Deja Davis
Managing Editor
“Good manners are the key to opening doors to opportunity.”
Jackson State University’s Career Services Center held its annual Etiquette Dinner, “Beyond Please and Thank You: Business and Dining Etiquette” on March 21 in the Student Center Ballrooms.
Students came dressed in business and professional attire and were served a five-course meal while learning proper table manners, appropriate behavior in a business setting, and what makes a successful dining experience.
“A lot of times employers actually take students for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner to conduct interviews instead of the normal company setting,” said Dr. Lavenita Cottrell, assistant director of Career Services at Jackson State.
She continued, “Table manners definitely play an important part in making a favorable impression and are essential to professional success.”
Along with showing good etiquette skills, students modeled some professional attire from the Tiger Career Closet, which is also a part of the CSC located in the Jacob L. Reddix Building on the first floor.
Tiger Career Closet provides professional attire to currently enrolled JSU students who need professional attire for job interviews or for the purpose of attending a function while representing JSU.
“While it is important to have good table manners, you also have to look the part while going to functions and interviews. It is very important to have professional attire because that is what employers look for before the interviews take place and Tiger Career Closet will always be open and available if you are in need,” said LaShanda Jordan, executive director of the Career Services Center.
A great meal was not the only objective of the center. Education was also a vital part of the etiquette dinner.
The panel of faculty and staff opened the floor to students to voice their opinions and ask all the questions that were necessary to help them in the future.
Upon signing in, the student participants were escorted to their tables and seated in front of their names to await the meal that was served.
Jasmine Thomas, a graduate student from Atlanta, Ga., believes all students should attend programs like the Etiquette Dinner.
“Etiquette and manners are necessary in everyday life, so I believe that students should definitely take the time out to attend these programs because it will help later on,” said Thomas.
Mark Carter, a junior therapeutic recreation major from Clarksdale, Miss., believes the event was very beneficial to his future success.
“I learned so much from this event. The food was amazing and I really loved the way that the ballroom was set up to look very professional. I wish that all students could get a chance to come out and actually see that it is kind of challenging to really see how to eat in a professional setting. It is not as easy as it seems to be,” said Carter.
The Career Services Center also provided the guests with programs that included dinner etiquette tips on the back.
Some of the tips of what to do at a professional outing included:
- Always pass to the right
- Wait for the host to signal before eating
- Spoon soup away from you
- Wait until everyone at your table has been served before you start eating
- Place your napkin in your lap as soon as you are seated
- Always say “please” and “thank you” to the waiter
Lastly, some tips of what not to do included:
- No chewing gum at the table
- Never put your elbows on the table
- Never say, “I don’t like this” or “I am allergic to this”. Simply say, “No thank you”
- Never reach if the food is not directly in front of you, ask for it to be passed
If you missed the event, remember it is held annually so students can register to attend next year. Also, if you are in need of professional attire, the Tiger Career Closet is open and available to students.
