Tips for Making Small Talk During a Lunch/Dinner Interview

Breaking the ice and making small talk can be difficult sometimes -- especially if the person is an introvert and has an upcoming dinner interview scheduled! 

Not long ago I conducted an interview coaching session with an individual who contacted me with this very concern. Here is a partial excerpt of his initial email to me, "I do not know how to break the ice and make comfortable and a pleasant interview environment when I first meet new people. This is even worse during a meal time."

During our interview coaching session, part of the time was focused on this very concern. Obviously, strategies vary from person to person depending upon background, career industry, etc., but here are some strategies that can be utilized by most people if they need to engage in one-on-one informal conversations:

1. Before the interview, try to find out as much as possible about the the person interviewing you. Review the company website to see if it contains any bio on the individual. Conduct an Internet search and view the person's LinkedIn profile. The information you gather may be helpful in sparking some conversation. For example, one individual I met with found out that the person interviewing him went to a private college that was a big rival with his own college. This generated some great dinner conversation!

2. The arrival. When you first arrive at the restaurant, the topic of weather can always be counted on as an ice breaker, but you can only talk about weather so long. After this a suggestion could be, "This is a nice restaurant. Do you eat here often?"

3. Be observant. This can help you pick up clues on what to say. For example, if the individual is carrying a specific book you could ask, "That book looks interesting. Do you like it?" Maybe you notice the person wearing a very nice watch. You could say, "I really like the watch you're wearing. Where did you get it?"

4. Fall back on your research. Maybe when you looked on the interviewer's LinkedIn profile, you noticed that he completed a training which you are interested in taking. You could ask, "I noticed on your LinkedIn profile that you attended the XXX training. What were your thoughts on this training, and would you recommend it?"

5. Awkward silence. If you experience any awkward silence, fall back on asking something about the company. "I noticed on the company website that you recently launched a new product. Could you tell me more about that?" 

So, if you happen to have difficulty thinking of things to say during a dinner interview (or any other one-on-one informal conversation for that matter), hopefully some of the above suggestions will help you be more prepared, so that you will have a comfortable and pleasant conversation.

About the author: As a certified interview coach, Connie Hauer coaches clients on interview preparation, provides strategies on how to stand out from the competition, and helps clients polish their interviewing skills so they feel more confident. (Learn More)