On Thursday night, Nov. 1, Career Services hosted its annual Etiquette Dinner at Colorado Mesa University. This is a dinner to learn the do’s and don’ts of etiquette at a business or formal dinner. You have the opportunity to learn so much from this event.
During the check-in process, the attendees were able to listen to music played by some of CMU music students.
This year there were approximately 126 students and table hosts that were in attendance. There were 16 tables, which included one table host and 7 students or attendees. The job of the table host was to ask questions as if you were at a business dinner where an employer was interviewing you.
They learned about the table settings, and what each piece of silverware was for and why they are placed where they are. As for the eating, each attendee had a five course meal. They were taught how to properly eat each course and how to pass things, such as the salt and pepper, around the table. They were taught how to properly use the napkin and where to place it should you need to leave the table.
This year’s dinner included a dinner roll, a brothy soup with tortellini, a salad, chicken parmesan over spaghetti noodles and an apple crisp for dessert. There was water and tea for beverages.
Who could have known that there are so many rules to eating your food! When you eat your roll or bread as you are waiting for your next course, there is even a proper way to do that. There is even a proper way to place your used silverware on your dishes to alert the busser to know that you are done with those dishes. But, you must remember to keep your butter knife for future courses.
At the end of the dinner Alecia Dembowski, who is the coordinator of Career Services, went over the proper dress attire for these types of dinners.
You never know what a potential employer is going to think of you by what you order to eat and how you eat.
