There are some cases where interviews can not be held in the office for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the process is one that needs to be run quietly. Perhaps someone in the office knows the candidate. There is also the possibility that you may want to simply meet outside of the working environment so as to get to know the person in a non formal setting.
Off Site Interview or Meeting Locations in Mitte Berlin
See the Google Maps List of Locations Mentioned below by clicking here!
1 - Seaside - Fish & Seafood Bar at Mohrenstraße 17, 10117 Berlin
A great place to meet for an early lunch (it get’s busy after 13:00 until about 14:30). Outside of these times it is quiet with a great little excluded area for a quiet conversation.
2 - EINSTEIN KAFFEE Quartier at Friedrichstraße 71, 10117 Berlin
Einstein is always a bit of cliche place especially in such a tourist hotspot but this one has a very good quiet area upstairs that enables you to sit out of view and talk in comfort.
3 - The Sushi Club at Mohrenstraße 42, 10117 Berlin
Never seen this place get very busy and the ambiance is not intrusive. No loud music. Minimal tourist traffic and comfortable chairs. The staff is also not pushy so it is a good place for a longer conversation.
4 - Mindspace Krausenstraße at Krausenstraße 9-10, 10117 Berlin
This is not an eating place but MINDSPACE has a lot of quiet areas and hidden meeting rooms that you can book and have a serious discussion in without interruption.
Whatever your reasons may be, I believe that as a leader you should be prepared for such eventualities and have several favorite spots around town that you can reliably hold an offsite interview at.
How to Pick An Offsite Interview or Meeting Location
- Is it quiet. You do not want to meet in a place with loud music or a lot of people traffic. You also want to be sure that you will have a high likelihood of getting a table and not need to shout over other people to be heard or risk being overheard.
- Access. Is the location easily accessible by all parties without any fuss.
- Ambiance. If you are meeting for coffee, lunch or dinner you need to take into consideration what ambiance you want for the meeting. Is the discussion a 30min “meet and greet” you can do over an afternoon coffee or is it a 3 hour sit down for a negotiation. If the latter seriously consider the comfort of the chairs and if the location you are meeting expects to have a table back after an hour.
- Be sure to tip well, so you always get a decent table or your favourite spot
- Learn the names of your waiters, as this level of familiarity can have a calming effect on the tone of your meeting.
Final Words
I have on numerous occasions had to have interviews outside the office and having these locations on hand is very helpful and makes it easy to schedule to meet in a place that will be a safe bet for a good conversation. I urge any leader to have a good selection of their own “safe” places.
