2008 Woodie Awards
Students learn business etiquette at hosted dinner
Laurel Smith, Staff Writer
Issue date: 3/22/06 Section: Student Life
As a college student, chances are that by now you've either already held a job at some point or will have one throughout your college career. And let's face it, when we graduate from college, most of us will find ourselves in the "real world," the working world. In order to help prepare you for the day when you find yourself interviewing for one of those "real world" jobs, the Career Center recently organized and hosted their first Business Etiquette Dinner.
Last Thursday evening at the Double Tree Hotel, students were given the opportunity to learn about proper business etiquette. "A lot of times during an interview, employers will take someone to lunch or dinner and students often think that's the time to kick back and relax because it's in a social setting in a really nice restaurant, but it's usually the final piece of the interview," said Career Center Advisor Kathleen Scully. "And so this is to help them be aware of that, and how to order something that's easy to eat because someone is going to be interviewing you the whole time, and then really just knowing how to handle yourself at the table through several spoons and forks and small plates. It's to help people feel very comfortable."
Employers and SSU alumni joined Advising, Career and EOP Services in helping to familiarize students with business etiquette. The evening included an etiquette presentation with the students, where employers offered helpful feedback and tips. There was also a presentation on the "art of chit-chat" and "your 1 minute story," both designed to help students to feel more comfortable when talking with a prospective employer. This was followed by the "Dress for Success" fashion show. Students modeled clothing donated by Macy's, JCPenney and Target, to show how to dress up for different interview settings based on particular budgets.
The evening finished up with an employer panel, which allowed students the chance to ask questions and hear answers from those "real world" employers. "The panel had several SSU alums," said Advisor and Career Coordinator Anne Greenblatt. "I thought it was really fun for students to hear from somebody 5 years out, what happened to their career, how they got their job and what it had been like. And it's especially good to hear from alum because students can really relate to them."
This is the first time the Business Etiquette Dinner was put on. "Two years ago we did something called Dress for Success, which was just the fashion show," said Greenblatt. "But we really wanted to put it all together, and bring the employers to interact with the students in a more informal way." One of the most important things students learned at this event "is how to feel comfortable talking to employers," said Greenblatt. "Employers are real people. I noticed when they first came in, the students and employers were there and the students looked pretty uncomfortable. And by the end, we had several more periods where people could walk around the room and network, and as we coached the students on how to network comfortable, I felt by the end people were so comfortable nobody wanted to leave. I think it was a smashing success!"
Last Thursday evening at the Double Tree Hotel, students were given the opportunity to learn about proper business etiquette. "A lot of times during an interview, employers will take someone to lunch or dinner and students often think that's the time to kick back and relax because it's in a social setting in a really nice restaurant, but it's usually the final piece of the interview," said Career Center Advisor Kathleen Scully. "And so this is to help them be aware of that, and how to order something that's easy to eat because someone is going to be interviewing you the whole time, and then really just knowing how to handle yourself at the table through several spoons and forks and small plates. It's to help people feel very comfortable."
Employers and SSU alumni joined Advising, Career and EOP Services in helping to familiarize students with business etiquette. The evening included an etiquette presentation with the students, where employers offered helpful feedback and tips. There was also a presentation on the "art of chit-chat" and "your 1 minute story," both designed to help students to feel more comfortable when talking with a prospective employer. This was followed by the "Dress for Success" fashion show. Students modeled clothing donated by Macy's, JCPenney and Target, to show how to dress up for different interview settings based on particular budgets.
The evening finished up with an employer panel, which allowed students the chance to ask questions and hear answers from those "real world" employers. "The panel had several SSU alums," said Advisor and Career Coordinator Anne Greenblatt. "I thought it was really fun for students to hear from somebody 5 years out, what happened to their career, how they got their job and what it had been like. And it's especially good to hear from alum because students can really relate to them."
This is the first time the Business Etiquette Dinner was put on. "Two years ago we did something called Dress for Success, which was just the fashion show," said Greenblatt. "But we really wanted to put it all together, and bring the employers to interact with the students in a more informal way." One of the most important things students learned at this event "is how to feel comfortable talking to employers," said Greenblatt. "Employers are real people. I noticed when they first came in, the students and employers were there and the students looked pretty uncomfortable. And by the end, we had several more periods where people could walk around the room and network, and as we coached the students on how to network comfortable, I felt by the end people were so comfortable nobody wanted to leave. I think it was a smashing success!"