Dining Etiquette Dining Etiquette

& The Business & The Business InterviewInterview

Tonight’s ProgramTonight’s Program

• Introductions and Overview• Bon Appétit: Tonight’s Menu• Etiquette Defined• Dressing for the Interview• Types of Service

Tonight’s ProgramTonight’s Program, continued

• Dining Etiquette and the Business Interview • The Business Interview and Alcohol• Questions and Answers

Bon Appétit!Tonight’s Menu

Salad CourseSalad Course Baby Spinach Salad with Honey Baby Spinach Salad with Honey Mustard DressingMustard Dressing

Soup CourseSoup Course

Entrée CourseEntrée Course

Dessert CourseDessert Course

Vegetarian French Onion SoupVegetarian French Onion Soup

Chicken Cacciatore with Orzo Chicken Cacciatore with Orzo Pasta and Broccoli SpearsPasta and Broccoli Spears

Napoleons with Pastry Cream and Napoleons with Pastry Cream and fresh Strawberriesfresh Strawberries

Etiquette Defined

• ““The rules governing socially acceptable behaviorThe rules governing socially acceptable behavior”” [http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=etiquette]

• Dining Etiquette Today is….Dining Etiquette Today is….• Often forgotten but still important• Simple and easy• Still very relevant• Vital in a Business InterviewVital in a Business Interview

Styles of Dining and Service• AmericanAmerican

– “anything goes”; may only be one course

• European or ContinentalEuropean or Continental– More formal service; usually three courses minimum– Prix fixe (fixed price; set number of courses for a set price) or – Á là carte (literally, “off the card”; priced by individual items)

• RussianRussian– Most formal; usually four or five courses or more– Served table side by wait staff

Dressing for the Interview

• Dress conservatively and neatly• Dress appropriately for the time of day• Accessorize modestly• Pay close attention to personal grooming• Dress according to the professional image of

your potential employer• Financial institution vs. Software Company

Dressing for the Interview

““It’s been said that we only get one chance to make a good first It’s been said that we only get one chance to make a good first impression. Looking the part can often give us the confidence impression. Looking the part can often give us the confidence to do a better job. When we look our best, we feel our best.to do a better job. When we look our best, we feel our best.

Clothes are one way of marketing ourselves to support our Clothes are one way of marketing ourselves to support our ideas and get across our message. It is essential to ideas and get across our message. It is essential to understand what the message we want to convey is first and understand what the message we want to convey is first and then support it with appropriate dress, i.e., a mature competent then support it with appropriate dress, i.e., a mature competent individual demands conservative dress.”individual demands conservative dress.”

Steve SweeneySteve SweeneyPresident & CEO, ChartwellsPresident & CEO, Chartwells

Dressing for the Interview

The Unfortunate TruthThe Unfortunate Truth

Your image and how you project Your image and how you project yourself says more about you, yourself says more about you,

your values, and your capabilities your values, and your capabilities than anything else. than anything else.

Dressing for the Interview

• Suggestions for MenSuggestions for Men– Wear a clean, pressed, long-sleeved white or light

blue dress shirt – Wear an undershirt– Wear a silk, conservative patterned tie– Wear a dark, two-piece suit or a blazer– Wear polished dress shoes

YesYes YesYesNo!No!

Dressing for the Interview

• Suggestions for WomenSuggestions for Women– Wear a clean, pressed white, ivory, or light blue

dress shirt– Wear a dark jacket– Wear nylon stockings– Wear conservative dress shoes

YesYes YesYesNo!No!

