Career Advice

It’s the holiday season. With that comes gift-shopping, stressful family get-togethers and yes, company holiday parties. Company parties are meant to be more informal, carefree gatherings. This doesn’t mean you can let your guard down completely.  What you say and how you act can make a big difference. These shortcomings can and do carry over in the workplace. While I can list at least 50 mistakes employees make at holiday parties, I think the single biggest mistake lies in alcohol consumption.

Drinking is pervasive at any holiday party. Regardless of its an open bar or a cash bar, some people let their guards down too much. I admit, alcohol in small doses, such as a glass of wine or a beer or two, is a good way to open up and be more social and comfortable at the party. That’s great.

But, the problems begin when you start on your third glass of wine, fourth beer, etc. At first you are a bit tipsy, not a big deal. Then your judgment begins to fade, and you might blurt some things about work or a coworker that you wouldn’t have said had you been sober. If things get really bad, you could wind up puking your guts out and/or blacking out at the company holiday party.

At the very least, you will be known as the person, who can’t hold their alcohol at the company party. That’s pretty bad, as it is. But if you say the wrong thing while drunk at the party, hard feelings can and do carry over back into the workplace. This can result in you being demoted, losing the opportunity for a raise and even being fired.

So, ask yourself if the extra drink(s) are really worth losing work opportunities? Be smart this holiday season. Please drink responsibly.

“This post is part of a blog series on Brazen Careerist, which is being sponsored by JobSTART101. The series is about the ”one thing I wish I knew before I started working”

This is a great question. To tell you the absolute truth, I went into the working world a bit naive. Because for the first 21 and half years of my life, I always had someone else, whether that was my parents, teachers, or professors, guiding me and offering up advice on how to accomplish my goals and be successful. That’s not the case in the 9-5 working world.

When you enter the working world, I’ve realized the only person that can ultimately guide you is YOU. In the working world, your boss and coworkers aren’t going to be willing to hold your hand and walk you through everything step-by-step and tell you everything is going to be okay when you make a mistake. For one, they don’t have the time. Two, it’s a waste of their resources and energy.

As a grown up working professional, employers expect you to learn how to figure things out by yourself.

I know this sounds a bit harsh, but there are some ways to make an easier transition into the workplace. Quite frankly, I wished I started with these techniques while I was still in college.

1. Network, Network, Network

We are always told to go out and network with people face-to-face to find jobs, but many of us stop networking all together after they land a gig. That’s a big mistake. You never know who you may meet, and how they may be able to help you in your current position or in a future job down the road.

In addition, one of my biggest regrets was not networking enough when I was in college. I could have made my life so much easier had I just spent some more time networking and meeting professionals when in hindsight, I had the most free time.

2. Seek Out Industry Pros and Leaders On Twitter and Linkedin

With social media sites, such as Twitter and Linkedin, it’s now easier than ever to talk to other professionals in your industry. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the number of well-established professionals on Twitter, who have been willing to lend me a helping hand.

3. Find a Mentor

I know the term, mentor, can sometimes sound so pretentious and conceited. But by mentor, all I am referring to is finding someone who you can trust to give you guidance and direction in your career. This is usually someone who is older than you, but it can be someone of any age.

With social media, it’s now easier than ever to connect and find a mentor  to talk and guide  you in your career. For instance, I am so glad that I started chatting with Jenn Pedde (@jpedde) through the awesome #u30pro community on Twitter. I can’t even begin to describe all the great advice that she has so graciously given to me. (*Sidenote, if you aren’t following her on Twitter or reading her blog, The Social Chameleons, it’s a must! Do it now! I promise you won’t regret it.).

I’ve shared what I learned in the working world. Now, what’s the one thing that you wish you would have learned before starting your first grown-up job?