How to Conduct a Job Interview in a Public Place

If you have to conduct a job interview in a public place, you must focus on the task at hand. It can be easy to feel too relaxed or distracted in a restaurant or other informal setting, but you must keep in mind that your primary goal is to land a job no matter where your interview takes place.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet access

Decide on the Appropriate Place to Meet

1. Take a few minutes to decide with your potential employer where you would like to meet. This place should be mutually agreeable to both of you and free of too many distractions.
2. Be sure to choose a location that is easily reachable by both parties. You should travel further, though, to make the meeting more convenient to your interviewer, who is coming from work.
3. Confirm company policy with an additional source if you feel that there is something fishy about meeting in a public place. Some companies make it standard practice to meet candidates for lunch, while some less-than-reputable employers use these opportunities for unethical meetings.

Focus on the Interview

4. Dress appropriately, even though you are meeting outside of the office environment. If you would wear a suit to an in-office meeting, wear the same to a meeting in a public place.
5. Double-check your directions so you don't get lost along the way. Allow plenty of time for traffic congestion.
6. Arrive early and get comfortable at your chosen meeting place.
7. Conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times. Just because you are meeting an employer outside of the office doesn't mean that you are meeting with a friend for lunch. Keep the conversation focused on your job skills and qualifications.

Show Your Appreciation

8. Offer a firm handshake and a genuine thank you to your potential employer at the end of a meeting.
9. Pay for your own meal if the business meeting was mutually decided upon.
10. Follow up with a sincere, handwritten thank-you note within three days.

Tips & Warnings

• Check the many job-search sites online. Many of these sites have a whole host of resources on public interviews and other situational meetings.
• Never submit information (verbally or in writing) about your race, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation or physical disability if you don't feel comfortable. By federal law, employers cannot ask for this information in an interview, so whether you choose to share it is up to you.

Who Can Help:

• Learn more today about America's leading online University
• Flexible Scheduling, Online Programs, Get Info Now