Interviews In Strange Places

Class Location: The Internet.

Description: This course will help you master an interview in a strange place.

Objective: Stay cool no matter where your interview takes you.

Having an interviewer ask you to meet him or her outside the office can put you in an awkward situation and test your composure. If an interviewer schedules the meeting in a hotel lobby, restaurant, or other unlikely place, it’s most often because he is trying to fit you into his busy schedule. Use the situation to your advantage—since you’re not on the interviewer’s home turf, you can make the meeting place as much yours as his.

Get to the meeting place early so that you have a chance to become comfortable with your surroundings. You can also use this time to scout out a private area where you’re less likely to be overheard. If you’re meeting at a place like a hotel lobby, walk around a little while you wait for the interviewer to help ease your jitters. Always carry your briefcase in your left hand so you’re prepared to greet the interviewer with your right.

If you’re invited to an interview at a restaurant, take this as a good sign. While the “eating meeting” is arguably the toughest interview forum, it usually indicates that the interviewer already believes you can do the job and wants to discern whether you have the growth potential to fill more senior roles.

But proceed with caution. The restaurant interview makes it very easy for the interviewer to seamlessly ask questions and address topics that might be awkward in an office setting. You have to stay on your toes. You also have to make sure that your social graces allow the interviewer to focus on your job qualifications rather than your table manners. Avoid ordering alcohol unless pressed. Don’t smoke at the table. Don’t speak with your mouth full. Be polite to the wait staff. Stay away from expensive or messy food. Never reach for the check or offer to pay. Protocol dictates that the interviewer pick up the tab.

Unusual interview situations allow the interviewer to judge your manners, listening skills, and social graces. Keep your guard up, and stay cool.