Surviving the Company Holiday Party (while making sure you don't get fired!)

Tonight we kicked off the show with a cocktail that is sure to get you in the holiday spirit -

Mistletoe Martini

Ingredients

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1/2 oz. melon liqueur
• 1 shot pineapple juice
• Splash of grenadine

Directions
Add vodka and melon liquor into a martini shaker. Strain into a martini glass. Add grenadine, and watch as it floats to the bottom to make a red and green martini.

We've all witnessed it at one time or another.  You know that one co-worker who’s had a tad too much to drink that decides he wants to try his hand as a stand up comedian at his bosses expense. Or what about the other co-worker who is dressed a little too provocative for an “office” celebration? You now who I’m talking about. So with the holiday’s right around the corner, we thought we would take this time to offer our take on how to survive the company holiday party and have fun without losing your job.

Just as each company is unique, so is its holiday party. If this is the first time at your company’s holiday party we suggest that you properly prepare for it by finding out a few things such as:

What is the normal atmosphere at the party?
Are dates allowed?
What is the normal dress code? Is it dressy or business casual? (There is nothing like walking into the party under dressed or worse yet dresses inappropriately).

Once you’re at the party keep in mind the following:

1. Keep everything in moderation – that goes for both food and especially drink! Remember you are there to socialize and network not pig out and get sloppy drunk.

2. Try to avoid socializing all night with the same group of people you hang out with during regular business hours. Take advantage of the holiday celebration and branch out and network with others that you may not be familiar with. You never know, that new person you meet may hold the key to your next promotion!

3. Pay attention to the time. As a general rule of thumb don’t stay at the holiday party less than 30 minutes (you don’t want to give the impression that you’ve got better things to do…even if it’s true) but on the same token make sure you aren’t the last one to close the door! No one wants to hold the title of office “party animal”.

4. But our biggest piece of advice is this – no matter how festive the occasion is, remember it’s still all about business. Keep in mind that your boss, your boss’s boss, and your boss’s boss’s boss will be there and they may (in fact we know they are) be watching you, to see how you (along with their other employees) are interacting with each other.

That’s it…4 simple rules that are sure to guarantee that you’ll have a job waiting for you on that Monday following the office party!