Need suggestion for my job interview tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Please don't move this thread to the jobs forum, atleast for today, as I need quick max. suggestions possible.

So, I have landed a job interview for tomorrow. I was contacted by the recruiter on Friday that the company wants to skip phone screening and would like to meet me in person.
It's going to be a lunch interview first and then the technical interview, both with the CTO and another tech guy.

Now, the thing is, I have no experience going to restaurants. I am an immigrant, came here years ago, but never really got a chance to check out the formal dining restaurants over here.
This is my first job interview and not knowing which restaurant I am going to is an icing on the cake. I have goggled on lunch interview etiquette and almost all of them suggest to know the environment and menu of the restaurant beforehand.

I am a bit nervous and think that I will act stupid on multiple occasions.

Bwahahahaha, I think I am screwed.
Any suggestions?

Also, please don't be a snark. I am just a little fish in the pond, still learning how to swim.

[Anonymous]

OP again, forgot to mention that the company didn't give me (or the recruiter) any headsup on which restaurant they will be taking me to. I have to go to the company first and from there we will head to the restaurant.

[Anonymous]

What is your question? Restaurant etiquette?

[Anonymous]

Order a salad & iced tea, and be friendly & polite. Not sure what your question is.

[Anonymous]

Order something simple that will not be messy eating. And nothing expensive. Napkin on your lap. If your food comes to the table before others, wait until everyone is served their meal before starting to eat unless they insist you start eating before theirs comes. Order a non-alcoholic beverage.

[Anonymous]

Congrats on the interview, OP! Here are a few tips:

- Don't order alcohol, even if the interviewer does. Stick to water or a soft drink (soda, iced tea, etc.)

- Follow the interviewer's lead as far as whether to order an appetizer or not (i.e, if he/she orders a salad, then you should to, otherwise don't).

- Try to order something that is not too messy to eat and that doesn't require you to use your hands. Try not to order the pasta with red sauce, sandwiches, ribs, burgers, etc.

- Don't order the most expensive thing on the menu.

- You can always ask the interviewer if he/she has been to the restaurant before and what things they recommend.

- Remember that even though the lunch is in a less formal environment, this is still part of the interview. So still be on your guard and don't say anything you wouldn't say in the office.

[Anonymous]

OP again.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Well, I have googled and know the etiquette. The problem is, most of the lunch job interview etiquette revolve around the meal itself. For example, order just the right size, not too small that tells you are nervous, or big that tells you haven't eaten in days and won't give you enough time talking. I don't know what kind of menus they offer at the restaurant and how will I know what would be just the right size.

Also, I am vegan.

[Anonymous]

First of all, congratulations!

You will do fine.

When you get to the restaurant, the first thing you do after you sit down, is place your napkin in your lap.
If it's a more formal restaurant, and there are two forks on the left side, then you use the smaller (or the one furthest from your plate) for the salad or appetizer. Then, you use the fork closest to your plate for the main entree.
Don't order the most expensive or the least expensive thing on the menu.
Don't order an alcoholic drink.
Follow your hosts lead to see if he/she is ordering an appetizer and an entree.
If for some reson you need to get up from the table during the lunch, excuse yourself and place your napkin on your chair.
After you are done eating, you place your napkin to the left of your plate. Don't refold it, but don't ball it up either. Make it into a sort of long tube.
While you are eating, but not finished with the meal, there is a way to put your silverware.

Here is a website that will cover a lot of this stuff.

http://www.professionalimagedress.com/dining-etiquette-seminars-eating-styles.htm

Most importantly, say thank you at the end, and follow up with an email expressing how nice it was to meet them and to thank them for lunch. Say that you appreciate that they took the time to meet with you, and that you hope that you will the chance to work together in the future.

Also, remember that they have no idea that you aren't a seasoned restaurant diner, so they probably won't be scrutinizing your dining habits.

[Anonymous]

You could google to see which restaurants are nearest to the office. Then google the menus for those restaurants. Of course, they may take you somewhere else. But, if it's lunch, the portions probably won't be too large.

[Anonymous]

If you order something you need to use a knife for, eg, chicken or beef, cut 1-2 pieces at a time and eat it. Repeat. Don't cut the entire piece of meat up at once and then eat it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Well, I have googled and know the etiquette. The problem is, most of the lunch job interview etiquette revolve around the meal itself. For example, order just the right size, not too small that tells you are nervous, or big that tells you haven't eaten in days and won't give you enough time talking. I don't know what kind of menus they offer at the restaurant and how will I know what would be just the right size.

Also, I am vegan.

I would eat before hand so that you're not hungry, especially since you're vegan and don't know what they might have for you to eat. Worst case scenario just order a salad and a drink. You may want to let the recruiter know that you are vegan so that he/she can give them a heads up. But don't make a big deal of it. I'm vegetarian and can always find something on the menu, even steakhouses have baked potatoes and veggies on the sides menu.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Well, I have googled and know the etiquette. The problem is, most of the lunch job interview etiquette revolve around the meal itself. For example, order just the right size, not too small that tells you are nervous, or big that tells you haven't eaten in days and won't give you enough time talking. I don't know what kind of menus they offer at the restaurant and how will I know what would be just the right size.

Also, I am vegan.

I would eat before hand so that you're not hungry, especially since you're vegan and don't know what they might have for you to eat. Worst case scenario just order a salad and a drink. You may want to let the recruiter know that you are vegan so that he/she can give them a heads up. But don't make a big deal of it. I'm vegetarian and can always find something on the menu, even steakhouses have baked potatoes and veggies on the sides menu.

Good luck!

Do not do this! It's totally benign that you are a vegan, but you don't want to do anything that draws negative attention to you. You could come off as sounding "high maintenance."

[Anonymous]

I go to lunch with lots of recruits and I can tell you I have never once based a decision on what they chose to eat or how much/little they did eat. If anything I have felt bad for the candidate when we have taken them to a primarily seafood restaurant and they mention they are either allergic or don't like seafood. I have also not bothered with are they using the correct fork or not. And if we are talking tech guys - they most likely won't either. Don't talk with your mouth full - but don't freak out if they ask a question of you just as you've taken a bite. It happens and they'll wait for you to chew and swallow before expecting an answer.

Now given that my company has vegan and gluten-free employees I am personally understanding of people needing to go off-menu, but I could see other people judging you (assuming you are high-maintenance) for that. I'd suggest choosing something from the menu you can eat. After that, participate in conversation. Feel free to ask anything you want to know about the company. I find that lunch conversation typically tend to "lighter" topics about corporate culture, the area, interests outside of work.

[Anonymous]

Thanks a lot. It was really nice of you guys to give some very valuable suggestions. especially PP, what you said really took a lot of pressure off me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Order something simple that will not be messy eating. And nothing expensive. Napkin on your lap. If your food comes to the table before others, wait until everyone is served their meal before starting to eat unless they insist you start eating before theirs comes. Order a non-alcoholic beverage.

Exactly! Nothing messy, nothing expensive. No need to go for cheapest on the menu. Remember, you will be talking and eating, so food that gets caught in your teeth is bad. You probably won't eat too much anyway because you'll be busy talking.

Good luck, OP.