“Which fork do I use?”
“Can I ask for more pepper?”
“Which way do I pass the rolls?”
These queries might seem unimportant when taken out of context, but at a business dinner or job interview over lunch, it’s vital for job candidates to know what they’re doing.
At the David Eccles School of Business, preparing students in all ways of being a professional is part of the program. And to that end, the school recently hosted graduate students as part of a ConnectU Etiquette Lunch.
Students from various graduate business programs gathered to listen to professional etiquette coach Jan Coleman offer advice, suggestions and tips on how to present themselves professionally in a dining setting. In her one-hour lecture, Jan covered various topics, such as what utensils to use, whether or not it is appropriate to order alcohol, and what things you should and shouldn’t wear to a professional lunch.
The students involved are preparing to go to lunch with alumni and mentors from the David Eccles School of Business. Since students volunteered for the alumni lunches, they were asked to attend the etiquette lunch in order to learn the basics of fine dining and learn how to present themselves to potential employers and business professionals.
One student from India remarked how great the event was since while he was growing up in India the dining customs he learned were different than those of the United States. Overall, students seemed pleased with the meal and the lessons learned.
For more information on ConnectU or how you can be involved as a student mentor, please contact Cory Nelson at cory.nelson@business.utah.edu