Bringing a gift to an interview

[Anonymous]

Topic sounds nuts but hear me out. I live in Japan, where it seems like 50 percent of the economy is dominated by people giving beautifully wrapped boxes of individually packaged sweets. First time meeting someone? Dinner? Been out of town? New Years? There's a gift box for that! Wondering if the company would look nicely upon me bringing a box of treats that I would give to the receptionist upon coming in. I was thinking it might leave a nice impression ("how thoughtful she brought us Japanese candies! Aren't they cute!?" Or is it weird and bribey-feeling?

[Anonymous]

I'm interviewing at a company in DC btw.

[Anonymous]

Don't

[Anonymous]

I think it would be weird.

[Anonymous]

No no no

[Anonymous]

no way, super weird.

[Anonymous]

Are they taking you out to lunch? Is it a full day thing? Are the people at the company from Japan/actually Japanese and how many of them?

I don't think I would do this unless the interview is at the Japanese embassy. Certainly be polite and more formal than you might otherwise, but I don't think gifts are expected in this circumstance. Do you have any Japanese friends you could ask?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are they taking you out to lunch? Is it a full day thing? Are the people at the company from Japan/actually Japanese and how many of them?

I don't think I would do this unless the interview is at the Japanese embassy. Certainly be polite and more formal than you might otherwise, but I don't think gifts are expected in this circumstance. Do you have any Japanese friends you could ask?

They are taking me out to lunch, but it is just a normal American company.

[Anonymous]

No very weird. I would feel like you were trying to ingratiate yourself rather than prove you were the qualified candidate.

[Anonymous]

I'm Japanese and if you, as a non-Japanese person (or even as a Japanese who understands American business cultural norms) were to do this, I would think you were trying too hard. This will not reflect well on you.

[Anonymous]

It's not customary in the US to give a gift at an interview.

[Anonymous]

Totally weird. Creepy weird.

[Anonymous]

Not only weird, but useless unless you are interviewing with the receptionist. What is she going to do with the gift? Put it out in the kitchen? Give it to the office manager? Take it home?

[Anonymous]

I work at an international company and we would not be allowed to accept such a gift. It's against our ethics policy.

[Anonymous]

No, and it would be against our ethics policy. My answer would be different if it were a Japanese company.