Professional Development Activities

Part of the Gerstacker Business Institute‘s belief is that some things cannot be learned in a classroom. There are aspects of character that cannot be put on a résumé but will be recognized instantly during a job interview. The Gerstacker Business Institute helps students to learn these skills.

Etiquette Dinner

Although job interviews often occur in offices and conference rooms, many business meetings also take place during a meal. How you present yourself in this type of social setting may make or break an employer’s decision to hire you. What do your table manners say about you? This workshop teaches the finer points of dining etiquette and prepares students for success in these situations.

Mock Interviews

The best way to acquire interview experience is to practice in the safety of your own institution. The mock interviews workshop is a daylong event in which hiring representatives from more than a dozen Michigan firms come to campus to give practice job interviews to Gerstacker students. Each student goes through a minimum of three interviews and is given feedback after each one. This allows them to identify and build upon their current strengths, as well as identify aspects of the interview process they need to work on.