Office Parties – Are you destroying your image?

Christmas Office Parties- Are you destroying your Image?

    

It’s quickly getting to the festive Season and your Office Party is gearing up.

You’re now seriously thinking about getting that great outfit to make a huge impression on the boss. Have you thought what message your outfit is going to send? You love that sexy little clubbing or party number you saw in a great boutique, low cut, short to show off your great legs, which makes all your attributes stand out and makes you feel confident.

Is this what your boss is seeing – a confident woman? I’m sure he’s seeing a very sexy woman if you have all those attributes, but what is it doing to your work image?  Will your boss have trouble taking you seriously now? Will he only see that sexy woman and not that competent reliable woman? Image breakers sabotage all your hard work and can cause you to be overlooked for that promotion.

 

How about if instead you wore a fitted dress – demure on the top and with its hem to just above knee length, still emphasizing your attributes without putting them blatantly on display, giving the impression of elegance. What would your boss see now?  A woman confident in her appearance, attractive without having to put everything out there to ensure her self worth. She would be thought of as mature enough to be considered for promotion as he would know that she could represent the company with any client in a professional manner.

 We say  ‘do not judge a book by its cover’, but we are completely a judgmental society. In a matter of the first 30 seconds of meeting someone we will judge and compartmentalize that person. That’s why we must always make the best first impression we can. So, with respect to your office work party, the boss will make judgments.

Will he put you in the immature party girl box or the responsible employee he can see has a great future?

It’s not only the dressing correctly that gets judged; it’s also your behavior at the Office Party. Are you having a great time and enjoying all that free alcohol with no restraints? Have you said all the things you wanted to say to everyone and never had the nerve to whether they deserved it or not after a few drinks? Did you do something that’s out of character? Any of these look familiar?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This behavior will be judged and it will be extremely hard for the boss to get past an image of his staff member slurring her words or yelling loudly while spilling her drink, or God forbid passed out.

Your Image is who others see, protect it, nurture it, align all your ethics and morals and stand true by it.  Keep your personal life separate from your work life. If you want to be a party girl, fine, but eventually the party will be over and how much success you have in your professional life will be up to you, your behavior and your Image.

Live up to your full potential and cultivate an Image that can bring happiness and success in both your personal and professional life.

Image matters!

10 Top tips for a successful Christmas Office Party.

  1. Dress as if you are attending a business dinner with clients
  2. Make the best first business social event impression
  3. Greet and thank your boss for providing the office party
  4. Limit your alcohol intake
  5. Remember your dining etiquette
  6. Leave the office romance for another time
  7. Leave the bad language and jokes at the door
  8. Arrange a taxi for the end of the night to take you home
  9. Leave as you came in…elegant & dignified…
  10. Enjoy the thought that you were a success and made a great impression!