The most prudent way to handle lunch interviews is to follow your interviewer's lead - or, if that's impractical foursome reason, simply order something that you'd normally select if you were the one paying the bill. Keep your selection within reason, and try not to order pizza and a Diet Coke if your interviewer's selected beefsteak tartar. Whatever you order, keep it light. You want to be free to speak and express yourself intelligently throughout the lunch. Imagine trying to do that while attacking a plate of unshelled oysters with a side of corn on the cob.
As far as alcohol is concerned, use your best judgment. Take your lead from your hosts. If they are having Perrier and lime, then you know the answer to the alcohol question. On the other hand, if your interviewer casually orders double boilermaker, and then looks your way with an expectant smile, it may be wise to partake in some reasonable way so as not to offend your host.
One important note: if you know that one beer sends you off Niagara Falls for the next 48 hours, you should definitely avoid any alcohol whatsoever. Whatever you do, don't lose points that you've gained in your interview. Be sure to keep an eye open for any obvious institutional biases on the part of the interviewing firm. Different approaches will be in vogue at the House of Seagram than you'll encounter at the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Topics of conversation during an "interview meal" usually wander from those that are strictly business. But beware; no matter what the mood of the meal, you are being evaluated. Avoid politics. Try not to bring up controversial issues. Don't engage in heated ideological or philosophical debates - even though you should be sure not to appear to give in to every opinion of your interviewer. In short, try to enjoy yourself without initiating undue friction.
What to Wear
While the issue of apparel is important throughout the interview process, it becomes, for many people, a major issue once they reach the advanced interview. In a way, your second or subsequent interview should bring you closer to the mark in terms of knowing what to wear -because you will have already seen the signs of the company's unwritten (or written!) "Dress code" in your first interview.
Don't go overboard on your wardrobe, no matter how much you may read about "power" clothing. Your objective when it comes to dress is to fit in - not to overwhelm. Noone should have to go out and buy a new top-dollar suit for the sole purpose of interviewing. On the other hand, if you don't have any kind of suit, you'd better go out and buy one(unless, of course, your professional goal is to become a lifeguard).
The most useful advice about dressing for an interview should come from the people you see in the company. Make a mental note of what they wear. A two-piece or three-piece suit? Wingtip shoes? Pumps or high heels? Dark or light shades?
If you get confusing or contradictory signals, you might ask your industry contacts about this issue, or even check photographs appearing in the company literature at your disposal.
The Decision-Maker
All of the guidelines for advanced interviewing can be condensed into one sentence: Convince your next boss that you're worth hiring.
If you make an excellent impression on the person who'll finally make the hiring decision, you will, obviously, have a strong chance of landing the job. Once this person decides to hire you, any others in on the hiring process will have to produce strong arguments against your appointment. Many search committee members, by the way, are reluctant to insist that any candidate be hired. Sure, Abigail Hunter's presentation is very strong, but what if things don't work out? What if there are problems with the training? What if this person botches some huge project? Then that will the boss think of the guy who recommended adding Hunter to the payroll?
Welcome to the wonderful world of corporate decision making.
The interaction you have with your prospective boss, then, is all important. Even if your interview with this individual is at the end of the day, make every effort to be as energetic, enthusiastic, and professional in bearing and appearance as you possibly can.
Remember that your arsenal of accomplishments and achievements may not have reached the decision maker directly. If at all appropriate, restate your positive attributes and relate some of the anecdotes that convey your problem-solving capacities. Do not assume that these pieces of information have been passed along from your earlier interviews.
Once you've Reached This Point
Guess what? Though you may repeat the process number of times before you find the perfect "fit," at this point, there's every reason to expect that you'll be offered a position. You not only know your industry and target companies inside and out, you've also written outstanding job search letters, composed perfect resumes, negotiated the intricate mazes of direct calls to employers, breezed through initial interviews, and proven yourself a potential "star" in front of the person who may be your next boss.
So what else is there to life? Once they offer you a job, isn't that all she wrote? Isn't this the end of the process? And why are there still all these pages left before we get to the end of the article?
