Application lunch

Have you received an invitation to an application lunch? At first, this creates a feeling of insecurity among many people, since most of them are not yet familiar with this situation.

Why not have a job interview while eating? This may sound a bit confusing to you the first time, but in fact this type of interview is also becoming increasingly common. After all, it's a nice alternative to the classic job interview in the office. But what exactly is the basic idea behind having a job interview while eating?

Application lunch in the local vs. Job interview in the office

When you invite a company to an application lunch, they primarily want to test your social skills. During the meal you are under constant observation and so interviewees can observe how you react spontaneously to external influences in an everyday situation. A classic example would be how you deal with the service staff and react to any order that is mixed up. Building on that, it's an excellent way to check out an applicant's soft skills.

But how should you behave at the application lunch? What needs to be taken into account so that the conversation during the meal goes according to plan? Authenticity and spontaneity are paramount!

To ensure that nothing goes wrong at your lunch meeting, we have summarized the most important rules of conduct for you:

Inform about the local menu. Most of the restaurants have online menus so that you can get an idea of which dishes are on offer in advance. Select a dish before you start your interview, but of course you must not reveal this. In this way you leave a reliable and decision-making impression on the person you are talking to.
Pay attention to your choice of food. Do not order anything that is difficult to eat and that needs your "attention" more than your counterpart. After all, you have to be able to concentrate fully on the conversation. Therefore, our recommendation is to avoid dishes such as soups, burgers, finger food, pasta dishes, etc.
Turn off your cell phone. Nothing is more unpleasant than when your cell phone rings during the conversation. Easy to avoid - switch off your cell phone before the application lunch and let it disappear in your pocket.
Table manners and courtesy. Don't talk with your mouth full, take your elbows off the table, all that and much more was preached to us in early childhood about how to behave while eating. In addition, polite and courteous handling is essential.
Small talk. If the interview partner gets a little chat, it is advisable to know about the current events in the world so that you can have a say. Secrets and complaints about the ex-company are not appropriate for the application lunch. It is therefore better to tell about your last travel destination or books / films that made you think.
Of style. It is very important to treat the service staff respectfully and to devote full concentration to your conversation partner. In addition, make sure that you choose an appropriate volume - not too quiet, but not too loud either - so that the neighboring table cannot overhear.

Of course, the friendly thanks for inviting us to an application lunch also count as a good impression. Additional tip, you can also thank us again in a short email for the invitation and point out that you are still interested in the position.