The Vet2Work
Job Procurement and Advancement
Series
Mastering the Dining
Interview
What You Should Wear
Don’t let the fact that you may be going to a less formal setting
fool you. You should
dress just as you would for an interview within an office.
Black, gray, and blue are the preferred colors. Make sure
your hands are well manicured and keep your jewelry to a minimum;
closed toed shoes for the women, polished dress shoes for the men,
minimal jewelry, no tattoos showing.
As with any interview, do not chew gum! The location
has changed, but you are still interviewing for a job and it's
important to make a good impression.
Go Prepared
Make sure you have researched the company and know something about
what they do. Take
extra copies of your resume and work samples, if available, with you
to the interview and keep them in a file or briefcase.
Place them out of the way (under the table or under your
chair) but within easy access if needed.
Turn of your cell phone
upon entering the restaurant and keep it off during the entire meal.
Nothing demonstrates self confidence like a firm handshake whether
you are male or female. Shake
the interviewer’s hand and thank them for the interview opportunity.
Saying “Please” and “Thank you” go a long way in making a lasting
impression with anyone. Wait to be seated (if you are female, and
your interviewer is male, he may pull out your chair for you) and
you would then need to say “Thank You”.
Thank the wait staff when they serve you and make sure that
you order items from the menu that aren’t messy and complicated to
eat (such as ribs, large seafood, pasta with lots of sauce, or large
sandwiches). Try to
order food that is easy to cut into small portions.
Don’t order the most expensive item on the menu.
If in doubt as to what to order, ask your interviewer if they
a suggestion as to what might be good to order.
After ordering, and before the food is served, listen
carefully to what is being said and let your interviewer set the
tone for the conversation.
Sit up straight, keep your elbows off the table, and eat
slowly.
Know the Table Setting
The bread plate, typically with a butter knife, will be placed to
the top left of the
dinner
plate, at approximately 11 o'clock, if the dinner plate was the face
of a clock. Next the coffee cup is placed to the right of the dinner
plate at 1 o'clock. Then comes the water glass (this can be placed
before a white wine and/or red wine glass), to the top left of the
coffee cup, at 1 o'clock of the cup.
From left to right of the dinner plate in order are: the
salad fork, dinner fork, followed by the
dessert
fork (which may be placed horizontally at the 12 o’clock position
above the dinner plate in some restaurants). The dinner plate, with
salad, or soup bowl on it are next. To the left of the dinner plate
are the knife, teaspoon (for tea or coffee), and the soup spoon.
The placement of the napkin varies with different
restaurants. Wait until
everyone has been seated at the table and then carefully take the
napkin and place in your lap.
When the meal is served, eat from the outside of the plate
in. Resist the urge to
“clean your plate” even if you are ravenously hungry. Keep your
drinks to the right of your plate at all times.
Leave a small bite or two on the plate.
Just as in a regular in-office interview, you should be actively
participating in the conversation and respond to questions just as
you have in a mock interview.
Because you are in a more relaxed atmosphere, be careful not
to say too much. Let
your interviewer finish a statement before you start one.
Three sentences to answer a question are more than adequate.
Hopefully, you practiced responding to behavioral questions
in your mock interviews so you will be prepared for any tricky
questions that might be asked.
Remember, that you want to demonstrate to the employer how
you are going to fit into their organization so gear your answers in
that direction. Remember
that after the meal has been served, don’t talk with food in your
mouth... If you need to leave the table during the meal for any
reason, place your napkin in your chair seat or on a chair arm, if
available.
If you don’t drink, just say “I believe I would just like a glass of
water or tea”. Even if
you do drink, it is perfectly acceptable to
decline a glass of
wine or other alcoholic beverage.
If you feel you must drink because your interviewer is having
a drink, then limit yourself to one drink and sip it very slowly to
reduce the urge by either you or your interviewer for a second drink
and to remain focused and on track during the interview.
Once you have finished your meal, move your knife and fork to the
four o’clock position to let the server know that you have finished
your meal. If you have no
further use for your napkin, you can partially fold it and place it
on the dinner plate over the knife and fork.
Do not drape the napkin entirely over the plate, as this is
considered rude and tasteless to many persons.
Let the employer take care of the check and the tip for the
meal.
Another Thank You
is in Order
A final thank you to the employer followed by another firm handshake
completes the interview.
If you haven’t been offered a business card, then ask for
one. You should
consider sending a follow-up thank you to the employer (but remember
that it must be sent not more than 24 hours after your meal).
Reiterate how appreciative
you are of the opportunity to interview and to be considered for the
position.
© Copyright Vet2Work/Naturallysilver 2010-11. No re-publication of
this article is permitted without express permission. This is an
excerpt from "Successful Career Moves" by C.A. Stapleton.
About the author: C.A. Stapleton, A.S., B.S., M.B.A., is an
experienced, published professional career consultant, mentor, and
résumé/ biographical writer.
