Author: Barbara Nixon

If you’re participating in an all-day (or several hour) job interview, it’s likely that you will be eating lunch or dinner with your interviewer(s). Here are just a few tips to help you succeed in this circumstance:

1. Brush up on the news. There will likely be some “casual” conversation during this lunch interview.
2. Use your best manners. (This should go without saying.)
3. Bring along a small notepad and pen. You may need to jot something down during the meal.
4. If you know ahead of time where you will be eating, review the restaurant’s menu online and choose two or three possibilities.
5. Order something from the middle price point on the menu.
6. Choose food that can be eaten with fork and knife, if possible. Avoid potentially messy food (like some sandwiches, soups and salads) and smelly food like onions and garlic.
7. Order something light or small. You will be doing a lot of talking during this meal.
8. Food allergies or sensitivities? Try to order something on the menu that you can eat without special preparation by the chef, if at all possible.
9. If rolls or bread are provided, tear off a small piece (what you will eat in a bite or two) and butter just that. (Do not butter the entire piece at one time.)
10. Choose something uncarbonated to drink, like water or iced tea.
11. Be exceptionally polite to the servers; how you treat them is a good sign of how you may treat employees or co-workers.
12. Avoid overly personal conversation. Don’t say anything you would not say in the interviewer’s office.
13. Leave your cell phone in your pocket or purse. Don’t take it out even if the interviewer takes his or hers out. (The only exception to this is if you and the interviewer need to look at your calendars for planning a follow-up interview.)
14. And bring a dental floss pick with you; you can use this if needed when you are in the restroom. It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

Always remember this one key tip: don’t let your guard down. Even though the setting may seem more informal during a meal, you are still being interviewed and evaluated.

Do you have other tips you’d recommend? Or a story about a lunch interview that went exceptionally well . . . or terribly?

In these days of travel budgets being slashed to bare bones, many companies are doing more phone interviews than ever. If you’re seeking a new job, it’s highly likely one of your first interviews with a company will be over the telephone. Here’s some of my best advice on making the most of a phone interview:

Before the Interview

• Know the details of the interview. For example, do you call the interviewer? Or does he or she call you? Be prepared at least 15 minutes ahead of time, and be aware of time-zone differences.
• Connect with the interviewer via LinkedIn before the interview. Print a copy of the interviewer’s photo and have it available during the call.
• Whether it’s a cell phone or a landline phone, check to see that the battery is fully charged before you begin to speak.
• Do your best to be in a quiet place, away from coffee shop chatter, noisy roommates, barking dogs, etc.
• Silence your cell phone and tablet so that notification noises do not distract you or your interviewer.
• If at all possible, make or take the call from a landline telephone, rather than a cell phone. You don’t want to have to worry about your call being dropped part-way through. If you must use a cell phone, be sure you’re in an area with exceptionally good coverage.
• Dress professionally, even though you know the interviewer cannot see you through the phone. We tend to act more professional when we appear more professional.
• Prepare your interview area carefully. Be seated at a clean desk, and have a copy of your resume in front of you. Also have information about the company printed and available for you to refer to if you need it.
• Have a cup of water with a straw nearby. It’s best to have no ice.
• If the interview is done via Skype (or other) video chat, check your equipment with a friend ahead of time to ensure you know how to make or answer the video call. Make eye contact with the camera just as though you were talking face-to-face with the interviewer. Practice this with a friend! It feels quite awkward the first time you try it.

During the Interview

• Listen carefully to all questions and ask for clarification when needed.
• Look at the interviewer’s photo during the conversation.
• Take notes as needed during the interview.
• SMILE! Though the interviewer cannot see you, he or she will be able to hear the smile in your voice.
• Some people sound more energetic if they talk while standing rather than sitting.
• No gum chewing. Though I love to chew gum, I know how awful it sounds to others, and the noise is amplified over a telephone.
• Avoid typing while talking, especially if you have long nails like I do. The sound of typing may make it sound like you’re not interested enough in the discussion to give it full attention.
• As the interview draws to a close, express your interest in the role and ask what the next steps in the process are.

After the Interview

• Immediately after the phone interview, send a short (yet professional) thank you e-mail to the interviewer. Then follow up that e-mail, the same day if possible, with a hand-written thank you note.

Other Suggestions

What other tips would you offer for someone who will be participating in a phone interview?