Recently, I received an inquiry from a law school student who is working with the school’s career services department to bring me in to talk to their students this fall. In preparation for that session, and in hopes of raising awareness, the school plans to conduct a general good manners session this spring.

 

The school has asked me to formulate five hypotheticals for a potential pop quiz, which is intended to encourage student discussion. On the off chance that the students have not yet discovered this blog, following are two hypotheticals that I have proposed:   

 

1. In conjunction with an interview, a job candidate has been invited to lunch. When reviewing the menu, which of the following foods should the job candidate avoid?

 

a. Pasta with red sauce

b. Sushi

c. Steamed lobster

d. All of the above

 

The correct answer is: d., avoiding all three of these proposed food options. Ordering pasta with red sauce is an invitation to disaster for any job candidate who has opted to wear a white shirt or blouse. I find sushi too difficult to eat in neat manner. For whatever reason, I’m rarely successful in eating an entire piece of sushi in one bite. So I’d skip that option, too.  Steamed lobster is likely to be among the most expensive items on the menu, and for that reason alone, I’d avoid it during an interview lunch. Additionally, wait staff often brings a bib for the person who has ordered lobster. That’s one accessory every job candidate—and anyone over the age of two—should avoid wearing.

 

2. In conjunction with an interview, a job candidate has been invited to lunch. After presenting the job candidate and the interviewer with menus, wait staff approaches the table and asks the job candidate for his/her order. The job candidate should:

 

a. Order an entrée only

b. Order an appetizer, entrée, and two glasses of wine

c. Start by ordering an appetizer and entrée; then mirror the number of courses the interviewer orders

d. Order just a bowl of soup

 

The correct answer is: c. The very essence of good manners is ensuring that others feel comfortable.  This includes mirroring other’s behavior when appropriate. I recommend job candidates order a mid-priced appetizer and entrée. If the interviewer skips the appetizer, the job candidate may simply tell wait staff, “I think I’ve changed my mind.  I’ll just have an entrée, too.” During a job interview conducted over lunch, skip all alcoholic beverages, and opt for iced tea, soda, or water.