Dining 'n Shining my way into the real world!

Upon first thought, I didn’t really want to attend the Career Center’s annual Dine ‘n Shine event. I thought I knew all there was to know about interview and dinner etiquette, but I could not have been any more wrong. There were so many things I never even though of before. I was surprised to learn that around 80% of second interviews are conducted over lunch or dinner. That’s quite a staggering number. The other tips and tools I learned will certainly help me for that second interview, should it be over a meal.
Most people would never think to eat before attending a dinner or luncheon, but when you’re dealing with a second interview or conference where there will be a meal served you should eat beforehand. The reason: You’re not really going to have time to dedicate to eating a full meal if there’s discussion and questions going around. It seemed a little odd at first, but now I realize how smart of a tip this is. Not appearing gluttonous or over ordering food creates a good impression on a future employer or co-workers. It also gives you more time to discuss important matters or convey why you would make a stellar employee in an interview. I would hate to be trying to tell someone about myself and my work ethic while trying to eat a full meal. Having smaller portions is a great idea and it allows more time to have important discussions. Going along with the food, I also enjoyed the list of foods NOT to eat while at a luncheon or dinner interview/conference. Topping the list were French onion soup and spaghetti. Many people wouldn’t even think twice before ordering, so having that in mind comes in handy when ordering. Generally, the rule is to avoid anything remotely messy or something that could become messy.
In addition to the eating dos and don’ts, there were also some other table tips and tricks that will certainly come in handy someday. Cutting a few pieces of your meal is the polite way to eat and also eating continental style, keeping fork and knife in hand and not switching after cutting, cuts down on noise. Even the dress tips they showed us on how to tell the difference between business casual and business professional. It was a refresher on what to wear during interviews once I step out into the real work and what a potential dress code will be like in my given work environment. I now know what the true definition of business casual is and what is acceptable for that and business professional.
All of these tips, from table manners to dressing properly, really impressed upon me the value of knowing what to do in these situations once I apply for jobs and even when I am well into the work force. I plan on carrying all these tips with my as I embark upon my job interviews, knowing well that my follow up interview for any job could be a meal. It’s always helpful to have instruction on how to properly conduct yourself in those kinds of settings and now, with that knowledge, I can feel confident when I find myself in these kinds of situations.