3 Smart Moves For The Holidays
The holidays are here! A time of jingle bells, reindeer – and OFFICE PARTIES. Almost every office environment, no matter how small, has an obligatory year end celebration.It’s amazing though how many people fail to realize that no matter how close they are with their co-workers, the office is still a professional environment. So here are a few tips to keep it merry, but not overly so. By heeding this holiday advice, you can ensure a safe return to your job in 2011 without any embarrassment.
Don’t Waste Away In Margaritaville: Good cheer and merriment are part of the holiday party scene. You might even be invited to a few unofficial bashes thrown by your colleagues. This is not the time for you and Johnny (Walker) to live it up. I am not suggesting that you shouldn’t have a good time, but over-imbibing during one of these shindigs can leave a negative impression!
Your professional reputation is on the line. This means no all night parties with Jose (Cuervo) or a scene, which includes lampshades and table dancing. Keep your wits about you – you will be glad you did!
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Gift Giving Etiquette: To protect your wallet and your back from carrying a car-load worth of goodies and then lugging said packages through the streets of New York or some other locale, consider recommending a Secret Santa for the department or entire office. Wikipedia defines Secret Santa as the following: Secret Santa is a western Christmas tradition in which members of a group are randomly assigned other members to whom they anonymously give a gift. There is even a website that can help you create a gift exchange http://www.secretsanta.com. What will they think of next?
Exhibit Cultural Sensitivity: Some religions and cultures do not celebrate certain holidays. Office colleagues may not have the same identical beliefs as you do; and it is important to be respectful of other cultures. If someone doesn’t want to participate in the festivities, do not poke fun at them or single them out. The holidays should be an enjoyable festive time for all.
Maintain your presence and guard your reputation at all times. If others act out of character and let loose, that is their choice. You have to think of your overall career goals and maintain your professional demeanor.
This blog's author, Debra Wheatman of Careers Done Write, provides executive career services including resume and cover letter preparation, job search / interviewing strategies and professional branding including how to effectively use LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media in your career.
Visit CareersDoneWrite.com to learn more about how we can put your career in gear with interview catching resumes and professionally written career documents.