Corporate parties are opportunities to enjoy and network with other employees, but there should still be a balance between professionalism and showing your personality. Of course, your main goal when attending a company party is to enjoy, but you should also be mindful of your words and actions.
It’s like being in the office. Once in a while, you can crack a joke or exchange banters with your colleagues, but once it’s time to focus at work, you’re professional enough to focus on what you need to do.
This article gives you some tips on how to balance your personality and professionalism when attending corporate parties.
1. Dress the Part
Start with your outfit. People can perceive you based on your looks. Since it’s a corporate party, your base outfit should look professional. Of course, you should follow the dress code. If it’s a formal event, you should wear a formal dress or suit and tie.
If you want to add a dash of your personality to your overall look. Try adding a statement piece, like a necklace or our shoes. It can be about the style or colour of your statement piece, but make sure it shouts your personality when you see it.
2. Engage in Conversations
The next thing you should prepare for is how to engage in meaningful conversations. Just like when you’re at the office, it’s okay to say a few jokes, but you should keep it light. In addition, you can ask about their personalities and experiences to keep the conversations going.
However, when asking about their personal life, be mindful bout how you phrase your questions, and always think about your comments before saying them out loud.
3. Control Alcohol Consumption
Although it’s a great time to blow off some steam, at the end of the day, you’re still at work, so make sure to control your alcohol consumption. If not, you can easily turn a fun night into a nightmare.
If you don’t know how much drink you can take, stick to one or two drinks, and don’t drink too fast. Meanwhile, if you get drunk easily, it’s best to avoid drinking at all.
4. Show Your Personality Through Humour (But Stay Appropriate)
When talking about personalities, you can always be a funny one, but keep it appropriate. As you know, many things can be offensive in the office scenario, so control all the jokes you say. Usually, the mood depends on the corporate event management, whether it’s the case or your initiating the jokes, ensure to stay appropriate at all times.
Besides, in some cases, being funny or saying a joke can lighten the mood of the crowd. However, in serious matters, you should just keep your jokes to yourself to avoid embarrassment.
5. Be Mindful of Social Media
Before, during, and after the party, you should be mindful of everything you post on social media platforms. Of course, you should share essential information and moments you want to remember but think thoroughly before posting them. For instance, if a colleague gets drunk and starts acting funny, you can record them, and show the video once they’re sober, but sharing it online without their consent can harm their reputation and the company’s name.
Meanwhile, if you want to share photos and videos with your colleagues, it’s best to create a private folder, so that they can select those they want to keep or delete.
6. Network and Be Approachable
Aside from having fun, networking with other attendees is common in corporate parties. However, you’re not the only one to approach others. Instead, there are instances when they also try to approach you. This is why you should try to network, and be approachable enough that no one’s going to hesitate to talk to you.
Besides, there are instances when being approached isn’t just because people need something from you. Sometimes, some opportunities can help your career to grow.
7. Know When to Call It a Night
As the night gets deeper, there are instances when things can become more casual instead of staying in a professional mode. When this happens, you should be aware of when’s the right time to exit.
And it’s not just about exiting the event. In some cases, you should also try exiting a conversation if it gets too much or no longer relates to your experiences.
8. Be Your Authentic Self
Although you need to stay professional, you should also be your authentic self. Your personality makes you unique from everyone in the crowd, so don’t hesitate to show who you are. Although you also need to limit yourself with the words you use and your actions, your views, humour, and comments should be based on what you believe in.
Final Thoughts
Balancing professionalism and personality at corporate parties can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time attending one. However, by following these tips, and creating connections with other people, you don’t have to mind everything you’re doing as it comes out naturally.
