Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited
Return to career-consulting-limited.com
People |
|
|
 |
Mastering The Lunch Interview
Interviews can be nerve-racking, brain-draining, headache-inducingexperiences. These days, recruiters have found a way to make theinterview even more difficult by combining the experience with ameal. This means that in addition to listening to the interviewer,formulating intelligent responses, and trying your hardest to beconfident, you now have pay attention to how you look while eating. Interviews over lunch or dinner are an increasingly popularrecruiting tool. This http://www.WorkTree.com career article givesyou the need-to-knows of the meal interview. 1. Mind your manners 1. MIND YOUR MANNERS It may seem unnecessary to mention, but those basic table manners youwere taught as a child still matter. In casual settings, poor mannersare not always corrected. Therefore, you could have picked up somehabits that your mother would be ashamed of and more likely than not,your interviewer probably will not be too be impressed by themeither. Here are just a few of the habits you should be mindful of during ameal interview: - BE POLITE. In addition to evaluating your answers to questions, aninterviewer is also assessing your personality. Be courteous andrespectful 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 mouthopen, talking with your mouth full all convey a negativeimpression. 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 areconsidered to be among the definitive works on etiquette. There isno 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 toorder any dish you like. You are in an interview, and therefore, youhave the duty of maintaining a certain level of professionalism andformality throughout the meal. There are no definitive rules of food selection, and you may have tomake a game-time decision. However, following these rules will helpyou steer clear of trouble: - AVOID MESSES. Steer clear of foods that have to be eaten with yourhands or have a tendency to splatter. It is hard to recover fromthe embarrassment of splashing your interviewer with spaghettisauce, nor do you want to inadvertently adorn yourself with gravyor cream sauce. So stick to foods that can be cut into smallpieces 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 allrather than as the candidate with bad breath. So no matter howmuch you love onions and garlic, lay off the stinkers for onemeal. - KEEP IT QUIET. You need to be able to conduct a civilconversation. Avoid foods that are crunchy and noisy to eat. In apublic setting there is a lot of noise that could drown out thevoice of a person sitting across from you so try not to order foodthat would add to the problem. - FOLLOW THE LEADER. You may be wondering if a menu item is pricedtoo high or if to order an appetizer first, etc. The answer is tofollow your interviewer's lead. Try to order food in the sameprice range as the interviewer and order the same number ofcourses. You do not want to be sitting idle while the recruiter isstill eating. 3. CONSUME AND CONVERSE You are at an interview and also dining out. This means you need tonot only be talking, but also eating. It can sometimes be difficultto do both. Try and keep these issues in mind when posed with the challenge ofeating and talking at the same time: - YOU ARE IN CONTROL. Don't feel so pressured to talk that you don'teat at all. This can be interpreted as nervousness. - ASK QUESTIONS. When going to an interview, it is always a goodidea to have questions. This will allow you get more informationon the company and show that you have done your homework. Duringthe meal interview, it will also give you the opportunity toactually 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 doesnot just end with a handshake and a "Thank You". There are otherthings to keep in mind including: - DON'T OFFER TO PAY. It's never expected of a job candidate, andyou 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 thesetting. - REAFFIRM YOUR INTEREST. Let the interviewer know how much youwould like to work for his/her company. - A "Thank You" AND HANDSHAKE CAN'T HURT. As in any interview, don'tforget to thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet withyou. In addition, be sure to be gracious and say that you enjoyedthe meal and end the interview with a firm handshake. Make sure tofollow up with a thank you letter in the morning. CONCLUSION The meal interview is tricky, but not impossible. With a littleguidance and a lot of confidence, you can sail through them withflying colors. Just try to keep these helpful hints in mind. Goodluck and bon appétit! We hope you found this edition helpful Selin, and we promise to bringyou even more valuable career advice and tips next month. This article can be read directly online at: http://www.worktree.com/newsletter/meal-lunch-interview.html Sincerely, Nathan Newberger is the job and career expert at http://www.WorkTree.com Nathan has over 10 years experience in staffing and human resources. He has worked both as a recruiter and career counselor. Mr. Newberger has been the Managing Editor at http://www.WorkTree.com for the past 5 years and his articles have helped thousands of job seekers. Permission is granted to use reproduce this article but the article content cannot be altered and credit must be given to the author and also an active link to http://www.WorkTree.com
