Daily Biz Solutions

Guest Post by Andy Sherwood, Managing Director, Stanton Chase – New York

Most companies will hold some sort of Christmas party, inside or outside the office.  It generally is a time of merriment, but remember the affair is still a business function and requires professional behavior.

The office Christmas party has damaged many promising careers for those who were carried away by the spirit of the season and forgot to monitor their behavior.

To maintain your professional image and keep your career moving forward, here are some tips to remember:

• Watch how much you drink.  It loosens the tongue.  Also, you may have to drive home safely.
• Don’t monopolize every conversation or raise your voice above the crowd.
• Flirtatiousness should be light, fun and kept to a minimum.  Remember today’s emphasis on sexual harassment!
• Don’t divulge confidence.
• Avoid office gossip and politics.
• Don’t argue about anything: religion, politics or business.
• Try to avoid discussing work problems or pending issues.
• Remember your position and level when speaking with your superiors.
• Don’t be too buddy-buddy with staff and subordinates.
• Good manners are always impressive.
• Have fun but keep it under control.  Let someone else be the life of the party.
• Keep an eye on the time so that you are not the first or last to leave.

If you follow these guidelines and realize the need to be discreet, you can still have a good time at the party, win friends and favorably impress your superiors who will see you in perhaps a new social environment.  You can be certain they will be watching you, so watch yourself.

Andy Sherwood is managing director for Stanton Chase in New York. Stanton Chase is ranked in the top five of global executive search firms with 67 offices in 41 countries, including 15 in North America.  For more information about Stanton Chase, please visit www.stantonchase.com

Article Contributed by Jessica Holbrook with http://www.greatresumesfast.com, an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, and presenter.

Are you having trouble coming up with a great LinkedIn invitation to request a connection with someone? Keep reading to find out what a great LinkedIn invitation should have and evaluate your recent invitations to see if you match up.

In previous articles we have discussed the good, the bad, and the ugly about receiving LinkedIn invitations. Everything from common etiquette to not being truthful in requesting a connection with someone you may not know. I would like to delve a little deeper to discuss what constitutes a great LinkedIn invitation.

The best LinkedIn invitations are personable. NOT just the standard “I’d like to add you to my LinkedIn network” that LinkedIn provides. It is generic and does not convey the who, the why, and the what of the connection. If you read my blog often you know generic is a bad thing. The most successful invitations are personable in nature and explain why you want to connect with that person. People want to know that you picked them to connect with for a reason. That you are not just arbitrarily going through LinkedIn and randomly choosing people to connect with. Give the person the courtesy of explaining why you want to connect with them specifically.

Wondering why you want to connect with the person or how to say why you want to connect with them? It sounds obvious, but start with your common link. Are you both in the same group, work for the same employer, previously worked with the same employer, you consult with their organization, you are in similar or complementary industries? There are numerous reasons you may want to connect with someone. Tell them that.

Furthermore, you should explain the benefit of the relationship or connection. I also would not make it all about you. Clearly state what you could bring to the connection or relationship.

Before you start screaming and hitting the comment button – yes I do realize there are only 200 characters you can use when requesting a connection. This is where creativity and professionalism intersect. Delete the blanket text in the box and start fresh. Include why you want to connect and what you can bring to the connection – if you run out of space go back and delete wordy phrases or filler words until you have a concise and direct request. You can just delete the mushy stuff and get straight to the point – we know you want to connect, what we really want to know is WHY.

I would love to hear your best LinkedIn invitation requests. We are compiling the best ones and will publish them here for your reading enjoyment and hopefully it will make life a lot easier for millions of professional and executive job seekers on LinkedIn who want to connect and network but just don’t have the right words.

For a free resume analysis you can e-mail your resume to [email protected].

Jessica Holbrook is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, and presenter. She has written more than 100 articles that are featured on some of the best career advice Web sites today. As CEO of Great Resumes Fast, Jessica enjoys collaborating with forward-thinking professionals and executives, identifying their personal brand and value proposition and leveraging their unique talent, passion, and vision to position them as a leader in their industry. Her passion is helping professionals and executives uncover what makes them stand out in the crowd.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.