Dining Etiquette• Before the MealBefore the Meal

– The invitation to interview– Arriving at the restaurant– Introductions and being seated– Don’t put wallets, bags, car keys, etc. on the dining table

• Conversation and OrderingConversation and Ordering– Turn off your cell phonecell phone and put it away!– Let your host be your guide– Avoid graphicgraphic subjects or controversial controversial topics initially– Review the menu and decide expeditiously

Dining Etiquette

• Appropriate Items to Appropriate Items to OrderOrder– Entrée salads– Fish fillets– Chicken breast– Foods you like

• Inappropriate Items to Inappropriate Items to OrderOrder– Most expensive or least

expensive items– Messy or difficult to eat

items• bone-in chicken• saucy pasta • fish with small bones

Some dining etiquette standards …Some dining etiquette standards …

Drawings by Joe Eula (Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers, 1989)

The Formal Place Setting The Formal Place Setting

Place your napkin in your lap. Never tie it around your neck or tuck it in your shirt…

Drawings by Joe Eula (Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers, 1989)

Never blow your nose into your napkin…

Drawings by Joe Eula (Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers, 1989)

The Bread and Butter plate and knife…

Drawings by Joe Eula (Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers, 1989)

"Bite not thy bread and lay it "Bite not thy bread and lay it down, this is not curtesy to use down, this is not curtesy to use in town, but break as much as in town, but break as much as you will eat, the remnant to the you will eat, the remnant to the

poor you shall leave."poor you shall leave."The Boke of Curtesye, C. 1460

The Bread and Butter plate and knife…

The proper way to eat soup ...

Drawings by Joe Eula (Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers, 1989)

The proper way to use a knife and fork ...

Drawings by Joe Eula (Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers, 1989)

The proper way to ‘rest’ your knife ...

Drawings by Joe Eula (Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers, 1989)

The ‘rest’ position for fork and knife ...

Drawings by Joe Eula (Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers, 1989)

The ‘rest’ position for the fork alone ...

Drawings by Joe Eula (Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers, 1989)

The ‘finished’ position ...

Drawings by Joe Eula (Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers, 1989)

With coffee, don’t leave your spoon in your coffee cup ...

Drawings by Joe Eula (Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers, 1989)

Dining Etiquette

• During the MealDuring the Meal– Follow your host’s lead– Wait for everyone to be served and your host to

initiate dining– Continue your conversation during the meal– Break off pieces of bread and butter (or dip in olive

oil) separately

Dining Etiquette

• Do ...Do ...– Keep your napkin in your lap– Take small bites– Continue the conversation– Eat slowly and carefully– Wipe your mouth with your

napkin before drinking from your glass

• Don’t …Don’t …– Talk with your mouth

full– Cover your mouth while

chewing and talking– Exhibit exaggerated

emotional responses

Dining Etiquette

• Challenging FoodsChallenging Foods– spaghetti, linguine, vermicelli, etc.– cherry tomatoes– bone-in chicken– fish with small bones– large pieces of lettuce– Brittle or flaky pastries– New or unfamiliar foods/ethnic cuisines

Dining Etiquette

• After the mealAfter the meal– Graciously thank your host– Follow-up with a ‘thank you’ letter or note indicating

your continued interest in the process– Email is not recommended for the ‘thank you’ as it

does not have the same personal touch

Interviews & Alcohol

• Follow your host’s lead• Alcohol is optional -- never feel obligatednever feel obligated• Drink responsibly and in moderationin moderation• Avoid exotic cocktailsAvoid exotic cocktails• Always eat food with alcoholAlways eat food with alcohol• Consume slowlyConsume slowly

Interviews & AlcoholOrdering Wine/Wine ServiceOrdering Wine/Wine Service• You may always pass if you don’t want any• If you are asked to order wine remember:

– Ask if the host has a preference for red or white– Order something you’re familiar with– Order a bottle that is from the middle third of the price

range– Allow the host to order additional bottles if the wine

runs out

What did you learn?What did you learn?

• Etiquette Defined• Types of Service • Dressing for the Interview • Dining Etiquette and the Business Interview • The Business Interview and Alcohol

Questions?Questions?

Questions?Questions?

Questions?Questions?

Expectations® is a registered trademark of Compass Group, the Americas. This presentation and all the associated materials are copyrighted, and are proprietary to Compass Group, the Americas, d.b.a. Chartwells Higher Education Division. They may not be used, duplicated, or distributed in whole, or in part, without the express written consent of the Compass Group or its subsidiaries. Copyright © 2005.

All rights reserved, except Drawings by Joe Eula (Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers, 1989)

Thank you for joining Thank you for joining us this evening!us this evening!

Have a Good Night!Have a Good Night!