MORE RESOURCES: Careers at Givaudan Givaudan Meet Native American Veterans where they live with a VA career VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Careers | Career Opportunities West Virginia University I moved to Alaska after college for a job. I lost all my friends because I put my career first. Business Insider Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University 15 Companies Offering Health Insurance to Part-Time Workers U.S News & World Report Money Careers at FEMA FEMA Physicians are the nation’s top earners – a slideshow Medical Economics Jobs and Training at FDA FDA.gov Jobs at Liberty University Liberty News City of Tampa Careers City of Tampa Job Seekers University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Nursing jobs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Career Opportunities UMHB Statement by Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su on October jobs report US Department of Labor Careers at Union | Human Resources Union College Careers Washington State University Recruiters urge candidates to use AI to apply for jobs Financial Times US employers added just 12,000 jobs last month as hurricanes and strikes sharply reduce payrolls The Associated Press Working for ICE U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom October 2024 jobs report: How two major hurricanes, labor strike might affect the numbers - NBC News UF Health Careers UF Health - University of Florida Health Work for Us (U.S. National Park Service) National Park Service Careers at Prairie View A&M University Prairie View A&M University Job Search Results UnitedHealth Group UN COMMON CAREERS VCU Health Work With Us National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Career Opportunities Gilead Sciences Careers Medline Reservists (On-Call) FEMA Jobs and internships Bureau of Transportation Statistics Job Opportunities Bellevue School District How to Apply FEMA Careers Micron Careers at Discovery Education Discovery Education Jobs report on eve of election will be among the most muddled in years The Associated Press Careers KPMG Join our team FHI 360 Internship Opportunities | Careers Boston Consulting Group What Trump's election victory means for job seekers Business Insider Careers at Jacobs Jacobs Careers in A&O Shearman Work At Chess.com Chess.com Students and graduates JPMorgan Chase Career Paths FEMA Careers at Balfour Beatty Balfour Beatty Highest-Paying Engineering Careers in 2024 University of North Dakota The secret to career success may well be off to the side The Economist The 16 Best Jobs for Creative & Restless ADHD Brains ADDitude magazine Mental health at work World Health Organization The 10 jobs that landed the biggest pay rises in financial year 2024 The Australian Financial Review Benefits for the whole you Accenture Why Employees Quit HBR.org Daily JobFeed NSW Department of Education Two unis walking the career path alongside graduates The Australian Financial Review How to realize the potential of rising digital jobs World Economic Forum Careers Turner & Townsend Current opportunities Turner & Townsend AI Will Transform the Global Economy. Let’s Make Sure It Benefits Humanity. International Monetary Fund Careers City of Norfolk (.gov) 9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2024 and Beyond HBR.org Daily 8 global issues shaping and driving job creation World Economic Forum Jobs Energy.gov Careers at King County King County More and more jobs can be done from anywhere. What does that mean for workers? World Economic Forum > Careers > Job-listings National Reconnaissance Office Employment Opportunities Unity Health Toronto Jobs Dublin City University Careers City of Somerville Careers UTSA Today Careers at USI University of Southern Indiana Careers with the City of London City of London, Ontario |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Recruiters for MSN or Data Miners? Is Kenexa recruiting for Microsoft or just mining for data?I had a chilling experience the other day. A man from Kenexa called me, ostensibly to recruit me for a job in New York as a Search Marketing Analyst for Microsoft's new MSN search engine. Preparation is Key Interviewing for a new job, or a promotion, can be a stressful situation. However, Preparation is the KEY! When preparing for that all important interview, take time to reflect upon your career experiences; and look for at least five good examples of your accomplishments and challenges--we will call them "bragging points". Serious Business Networking As they always say "It's not what you know, it's who you know."Of course just knowing people doesn't necessarily get you the job, or the promotion, or the contract you wanted, but it certainly can help; so long as people don't think you are using them. Difficult Relationships at Work - Dealing with Workplace Conflict Difficult Relationships at Work - How to Influence the UncooperativeWe rely on and spend more time with our colleagues than with most other people in our lives: yet we frequently experience conflict at work. This is a problem that is beginning to be recognised, but it is still