Business networking dining etiquette for int'l job candidates

Networking with

a Fork: General Tips on Business

Networking & Dining Etiquette

Madison Morris

Four “F” benefits of Familiarity with the Proper Dining

Rules

Familiarity breeds confidence

Focus on the conversation

Fit in factor

First impressions management

More benefits :

Stand out in the crowd

Appear ‘well-rounded’

Basic starting points

Preparation + Practice = Confidence

It’s never about food

Etiquette is about putting people at ease

Ahead of business meal Look signals to your lunch companions

(interviewers)

IF you made an effort

IF you respect them

IF you are familiar/comfortable w/ company’s

culture

Clean/ironed clothes >than fashion

Careful with perfume

Check weather for appropriate clothing

Ahead of business meal

Coming in

When escorted to a table by a maitre'd, walk

first, the interviewer will follow behind

If you are seated before the others arrival, be

sure to stand up and shake hands (both men

and women)

Sit left, stand right.

Seating down

A properly trained

waitperson will also

serve your meal to

you from your left and

pick up from your right

When possible, you

should be seated from

the left side of the chair

at the table and exit

from the chair's right.

Ordering

Host’s recommendation =

also price guide

Generally guest’s order will be taken

first

Questions about the dish ok , but

not too many substitutions

No more than two courses

Never the most expensive thing on

the menu

Ordering

prix fixe/ table d'hôte – all included

Al La Carte – each item priced separately

dishes to void: spaghetti, ribs, messy

sandwiches - ease of consumption > your

appetite

In the end, it is NOT about food

Start of a business

meal

Napkin: the first thing off the table and the last thing

on.

As soon as you're seated, place your napkin in your lap

with the folded edge facing you.

When you excuse place your napkin in the chair seat/on

the chair’s arm.

Only place your napkin on the table when leaving to the

left of your plate.

Silverware

lined up in the order in which a person will use them,

going from the outside in

Start of a

business meal

Plate/Napkin

Dessert /Coffee Water

Red

Wine White

Wine

Coffee Cup

and Saucer

Bread Plate

Butter Knife

Meat Meat Salad Salad

Soup seafood

Start of a

business meal

BMW method Water always on the right

Bread plate always on the left

M=meal

B=bread W=water

Start of a

business meal

Right is spelled r-i-g-h-t.

That’s 5 letters.

Just like k-n-i-f-e and s-p-o-o-n.

So your knife and spoon are always

on the right side.

Left is spelled l-e-f-t.

That’s 4 letters.

Just like f-o-r-k.

So it’s always on the left.

Start of a

business meal

Elements of Business Lunch

Appetizers (bread and butter)

Do not bite in – Tear into pieces, butter and eat. Repeat.

Salads

Cherry tomatoes: cut in halves

Croutons: spear few leaves,

crouton last

Chew well to avoid

leaves stuck between teeth

Elements of Business Lunch

Don’t drink from the bowl unless in an Asian restaurant.

Leave the spoon in the cup or soup bowl when resting.

Elements of Business Lunch

Spoon your soup away from you.

Sip from the side of the spoon.

Tilt the bowl or cup of soup away from you as you eat.

If soup is too hot, wait for it to cool; do not blow on it.

Soup

Main course Never cut more than three

bites at a time

Time your meal dish with a

conversation

Elements of Business Lunch

During business meal

Any paper (e.g. empty sugar

packets ) shouldn’t be placed

on the table, but instead on

the edge of butter plate/cup

saucer.

Chew quietly with mouth

closed.

Do not talk with your mouth

full.

Bring food to mouth, not mouth

to food. Straight posture

throughout the meal.

Remember to:

Maintain Eye Contact

Continue conversation,

giving all equal time

Refrain from joking

Keep your elbows off the

table at all times.

Rest your wrists on the

table

During Business meal

Never serve yourself first even if a dish is

placed in front of you

During business meal

Turn your head away from the table and cover your mouth

when you sneeze or cough with your elbow nook.

Don't blow your nose at the table. Excuse yourself and use

the restroom.

When leaving the table, always push your chair back to the

table.

During business meal

Never state the reasons e.g.

‘restroom break’, ‘I have food stuck

in my teeth’, ‘Have to take my pills’

etc.

