Three Top Career Tips During the Holiday Season Pontotoc MS

Ah, the holidays! A time of joy and fun – and CELEBRATIONS. Almost every office environment no matter how small has something of an end of year celebration. It’s almost obligatory. The New Year is approaching; people are looking toward the future. You get the point. It’s amazing though how many people don’t understand that no matter how close they are with their co-workers, the office is still a professional environment. So here are three tips to keep it merry, but not overly so to ensure you want to return after the festivities have ended:

Do not party like it’s 1999: Office parties and good cheer are par for the course at the end of the year. You might be invited to more than one office extravaganza! Perhaps your co-workers are throwing a few bashes in addition to the office-sponsored event. This is not the time for you and Jack (Daniels) to become bosom buddies. I am not suggesting that you shouldn’t have a good time. BUT, just because you are at a party doesn’t mean you need to throw all caution to the wind and let it all hang out – if you know what I mean. Letting your inner tiger loose during one of these little soirees can leave a mark! Your professional reputation should be upheld at all times. This means no double fisted shots of tequila or a scene from Coyote Ugly, in which you are the star. Keep it clean – you will thank me!

The down low on office gifts: Sure, it’s a time where you might want to give out some gift to your office pals. This can get quite expensive; and where do you draw the line? If you start giving gifts to a few people, then you start thinking of others in the office like they are extended family. Before you know it, you have a LIST, I mean the kind of list that requires it’s own notebook. To save your pocketbook and back from carrying a car-load worth of goodies via public transportation, and then lugging said packages through the streets of New York or some other locale, consider suggesting a Secret Santa for the department or entire office. This will ensure that everyone gets a little something. Nobody will be left out; and you won’t have to break the bank to purchase tokens of appreciation to distribute to your office pals.

Be mindful of the religious and cultural beliefs of others: Not everyone in your office is the same religion as you; some folks don’t celebrate the same holidays as you do; and some don’t celebrate any end-of-year holidays at all. Be sensitive to others’ feelings, cultural, and religious preferences.

The holidays can and should be fun for you and the people you work with. Make sure that you maintain your professional demeanor to avoid being reminded through office chatter and the jibes of co-workers of behavior that you would rather everyone forget. Think of your personal reputation and act accordingly.

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of ResumesDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career road...

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