Competitive Edge dinner to help students gain an edge in business | Press Releases

The first impression an individual makes in business can make or break a deal or a job interview. That may come down to displaying bad manners at a business lunch or employing poor etiquette in an e-mail message.

On Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m., students of the Charles F. Dolan School of Business will take part in a dinner seminar entitled, "Gaining That Competitive Edge: A Dinner Seminar for Our Students." Ann Marie Sabath, president and founder of At Ease Inc. and the author of six books on etiquette, will give a talk to students about the importance of social skills and manners for success in the business world. The event will take place in the Dolan School Dining Room. It is sponsored by UBS, Target, Fairfield University Alumni Association, Career Planning and the Dolan School of Business.

Sabath will spend the evening coaching students on a variety of necessary skills, including selecting some to role-play tricky social situations. She will put students through the paces of a formal dinner, including, for example, giving tips on taming a wayward pea on a plate or finessing unruly cuisine, such as pasta, as well as instruct them on the fine art of the cocktail party.

Topics also will include:

What are the first three words you use when speaking to job recruiters?
How do you introduce two people whose names you have forgotten?
When receiving a rejection letter from a potential employer, how can you turn around the employment decision?
When should you send an e-mail vs. when you should send a penned note?

Norman Solomon, Ph.D., Dean of the Dolan School, said the education of business majors shouldn't be limited to the classroom subjects. "We would not be covering all of our bases if we didn't advise our students on their interpersonal and social skills. They are essential for business. In some cases, those skills can make all the difference by helping students get their foot in the door of a major corporation or get that important first meeting with a client."

Sabath, who has appeared on "Oprah" and numerous television programs, has taught business etiquette to employees of the top corporations in the country. Her areas of specialty include e-mail faux pas, voicemail etiquette, table manners, how to dress appropriately and how to eat difficult foods such as spaghetti at a business meeting. She also addresses such issues as to how to eliminate 'yah,' 'think,' and 'but' from your business vocabulary and bad body language.