Say “Excuse me” only

Tough food (spit it out discretely)

Stains (approach with humor;

proceed as above to excuse

yourself and clean up

During business meal

During business meal

Always pass the salt and pepper together

to place them on the table/ not directly

into the person’s hand.

If you are asked to pass something, don't

use it/or take some first before passing-

unless the person requesting it invites

you to.

Pass items ALWAYS to the right.

The person closest to the bread basket,

butter, salad dressing, etc., should begin

passing.

Swallow completely/ wipe you hands &

mouth before taking a drink.

If you do not want wine or coffee DON”T :

turn the glass or mug over; place your hand

over the glass or mug.

Simply tell your server “no thank you.”

It is called STEMware - always hold the

glass by the stem.

A water goblet is the only glass you do not

have to hold by the stem.

During business meal

Think of your plate as a clock.

The utensils should signalize 6PM if you are still eating

If you are done: put your fork and knife akew in the 10 and 4

o'clock.

During business meal

‘Tricks’ Questions – other

issues

Tipping

Offering to pay for the meal/splitting the check

Toasting

CONVERSATION

aspect

As anything worthy,

it takes preparation and

practice

Art of conversation

Check Google News/Scan headlines of major newspapers

If possible, learn about people

you will be interviewing

Find common ground

Preparation

Practice with your American peers (that’s why it’s

important not to stick only with friends from your

home country)

It’s better to practice now w/ colleagues than do it

for the 1st time at the interview

Observe what’s expected

Preparation

Introductions

Insure that people are comfortable addressing you:

Pronounce your name very clearly

Use ‘easy’ form of your name e.g. ‘Abhinandan’ can be ‘Abhi’

• (or even, if you choose, even more Americanized version such as ‘Abe’ )

Make an easy connection in their mind e.g.

• reveal the meaning behind the name

• offer a word that rhymes with your name

You want to introduce someone

Say the name of the key person.

Mention the name of the other person and say something about him or her

Come back to the key person and say something about him/her.

Here is an example where the recruiter is Mr. John Packman and your friend is Aneesha

Patel: “John, I would like to introduce my friend, Aneesha

Patel. Annesha is student in Kellogg’s MMM program. Josh Packman is with Johnson and Johnson."

Introductions

Business is generally gender

neutral.

A man does not have to wait for

a woman in business to extend

her hand for a handshake

Americans expect the

handshake to convey strength

and confidence

Hand shaking

In US, you should first

establish rapport with a

person in a chat BEFORE

exchanging cards.

Thus, you can expect to

exchange business cards

AT THE END OF THE

CONVERSATION

When you receive a card,

you can look at it and at

the person, and then thank

them.

When alone, feel free to

write any comments at the

other side of the business

card

Business card exchange

If you aren't asked for yours, ask for theirs first. State why

e.g. ‘I’d love you to see the results of the projects we’ve

been discussing. May I have your information?”

If they don’t offer their card, simply ask, "May I offer you

my card?“

Discuss what constitutes small talk in your culture

and your experiences with small talk in the US

Small talk

Mika and Peppe hadn't seen each other for

ages, so they decided to get together for "one"

beer. At the end of the first pint Peppe says

"How have you been?" Mika just grunts in

reply.

At the end of the second pint Peppe asks

"So how's your family?" Again, Mika just grunts

in reply.

After three pints Peppe asks

"How's work going?" Mika turns in fury and

yells

"Perkele! Did we come here to talk or

drink?!“

Finnish Joke

Basic starting points

It’s never really about specific topics

Small talk is about making other people

comfortable through finding a common

ground

ANYTHING OBSERVABLE/ QUANTIFIABLE:

Weather

Area around

Recent fun activities (plans for the weekend/ recent vacation/trip)

Hobbies ESPECIALLY sports that can be shared by others (current matches/games/favorite teams)

TIP: Ask for suggestions e.g. for dining/visiting places or explaining American/ local customs (e.g. unmerited love for Cubs)

Small talk

Politics/controversial topics

Intimate relationships

Religion

Death

Financial issues

Age

Small talk topics

to avoid

When in doubt, ALWAYS ask questions about the

other person. People of virtually every culture

LOVE talking about themselves .