. It is very important that you show good table manners throughout your lunch interview. Bad manners can easily alienate an employer, as it suggests that you are not good at behaving in a professional environment.
   • Go back to basics - don't forget to put the napkin on your lap, keep your elbows on the table, keep your mouth closed when chewing, and don't talk while absorbing food.
   • For a refresher on table manners, read the related article.
5. 5 Eat at the same rate as your interviewer. Try to match the pace of your meal with the interviewer - don't eat too fast or too slow. This can get tricky as you may have to talk a lot and answer many questions throughout the meal.
   • Avoid creating a situation where the interviewer has to wait for your answer as you are trying to chew or swallow a large bite. Eat small chunks so you can swallow them quickly and easily.
   • If the interviewer is asking you a difficult or important question, it may be best to put the knife and fork aside for a minute or two while you answer the question.

Method 3 of 3: Make a good impression

1. 1 Engage in an interesting conversation. An interview is a good way to learn more about an employer and at the same time let them know that you are the perfect candidate for them. One of the best ways to do this is by engaging in an active and engaging conversation where you can demonstrate your intelligence, attentiveness, and listening skills.
   • Avoid getting involved in controversial issues whenever possible. However, sometimes the employer will deliberately bring up tricky topics to see how you react. In these situations, make sure you think it over before you say it so that you can clearly express your point of view without clashing judgments.
   • Use facts and figures to back up your ideas as much as possible and avoid getting involved in controversy. Make sure you ask the employer for his / her opinion on the matter and listen carefully to the answer.
2. 2 Be as professional as possible throughout the interview. You have to be careful when dealing with an overly friendly interviewer. Regardless of how informal he is with you, you should do your best to behave professionally. It doesn't matter how friendly or informal he is with you, he still judges your behavior, so don't do or say anything risky.
3. 3 Be polite to the service staff. As mentioned above, the employer will closely monitor you to see your communication abilities, and this includes interactions with the support staff. Therefore, it is important to be polite and courteous to your waiter.
   • A simple “thank you,” a nod or a smile to the staff every time they take an order, bring in food, and clear the dishes will serve you well, proving that you are polite and have great communication skills. By being rude to waiters, you are making one of the biggest blunders during lunchtime interviews.
   • Even if you are served the wrong dish, or you do not like what you ordered, try to accept it. Don't be harsh with the staff - instead, politely let them know and ask them to bring a new dish.
4. 4 Follow the example of the other person. While you are engaged in conversation, try to understand if he seems interested in continuing the conversation after lunch, or if he wants to end it immediately after eating.
   • If the interviewer is asking you any final questions, then it's time to wrap up. However, if he wishes to continue the discussion further over a cup of tea or coffee, you should show your enthusiasm and follow his example.
5. 5 Send a thank you letter after your interview. After the interview, do not forget to send a message to the employer thanking them for your time and lunch. This is usually done by email and must be written within 48 hours of the interview.

Tips

• Make sure you turn off your cell phone, even if the other person frequently checks their own.

Warnings

• In most cases, it is not acceptable to ask for a package to take home leftovers, however it is important to assess the situation and follow your interviewer's example.