As Spark News reported earlier this week, much to employees delight, or dismay, office Christmas parties are making a comeback. Thanks to a weak job market and a struggling economy, it seemed that Christmas parties for employees were the first thing companies cut. However, with the job market showing small signs of life, office Christmas parties have returned and with them the opportunity to network and job hunt.
As M Live points out, office parties can be career enhancing. You have the chance to schmooze the bosses or higher-ups and it’s a great time to find new connects and opportunities. But as with any advantage, there can be many disadvantages. For example, throwing back a few cold ones at the office party because “hey, it’s a party right?” could quickly turn into a messy situation for you and your superiors. So, just for you we have listed a couple tips to follow for office party etiquette from M Live. We all know what is appropriate and what is not appropriate behavior at an office party, or maybe some of us don’t or we wouldn’t need to be listing office party tips. Regardless of whether this is news to you or just a friendly reminder of what is expected of you, take a look at them and have fun this holiday season. Sober, clean, appropriate fun.
1. Keep Business Cards On You
It’s a Christmas party so as M Live points out, it’s not the best idea to corner a higher-up or hiring manager with your resume asking for an opportunity. It’s also not the best time to ask for a promotion. Save that for the office. However, if you are at your significant other or friend’s party and happen to meet someone in your field that is hiring, it’s great to have a business card on hand to give them.
2. Holiday Cheers
If you do in fact end find someone worthy of receiving your business card, write something holiday-related on the back. It is the holidays, right? ‘Tis the season! Also, it adds a little extra to your card and may make it stand out more.
3. Stay Sober
This one seems like it would be the most obvious of all tips or do-nots, but nearly every holiday season you hear about so and so who got completely wasted at the office party and tried to flirt with their attractive boss, or something equally as embarrassing. Oops. This is something you want to avoid at all costs. If you’re a lightweight and get a little tipsy after two or three drinks, keep your maximum at one. Or don’t drink at all. Save the hardcore partying and drinking for after the office party.
4. Dress Appropriately
This should be another obvious one, but it seems that some of us just don’t know how to dress. You don’t want to come in too dressed up, but keep it classy. As M Live states, “wearing a dress slit to the waist or a T-shirt with rude sayings might impress people — for the wrong reasons.” That is not something you want to be remembered for.
5. Talk To Everyone
Make sure you cover all the bases. You should try and mingle with everyone in the room. Exhausting it may be, but you never know who you are going to meet.
6. Use Your Brain
M Live quotes a survey that found that 4 percent of the people that took the survey were fired for something they did at an office holiday party. On top of that, 5 percent had done something that damaged their career. Stay sober and be smart. You do not want to be included in either of these statistics.
Happy Holidays!
SOURCE: M Live
IMAGE: Courtesy of Wall Street Journal Blogs
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