You spent the entire day getting grilled with interview questions – it was like an inquisition from the 15th century, minus the guillotine! They liked you so much that they want you to join them for dinner. Hooray – you’ve got this baby sewn up! Not so fast. Don’t consider it a sure bet until you’re holding an offer in your hands. First and foremost, it’s time to eat.

Tip 1.  Corn on the Cob with a Side of Chicken Wings

We think it goes without saying, but don’t be so foolish as to order finger food. Just exactly how do you plan to floss the corn kernels out of your teeth and remove the BBQ sauce from underneath your fingernails?

Tip 2.  Little Miss Manners

Mind your manners – that means “pleases” and “thank yous” and “sirs” and smiles and placing your napkin in your lap instead of in your collar when you sit down and standing up when you shake hands.

Tip 3.  Don’t Pick

Even if you couldn’t order your favorite meal item (chicken fingers) for fear of looking like a ten year old, you won’t be much further ahead if you cut the crust off the rye bread or scrape the “bleu” off your chicken cordon bleu with your linen napkin.

Tip 4.  Make Mine a Virgin

No matter what time your restaurant interview takes place—and even if your host drinks—you don’t have the green light to be a lush. If the pressure is on to order something fancy, remember those famous words, “Make mine a virgin, please.”

Tip 5.  Yes. . . On My Visa Gold

You’re nearly done, you’re “this close” to getting an offer – don’t blow it by trying to be a big shot when the bill comes. It is standard protocol for your host to pick up the tab, and most likely it’s going to be charged back to the company.

For more free job-hunting tips, visit www.GetAJobBook.com

Written by award-winning authors Tara Maras & Donna Kozik, Get A Job! Put Your Degree To Work is a job manual for recent or soon-to-be college graduates. It educates students about the realities of today’s job market, revealing everything from the secrets of interview success to the art of the perfect handshake. Advice from the book has been featured in 130 newspapers including the L.A. Times, Chicago Tribune and Baltimore Sun.

Donna Kozik & Tara Maras are also the authors of www.29DaystoaSmoothMove.com,a complete household moving manual.

©2004 Tara Maras & Donna Kozik

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Resume Writing: CareerProResume.com