College graduates learn to mind their manners

"Having good manners can set you apart from the crowd," said Madison, director of a school of etiquette outside Philadelphia.

Arcadia grads also heard from employers about what they look for in potential hires and how to network at business functions. They got advice from a financial planner about how to start saving money from the first job, and from benefits experts on how to negotiate benefit packages.

But the "Lunch for Success" was among the major draws.

"I was surprised about how much table manners can have an impact on the interview," said Candace Lark, who majored in music education.

Stephanie Wobensmith, a social work grad, suggested that Americans may have lost their eating etiquette because of a perception that it's "hoity-toity" or pretentious _ though all the students said they know bad manners when they see them.

"Once I saw someone blow their nose into a napkin," said Christina Eakins, who grew up in Europe and learned the art of table etiquette from early childhood. "I just think people have no concept; you can see people in nice places eating like animals."

Ball State decided to offer a session on dining protocol after hearing from students that they felt inadequate taking part in lunch or dinner interviews no matter what the setting, said Spisak.

"There was a real need to do this because the formal dining skills just aren't practiced in the home now," she said.

Greg Pepe, a recruiter for VerticalNet, a Philadelphia area-based software company, said he agrees with the premise of the programs.

"You're always making an impression, from the first handshake to the final thank you note you send," he said. "These people are going to be working with clients, so if you're too sloppy in your demeanor, too casual in your table manners, or you start cursing or using inappropriate words, you're not going to serve yourself well in an interview."

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