There are many perks to being a senior in the Luter School of Business, and the Business Etiquette Conference is at the top of the list. I mean, it’s not everyday that we – those of us of age, of course – sip a glass of red wine and eat a four-course meal with our professors and local business professionals. However, events that teach professional development in a manner that is enticing to students who are my age, are kind of the norm in the Luter School. As the entire evening was complimentary for each senior attendee, it became clear to me how deeply the Luter School of Business cares for its students’ success.
My evening began with the first of two break-out sessions. The concept of the first centered around the power of branding yourself using the popular, business-centric social networking site, LinkedIn. The guest speaker, Dawn Edmiston, was one of the most passionate women I have ever met. Her face lit up when she proposed creative ideas on how we could stand out from a crowd when applying for a position. The second session I chose to attend explained what not to do in a business setting, from having a weak handshake to forgetting to send a handwritten follow-up card, which was very insightful.
After cocktail hour, networking with my business professors and the company representatives from across the state was the part everyone was waiting for: free dinner! Professionals who have mastered business etiquette for a living, taught us the ins and outs of the proper way to sit, speak, dress and eat as any business professional would. I even learned how to take an olive pit out of my mouth. Who would have known there was a proper way to do that? Not only was the dinner delicious (especially the ice cream sundae for dessert), but I learned more about business etiquette than I could have imagined. Now I cannot wait for my first business lunch to put my newfound skills into practice!