not being dealt with either effectively or sufficiently. Tips for Handling On the Job Setbacks If you've chosen a business career, you will inevitably experience some type of setback. And whether your pet project is canceled, your performance review is a bust, you get turned down for a promotion, or you're asked to leave the company, setbacks hurt big time. 7 Tips to Deal With a Bad Performance Review Q. "I wasn't happy with my last performance review. Protect Your Business by Performing a Background Check The success of a business endeavor involves a concerted efforts of financing, strategic planning, product design or service positioning, marketing, sales, and customer support. One of most important aspects of doing business is the people you deal with everyday - your employees, your partners and your competitors. How to Write a Better CV (UK), or Resume (USA and elsewhere) The first point to make is that the terms "CV" and "Resume" (with or more often without the French acute accents over the e's) are virtually interchangeable in the UK; they mean the same thing, but if anything the norm is CV. In the USA and elsewhere, the CV (Curriculum Vitae to give it its full title - literally "Life Study") is a different animal - a dry listing of qualifications and experience more suited for a university faculty listing for example. One Cover Letter Secret You Cant Afford To Miss Suppose you were the hiring manager, your desk piled high with cover letters and resumes to sort through. Which of the following cover letter greetings would grab your attention?Example #1:Dear Sirs: Dear Sir/Madam: Dear Gentlemen: To whom it may concern:Example #2:Dear Manager: Dear HR Director: Dear Human Resources:Example #3:Dear Mrs. Hey! - Are You Being Paid What You Are Worth? Are you being paid what you are worth? Has anybody ever asked you that? Have you ever asked yourself?The answer to this question really hinges on another question: "Do you work for a boss or do you work for yourself?"If you work for a boss the answer must be a resounding NO! You see, you cannot possibly be paid what you are worth because your boss is being paid what you are worth. He or she then pays you at a discounted rate. Brainteasers: Or, How Many Crazy Interview Questions Does It Take to Get Hired? You've looked at all the job interview tips and techniques. Did your homework and studied all the potential employer interview questions you may be asked. What is My Calling? "What is my calling?" Do any of us really have complete clarity about our life calling? Even those of us with the knowingness we must teach, write or sing may often ask, "What direction am I to go, now?" How do we answer these soulful questions?Richard Bolles, author of "What Color is My Parachute?" and the granddaddy of the employment industry says, when people are asked what they would like to do they often respond with "I don't know." Bolles maintains this is because people interpret the question to be "What am I going to do with the rest of my life?"This question is too big, too daunting, immobilizing people. Retirement: Is It A Career Change Option? Retirement might be the answer when you ask yourself "why do I want to make a career change" and you decide that what you actually want is not so much a career change as to stop what you've been doing altogether.This may be a good choice for some - those who can afford it - but not necessarily the right choice for all. Five Qualities Employers Want More than ever, employers want employees who can produce results! Here are five qualities employers seek in such employees.1. Why Do Interviews Die: That Sinking Feeling and How to Prevent it! Interviews die because a mistake occurred. Sometimes, you've made a mistake; sometimes they die because someone who screened a resume did. Hair Dressing as a Career Since the world started hair has been a very important aspect of individual personality and with the change in time hair has emerged as a big form of self expression for both men and women.In todays world everyone wants to look beautiful, everyone wants to get compliment from their friends and its a well known fact that when you look good you feel good and then you work better. Travel Light to Work As a frequent traveler, my goal for each trip is to travel light. Despite thoughtful planning, sometimes that goal is shattered when I go to close the suitcase and realize I need a larger, or even second one. How to Answer The Most Difficult Interview Questions The following 'difficult' questions are common to most tricky or adversarial interviews. In order to convince the interviewer that you are the best person for the job, you must prepare and rehearse your answers meticulously. Moving Without A Job: Should You Move to the Location of Your Dreams and THEN Look for a Job? Moving without a job will challenge your identity -- but for some people, it's the best way to go.Here are some ways to deal with the question. Job Interviews -- The Real Reasons Why You Need to Follow Up Effective follow-up after a job interview is often a key reason why someone gets a job, even though there are other equally qualified candidates. Many candidates treat follow up as an optional add-on to their job search.
|
|
|
| © Career Consulting Limited.com 2011
|