Have you been called for a lunch interview? Prepare yourself, get your confidence back and head straight to the interview table.

Though, you might say that lunch interview is probably same as a normal interview, but lunch interview has more intricacies involved in it. Candidates need to be more courteous and should have table manners.

That is perhaps the reason why IT companies groom their recruits with proper table manners. How you eat is the first criteria IT companies look for, when they decide to select someone for overseas posting.

If you harbor ambitions to get a posting overseas for a top or a middle level post, you should follow few tips for a lunch interview. Lunch interviews are always for a top level executive post, though at times the interviewer decides to conduct interview for a mid level post as well.

Never imagine lunch interview to be just a case of table manners. You need to show case your intelligence. It’s probably the coordination of your graceful movements along with your intelligence and table manners.

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Here are few stunning tips for a lunch interview.

  • Avoid heavy meal as you would have to talk more
  • Allow your host to steer the conversation, while you answer to the point. If you talk too much, you might lose chances of getting a job.
  • Never make sound while you eat. Therefore, you are advised to avoid foods that cause sound to emanate from your mouth. For instance, any kind of soup should be left out, or those that require a lot of chewing.
  • Order foods that are not too expensive. It is advised to order foods that lie in the same price range as your interviewer.
  • Never come for the lunch interview if you are hungry. If you do feel hungry, eat some food before you reach for the lunch interview.
  • Avoid alcohol during lunch interviews
  • Always try to be informal in the garb of formality
  • Keep your lips clean while you eat. It might turn out to be difficult, but you need to take care of your lips.
  • Always remember you had come for the interview. Therefore, pay complete attention to the interviewer and keep your ears wide open. Your attention is a key to whether you land yourself a job or not.
  • Finally, do not try to act smart and pay the bill. Always allow the interviewer to pay the lunch bills. By doing this you respect his stature.

If you happen to come across an opportunity for a lunch interview, remember to mug these great tips and head straight to the lunch table.

You had missed one last important post, though, you need to be confident. Doing everything perfectly without being confident would land you no where.