Have you ever been concerned about meeting potential employers over a meal? Don’t worry, it’s common as many times interviews are conducted over a meal. Sometimes it is a mere circumstance and easier for the interviewer to meet you at a restaurant. Another approach is that a decision maker wants to impress a candidate at the end of the interviewing process. One example would be that an interviewing process may take many weeks; going to lunch/dinner is a way to let the candidate know that the process is coming to the offer stage. Another example may be that a VP might want to actually extend an offer to a candidate and feels that a meal might make it more personable. It should be obvious that basic table manners can “make or break” a final decision.
The following are basics for interviews that take place during a meal.
When interviewing over a meal, your focus needs to be on your interview. Even if it is the final interview of the interviewing process, you still need to be selling yourself. It is your job to sell yourself until your offer has been extended and accepted. Just to keep it simple – MIND YOUR MANNERS!