Steve Tippins Ph.D.Helping doctoral students get their dissertation accepted, succeed in their careers, & change the world | Academic Career Advisor | Dissertation Chair & Founder, Beyond PhD Coaching | 35 + years of experience.

These Foods Could Ruin Your Interview

2 Jun 2026 · 1 min

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In this brief video, Steve Tippins Ph.D. offers practical interview-meal etiquette advice for Ph.D. job seekers. He recommends declining any alcohol offered during interview lunches or dinners, as it can alter behavior and affect performance. He also advises against ordering messy foods such as ribs that require finger‑digging, which could distract from professionalism. Tippins points viewers to the Scholar Career Network, a platform dedicated to helping Ph.D. candidates navigate career transitions and find meaningful positions.

Chapters

Go to lunch, go to dinner. I would suggest if they offer you alcohol-based drink to pass on it, even if they're getting one, because you just don't know what— how they're testing you. And look, they're getting a free dinner on their school. They might want a drink as well. You're in an interview, so anything that can make you act differently or be off of your game, you want to avoid. Also, there are certain foods I wouldn't order. I wouldn't order ribs that I've got to dig into with my finger and can create a mess. So just think about the foods that you're ordering as well as part of this process. The Scholar Career Network exists specifically to support Ph.D.s through moments like this and help them find meaningful careers.