did this look bad in my interview?

amother

Fri, Aug 03 2012, 7:11 am

on tuesday I travelled on the train to an interview for a work placement, it was a long journey so at the station I bought some food for lunch. since my handbag wasn't big enough to put it in, I carried the bag of food to the offices where I was having the interview in my hand. (it wasn't a massive bag, just like small/medium). when the lady came to meet me she looked at the bag a little disapprovingly. the whole interview was very formal and I could tell she was looking at how I was dressed and stuff as well eek! maybe she thought the bag looked a messy/unprofessional? but I had no choice but to carry it? anyway, I got the work placement Smile

marshmellow

Fri, Aug 03 2012, 7:18 am

congrats! I would say it might have been a little unprofessional, but it definitely mattered more what you said, your personality, and the way you were dressed. obviously these things far outshone the bag thing that they forgot all about it and anyway, they probably realised you'd come a long way

justforfun87

Fri, Aug 03 2012, 7:19 am

A little tacky as you don't want to mix business with person/pleasure but who cares, you scored the job so your personality outshined your dunkin donuts bag.

amother

Fri, Aug 03 2012, 7:45 am

It can look unprofessional in an interview but as your on work experience I'd guess your quite young and this would be taken into account too - IE you probably didnt have the money to do things differently. When interviewing I personally take a bit less notice of the way someone looks and am more interested in their ability to do the job and their ability to fit in with the existing team.

amother

Fri, Aug 03 2012, 7:47 am

ysmommy wrote:

well since you got the job it couldnt be that bad. but yeah ditch the bag next time.

but what am I meant to do when I do the placement? first of all I will have to take food with me, because there is nowhere to buy food there, and I cannot eat lunch with them in the cafeteria, if they have one, even if my supervisor invites me, because it's not kosher

justforfun87

Fri, Aug 03 2012, 7:51 am

It is fine to bring a lunch bag to work, just for the interview it was a bit off. Everyone dresses extra professional for an interview, suit and all so the lunch bag was just off at that time. You have a right to a lunch bag and I am sure you will find a little fridge to place it in at work.

marshmellow

Fri, Aug 03 2012, 7:53 am

amother wrote:

ysmommy wrote:

well since you got the job it couldnt be that bad. but yeah ditch the bag next time.

take a bigger bag with you next time, and put the food inside it, take a big enough bag that you can put your food in a bag and put that in your handbag. I am sure that it's allowed to sit in the cafeteria to eat your own food. I'm sure some other people will bring their own food as well no? if your supervisor invites you to have lunch with them you should go, just explain you keep kosher and eat your packed lunch there instead. no problem at all.

amother

Fri, Aug 03 2012, 8:00 am

when you go for the first day, it's not so important to "hide" the bag of food (:
it's a less formal day than the interview day. someone will most likely show you around the building, including where you can keep your food and where you can go to get a drink/food when you feel like it

amother

Fri, Aug 03 2012, 8:12 am

thanks. I am the op. am I meant to send an email saying thank you? it's been 3 days now though since the interview. they told me on the day I got it. I did say thank you there and then. the placement starts in a week. or do I not contact them again until the first day I go?

chocolate chips

Sun, Aug 05 2012, 9:06 am

You can send an email if you want but I don't think its necessary. You can thank them again on the day you start placement.

About the food, buy a larger pocketbook (rather in style now) and put your lunch in there this way they don't have to see it. It could be she looked "disapprovingly" at the fact that you BOUGHT lunch in THAT place rather than you had an extra bag.

I had a job interview where I wore a certain thing, they gave me the job and I found out afterwards the boss hates that skirt and gave me hell every time I wore it until I realized she doesn't like it and I ditched it. (crazy I know...what we don't do for money!)

rmf

Mon, Aug 13 2012, 10:58 am

yeah.. don't bring food for an interview..
but it's def ok to bring it to work, where you are expected to eat lunch at some point during the day.
you don't have to starve yourself.. Wink

just maybe bring it in bigger purse and not in a plastic or restaurant bag.

sky

Mon, Aug 13 2012, 11:46 am

Another vote for just a very large purse and to carry it in there in the future.
A large purse is good for hiding lots of things...