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Dinner Etiquette
Last night, I presented in the Etiquette Dinner for about 90 graduate students at SU. While it is important to know the basics like the appropriate ways of drinking soup, using folks and knives, passing items on the table, and etc., I believe that showing respect to the host/hostess is the foremost important etiquette. In many cases, showing respect means going with the flow. Here are some examples:
- When I eat with my India friends in an India restaurant, even though silverwares are provided, I will eat with my hands if all my Indian friends want to do that.
- I am not a Christian. If I am eating with my Christian friends and they want to make a meal blessing by holding my hands on the dining table, I will hold their hands, but I usually just listen to what they say.
- When everyone at the table uses hands on chicken wings and ribs, I will do the same.
- When I eat with my Korean friends in a traditional Korean restaurant, if they choose to sit on the floor, I will not object their choice by moving to a regular table with chairs.
What does showing respect or going with the flow mean to you? Can you provide some specific examples?
Again, the key of dinner etiquette is “doing the right things” so that everyone feels comfortable at the table. It is good to know the standards of dinner etiquette. It is also important to observe others’ preferences and possibly follow the lead of the host/hostess. What do you think?
References:
The picture was downloaded from a webpage of University of Wisconsin River Falls.
Career Advice Suggested by a Restaurant Recruiter
Today, the recruiter of Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants (LEYE) spoke in my Human Resource Management class and conducted several job interviews on campus. She shared with students plenty of good advice about career management. Interestingly, yet not surprisingly, I agree with her on every piece of her advice. In addition to the fact that more managers are now screening potentialcandidates on social media, her suggestions are quite similar to the practical implications I drew from one of my research studies.
According to my research findings (Kwok et al., 2011), I made the following suggestions for those students who plan to start a hospitality career (p. 394):
- Seek career advancement opportunities at work and take a leadership role in extra-curricular activities, class projects, and at work.
- (Also suggested by the recruiter of LEYE) Understand their career goals and find a part-time job and/or an internship that closely matches their “dream jobs.”
- Complete personality test(s) and thoroughly research a company before interview.
- (Also suggested by the recruiter of LEYE) Prepare well for job interviews. Students need to show interest in the company they interview with by asking interviewers thoughtful and engaging questions and maintaining on-going conversations with the recruiters even after interviews.
- Practice verbal and written communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills in class and at work. Knowledge of accounting and financial management is also important. Students need to illustrate that they understand “numbers” and can solve problems on their own.
- Inform recruiters if they are flexible at work and/or in the location where they begin a career.
- Spend time in school, work, and extra-curricular activities wisely.
In addition to relevant work experience and interview behaviors, she also suggested that students need to show their interest to a job and company by giving the recruiter prompt responses. What other suggestions the recruiter made? Do you think her suggestions helpful? In what way?
The picture was downloaded from the photo album on the Facebook page of LEYE.
Etiquette for the New Age
New trend comes and goes, but good manners should stay and will always be appreciated. The basic etiquette is to treat others with consideration and respect. Let’s see if you agree to the following etiquette discussed in this MSNBC News video:
- It is fine to “de-friend” a Facebook friend if you no longer feel comfortable to be attached with that person.
- One may buy a smaller gift if attending a destination wedding, depending on the person’s budget.
- If a client is sick but s/he wants to shake your hand, do it but wash your hand immediately afterwards. If you are sick, you may refuse to shake hands and explain to the client that you are sick.
- It is inappropriate to text or play with any gadgets when one is with others, regardless how busy s/he is. S/he may excuse herself/himself if it is absolutely necessary.
Interested in etiquette? Check out the following posts and read more.
New Dining Etiquette by Zagat
Wedding Etiquette
Smartphone Etiquette
International Etiquette
Social Media Etiquette for Business
The Art of Curiosity
The Fall Career Fair at Syracuse University took place at the Carrier Dome yesterday. I met with several hospitality recruiters in the Dome and asked them about their recruiting experience with different schools in the Northeastern region. They did not compare the calibers of students from different hospitality schools, but they indicated that they prefer those schools where students are curious about what their companies are doing and ask a lot of questions. I have found it very interesting that recruiters’ impression of a good hospitality program is not built upon how many students sign up for an interview, how many graduates they hire, or even how well the graduates perform at work after they are hired. Instead, they value the students’ curiosity.
When making a presentation on campus, recruiters can tell whether students have interest in their companies and the hospitality industry in general by observing students’ behaviors and listening to their questions. If students are quiet or playing with their cell phones (that is actually very rude), recruiters know that these students have no passion about the industry — “if they have passion for the industry and their major, they would LOVE to know what we are doing as compared to others even if they do not want to work for us,” a recruiter said.
Earlier this year, I published a qualitative study and another quantitative-focused study about hospitality recruiters’ selection criteria in college recruiting. According to the research findings, it is very important that students ask engaging and intellectual questions during the recruiting-selection process if they want to get a job offer. If students are interested in a topic, they will pay attention. For those who are curious enough to pay attention, they must also know the subject very well before they can come up with engaging and intellectual questions. I completely understand why recruiters will judge candidates or even the quality of a hospitality program based on the curiosity shown by the students.
Curiosity also works in both ways. If a job candidate does not feel that a recruiter is “curious” about her/his education and previous work experience, s/he may probably feel disappointed for the recruiter and the company.
Besides what is discussed above, what else can you tell based on a person’s curiosity?
References:
The picture was downloaded from the Center for Career Services at Syracuse University.
More Employers Are Using Social Media in Screening Job Candidates
I often discuss how employers are using social media in screening job candidates and how job seekers need to be proactive in building a strong personal brand on social media in order to secure a job offer. Today, I am sharing two additional MSNBC News video with you.
Video II offers some advices for those who are looking for a job on social media. I believe that we discussed almost every piece of the key information revealed in this video before.
Privacy vs. Efficacy: Which One Would You Choose? (Using Facebook in Job Search)
One Has No Choice But to Manage His/Her Online Image
Background Check on Social Media: Now Is a Serious Business
Using Facebook for Background Check
Social Media and Job Search I
Social Media and Job Search II
Social Media and Job Search III
