After graduation, many students find themselves in the complicated position of trying to stay afloat while navigating the difficult challenge of finding a job. While many find themselves prepared for the field they chose to study, very few are properly educated on how exactly to land the job that they want. Recognizing this, the Career Development Center decided to put students in the best position to help them succeed in the future by organizing a business etiquette and networking event. The event, which took place on Sept. 20 and Sept. 21 in the Susquehanna Room, started at 5 p.m. and went until 8 p.m.
“A number of years ago, we recognized that many families do not have formal dinners, or students may not be exposed to business etiquette,” Director of Career Development Center Jane Nini said. “Our dinners are designed to provide kind of the basics so that if you’re going out on a lunch interview, if you are participating in a professional conference or networking event, you would have the nuts and bolts of good manners, good etiquette, to make the best impression you could.”
The event was free to attend and included a time for networking as well as a meal. To help students learn more about proper etiquette and networking skills, the Career Development Center brought in etiquette educator and adjunct professor at Binghamton University Robert Shutt. Shutt, who’s been teaching proper etiquette since 1999, stressed the importance of knowing how to act in a professional setting while dining.
“You’re really there to accomplish things verbally and through conversations, so to eliminate the distractions of doing the wrong things so they really hear your message as effectively as possible,” Shutt said.
Reinforcing the idea further, Shutt stated, “I mentioned I work at Binghamton University, and our Graduate School of Management there estimates that 80% of all first or second interviews are done over some kind of food or beverage event, so it’s a very common environment.”
When it comes to business etiquette, both Nini and Shutt agreed on its significance, especially for students who have graduated or are about to graduate. Shutt says that when it comes to etiquette, knowing the proper form can enable “what is great about you to be fully appreciated.”
The business etiquette and networking event offered students an opportunity to help refine and present what is great about themselves. However, Nini realizes that in order to help students develop what’s great about them, they need to have adequate opportunities to do so.
To address this, Nini and the Career Development Center have come up with various services that can help students work on advancing their career. As Nini says, the goal of the Career Development Center is to “assist with all aspects of your career development,” which includes everything from interview preparation to resume assistance. This assistance, which students can use at any time, is free of charge.
While the Career Development Center does offer different services that students can use, the office also has scheduled a few different events that students can attend, similar to the business etiquette and networking event. While many of the events are networking opportunities, they offer students a chance to meet with possible future employers and work on some of the skills that they feel they need to improve on.
One of the most anticipated networking events that the Career Development Center has planned for this semester is the Job, Internship and Graduate School Expo. The Expo, taking place on Oct. 25 from 11a.m.- 2 p.m., will give students the opportunity to meet with over 120 employers that will be in attendance. If interested in attending, students can register on Handshake where they can also reach out to recruiters and find out more about any companies that interest them.
