18 May 2006

Trends in Business Dining Make Lunch Interviews Likely

Tasty evidence of the strong economy can be found in the National Restaurant Association's numbers that show a big increase in sales. In The Wall Street Journal Online, one restaurant owner points to a big boom in lunch sales. Further, a bill before Congress could up the percentage of the meal that is tax deductible. For job hunters, this means lunch interviews are more likely than ever. Interviews over a meal provide a great opportunity to show your presentation skills. To help you get ready, we've rounded up our trusty lunch-interview strategies:

• Don't hesitate to ask your interviewer what he recommends, and order that. Or, if not that, order a similarly priced item.
• Stick with easy-to-eat entrees. No challenging salads, no spaghetti that slides off the fork. You don’t want to be asked a question just as you bite into a big, raw piece of broccoli that could take forever to chew (and leave green stuff between your pearly whites).
• Impeccable table manners and eloquent speech are key ingredients for a winning lunch interview. Eat enough to be polite, yet understand you'll be doing a lot of talking, and this meal is more about presentation than sustenance.
• If you are in doubt, by all means, brush up on dining etiquette with any of the great etiquette reference books or websites. It is important to know which fork to use and where to put your utensils after you have finished eating. These skills will be assessed along with your job qualifications.
• When the waiter arrives with the check, make no move to pay for the meal. You have been invited to this interview, and are a guest.

back to May blog