I had not even put away my vampire teeth from Halloween when the holiday music started playing downstairs in the mall. Aaaack!
This means the deluge of holiday parties is here. My colleagues keep arriving in party clothes wearing extra make up. Ugh. Usually, I dread these sorts of things. People stand around sipping wine and nibbling at snacks even though they are starving. They smile their very best fake smile and hope their boss is not counting the glasses of wine they have consumed.
This year is going to be different.
I have decided to change my approach. I am going to look at each soiree as a chance to say hello to people I don’t often get to talk with and introduce myself to some new folks.
Why? – Because maybe I can help them. This may sound a bit cracked, but hear me out. I talk about jobs, resumes and careers for a living. Who does not want help with that?
The only thing I have to figure out is how to start the conversation. For me, that’s the hardest part. Gone are the days when “Come here often?” or “What’s your sign?” would open up friendly dialogue and I think it’s a bit crass to start with “What was your T4 last year?”.
If you met a headhunter at a party, what would you want to know?