The Career Center offers tons of workshops every semester, and most of them are career or academic related. Some of them are lecture style, and some of them give you the opportunity to interact with alumni to talk about career interests. Are you looking for something more interactive, or perhaps some “knowledge” that you can apply to everyday life? Well I recently attended a workshop that I considered to be one of the most useful workshops I have ever attended – Business Dining Etiquette! It was hosted at the Alumni House on the evening of 3/18/09 with over 80 students attending. The host was a famous etiquette certified instructor, and the 3 course meal was free!
This type of event is extremely applicable and relevant because some employers take their interviewees out to lunch, for multiple reasons. For example, they may not be able to find a time to meet with the interviewee during office hour, they may want to see how the interviewee behaves when they are answering questions and eating at the same time, or perhaps they may wish to see how the interviewee would spend the company’s allowance simply by observing what the interviewee orders. Therefore it is probably a good idea to sharpen up your dining etiquette before going into your first lunch interview!
The workshop covered the smallest details such as how to fold your napkin, how to hold your fork and knife, when to start eating, at what speed you should eat, what to do when accidents happen at the table, what to order and what NOT to order…etc. The host walked the students through all the details throughout the meal process, and provided thorough answers to all the questions students raised. In addition, there was a representative from Philip Morris (oh forgot to mention the workshop is sponsored by them!) at each table to be the “host” of the table and to chat with students for about 20 minutes during the meal. At the end of the workshop, I felt that I was definitely much more prepared to go into a lunch interview without stressing out about my table manners, allowing me to focus on the actual interview questions!
The workshop is usually offered once a semester and RSVP’s are booked up quickly. Keep your eye on Callisto next semester, and RSVP immediately when it is available!!
By Shirley Lau, 3rd Year, Psychology Major
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