Tips to Help Job Seekers and Employers Manage Interview Meals

JOB MARKET

Nonprofit employers, recruiters, and etiquette experts suggest the following guidelines for both sides of the table during job-interview meals.

Job Seekers

Follow the leader. Confirm your appointment ahead of time, be prompt, and heed your host’s

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example regarding behavior and conversational topics, suggests David Dalena, vice president of marketing and administration at the performing-arts organization FleetBoston Celebrity Series. “I try to go with the flow,” he says. “It’s hard to know, going into one of these interviews, exactly what you’re going to be evaluated on. So I tend to go into one of those situations with reserve and take cues.”

Stay sober. Never order an alcoholic beverage at lunch, and at dinner, follow your host’s lead, says Gloria Peterson, head of Global Protocol, a business-etiquette training company in Chicago that works with some nonprofit clients. If others are drinking, she says, just order wine. “That’s meant to complement the food, so it’s the only acceptable choice,” she says. “And I’d stay with one, and sip it throughout the meal.”

Order cheap, easy-to-eat food. Aim for the middle of the menu when it comes to price, and try not to order anything messy or difficult to eat, says Mr. Dalena: “You don’t want to worry about cracking open lobster shells or wiping sauce from your tie when you’re trying to impress a potential employer.”

Interviewers

Play host. Make an effort to help the candidate feel comfortable. Employers should not only indicate the number of courses and whether drinks will be served, but also leadthe conversation, according to Mr. Dalena. “In any interview situation you want to feel welcome,” he says. “And particularly when you’re in a situation that borders on the social and professional, you need to set your subject at ease.”

Choose the restaurant carefully. It’s the interviewer’s job to ask about any dietary restrictions the candidates might have, and to make sure they know where the restaurant is, and how formal the setting will be. “You need to be sure you select a restaurant that can accommodate them, without making them feel awkward,” Ms. Peterson says. And, she says, take care of the tab discreetly.

Pay attention. Look for any changes in a candidate’s personality, says Collette Murray, chairwoman of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Flexibility is important, she says, but “I’m looking for consistency. I’ve had situations where we went to a meal after I’d gotten to know them, and they really weren’t a pleasant person to eat with.” — Jeffrey Klineman

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