Holiday Parties: Make Them A “Holly & Jolly” Part Of Your Career Search

by Jan Nussbaum
Assistant Director of Professional Development

Holiday parties are a great way to meet people and market yourself in a low-key and less stressful way. Here are 5 tips to career success at holiday parties:

1. Have an Entrance Plan: Events can be intimidating if you don’t know anyone, or just a few people. Having a plan beforehand will lessen your nerves. Survey the scene for someone you know, the event organizer, someone else who is solo or a friendly face. Consider going with a friend, but be careful not to stick to each other the entire night.
2. Prepare to Talk, but especially to Listen: People at holiday parties tend to want to relax and enjoy themselves. Ask them their name and what they do, but feel free to ask general questions – do you have anything fun planned for the holidays? What is your connection to the organization hosting the event? What other organizations are you involved with? What tips do you have for those interested in your area of law? Have some interesting things to say about yourself, and not necessarily career related. Keep it light; no downer topics.
3. Dress the Part: Check with the organizer beforehand whether the event is business casual or formal. No cleavage, unbuttoned shirts, short dresses/skirts or jeans, since these are professional functions first and foremost.
4. Collect the Card: At the end of the conversation, ask for the person’s business card and tell them how nice it’s been to meet them. Write something memorable from the conversation on the back of the card to help with follow up. Be generous in handing out your card out as well. Feel free to write a notation as appropriate so they remember you. For example, “enjoyed talking to you about my passion for environmental law.”
5. Engage in Post Party Follow-up: Within 48 hours, email or phone those you met. Tell them how much you enjoyed speaking with them, highlighting something memorable from the conversation. Include an action item, such as, requesting a time after the holidays to talk further or meet up for coffee. Close with telling them to have a nice holiday season.

You can apply these same principals to people you meet at any parties.

[ NOTE - Upcoming holiday events are listed in the column to the right ]