What to Order at a Lunch Interview
- Jackie Vermeulen
- May 30, 2016
- 2 min read
You’re close to the end of the interview process when you make it to the coveted lunch interview. Expect this one to be a little more casual; it will likely be more about if you’re a good fit rather than testing to see if you’re qualified.
The personality part is easy. Be yourself.
Then there’s the question: what should you order? Suddenly something you do very often—eat out at a restaurant—becomes a little more intimidating.
Try to let the interviewer order first to get an idea of what he will eat. If—and only if—the interviewer orders an alcoholic drink should you consider getting one; and if you do, stop at one. And if he goes for a beer, don’t help yourself to a double-shot of top-shelf liquor.
For the meal, order something that you can eat with a fork and a knife and is not messy. Skip the dishes that will haunt you for the next few hours, like ones laden with onions and garlic.
One mentor ordered ribs for a lunch interview and discovered how a messy meal wasn’t the smart choice when he was left with a barbecue sauce mustache, a pile of napkins and sticky fingers.
Another thought a salad would be the safe bet…until a pesky crouton jumped onto the interviewer’s plate as he speared it with his fork.
Of course there’s a chance you suddenly forget how to drink and dribble water all down your shirt. Or you may end up with a nice piece of broccoli nestled comfortably between your teeth. Just be ready to laugh it off.
The real test of a lunch interview isn’t really about what you order; it’s about your personality, your manners and how you treat the waitstaff. Place your napkin on your lap, use a fork and knife, greet your waiter with a smile, and always say please and thank you; basically the skills you learned in kindergarten.
Simply be yourself, use your manners, and bon appetit!
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Jackie Vermeulen is the founder of The Career Mint. She is the messenger (put the gun down, you!), working closely with the mentors and some off-site experts to address the hard-hitting career topics in articles like the one you’re reading now.
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