“Having lunch is an excellent way to recruit”

In the old days, when one “good chap” could spot another, all you required was a lunch to assess whether someone was what we now call “a high potential”, “a corporate-culture fit” or “an executive talent”. All you wanted to know was: do you trust this fella? Do you share ethics and values? And is he (it was always a he) one of “your” people?

The aim of the lunch was not, however, as many thought, to check the person’s tie or to see which university he went to. Nor was it to test his knowledge of the wine list or his ability to push peas on to a fork. No, sharing hot food together is an elemental social activity and an excellent way to recruit. It offers opportunities to assess potentially important skills, including social skills, emotional intelligence and charm. Can the candidate make small talk? Can they keep a conversation going? Do they express an interest in others and can they interest others themselves?

In a one- to two-hour lunch, one can cover many areas that may seem inappropriate in a stilted office atmosphere. One can chat about previous jobs, bosses the candidate has admired, policies they thought were innovative, influences on their career and their interests outside of work. Many people drop their guard at lunch; it is hard to keep up pretences for so long.

A lunch may also show someone’s understanding of etiquette. Most candidates would refuse alcohol, but what if the recruiter said, “I fancy a glass of wine. Will you join me?” The skilled executive knows the power of mirroring when it comes to negotiations and creating a connection.

It is also possible that the candidate will interact with a range of serving staff during the lunch. Do they treat them like plebs or are they intimidated? Are they annoyed by over- or under- attentiveness? What do they think about how the restaurant is run?

Peculiarities will become clear during a lunch. Food fetishes and intolerances may be signs of rigidities of one sort or another. It is also quite possible to bring up issues of health over food. All of this is important information, especially if the job involves a lot of travel to foreign countries, entertaining and selling.

And don’t forget that an interview helps a candidate to get a picture of the interviewer, too. He may be the future boss, and if both parties learn more about each other, that will help future decision-making.

So, does the old-fashioned lunch allow a recruiter to get a much better idea of the social and negotiation skills of a new staff member? Of course. Is the lunch a good investment? For a key job, certainly.