JOB SEARCH TIPS

UPDATED ON 12/25/2021

Partying doesn’t just hone beer ponging techniques. It  will catapult skills that will elevate your resume and  propel your career.

With COVID-19 running rampant for its umpteenth round, this is probably not the best time to taunt you with partying. Social distancing seems to have become an incredibly normal ritual of our everyday lives, and irresponsible parties are not helping the situation.

That said, I have not forgotten that these are crucial days for millions of college kids, perhaps like you, to make life-long friends, learn from stupid mistakes, and figure out the meaning of happiness.

For me, I have never been a true partier. I was an electrical engineering major who spent all-nighters in the lab. Most adult would have claimed I did the right thing. That my discipline set me up for success right out of school.

But if I ever get the chance to do it allover again, I would total rebel and party…at least a little.

Why?

Because as long as it is done responsibly, parties are indeed good for us. In fact, it helps develop knowledge that cannot be taught by any institution.

Actions that take place during parties are valuable skills that can benefit colleagues in the office everyday. I might even venture off to say that college partiers can be more successful than the bookworms.

So if you are a parent of a child or if you are that person who cares more about when and where the next party is happening but is now suddenly worried about career prospects, consider the following skill sets that might put your child or you at the top.

Business Networking

This one is obvious.

Parties are all about networking.

And for working professionals or soon-to-be’s, we all know that much of the time, it’s not what you know but who you know.

I, personally, learned that the hard way.

However, networking means more than just recognizing faces in a big room.

Networking is about putting a name to that face and remembering that name. It’s about being curious about the person. It’s about creating connection and rapport. Plus, perhaps the most important benefit of parties is the opportunity to sharpen negotiation prowess and resolve non-violent conflicts.

In other words, parties improve relationship management skills from all angles. They force us to practice active listening, build empathy, and exercise thinking-on-our-feet. Techniques learned here will be incredibly worthwhile for collaborating with teams , handling upper management and subordinates, and nurturing clients.

It also goes without saying that parties often provide the perfect setting for timid people to practice their approachability as well as assert themselves no matter how much they may hate being there.

Logistics Planning

Whether we host a party or attend one, it requires planning.

And anyone who has ever taken a Meyers-Briggs (aka MBTI) test knows that the J’s love it while the P’s hate it.

Either way, parties, especially social ones, present great occasions to utilize logistics finesse for people with a knack for time and budget control.

If we are hosting, then the planning involves selecting a location and time, inviting guests, arranging food and drinks, and maybe even hiring additional entertainment. It may consist of delegating work or shopping around for the best party services to hire.

If we are attending, we still need to plan. Have we agreed to go to the party with someone else? Have we agree to pick someone up? Do we need to bring a gift or an entree? Sure, some of these can be accomplished spontaneously (let’s stop by the corner 7-Eleven for a six-pack for the rave), but it still needs planning, as impromptu as it may be.

Doing these awesome tasks well will translate to awesome skills to exercise for project managers, team leaders, and, obviously, planners.

Crisis Management

The caterer doesn’t show up.

The water pipes at the venue burst.

A drunken brawl breaks out.

Most of us do not like it when things do not go as planned. It’s worse when bad unplanned things happen.

It tests our patience, judgment, and demeanor at the most hair-pulling moments. How well we process coherent thoughts and command order to come out of these moments alive will play a big part in how we show tremendous leadership in improvising and resolving disasters at work.

And these days, companies cannot get enough of someone who can keep his/her cool in the middle of a fire.

Macromanagement and Micromanagement

Nothing says people management more than a party.

Ranging from five close friends to hundreds of birthday guests, well-run gatherings comprise a balance of macromanagement and micromanagement for the host.

No one likes a party in which the host watches the guests like a hawk to make sure they are putting the empty bottles in the recycling bin or eating a predetermined amount of dip.

Nonetheless, the host might end up with hefty fines if s/he turns a blind eye to the crashers who utterly destroys the place.

It calls for steady discipline and high judgment of the surroundings, but the second we find the right mix of macromanagement and micromanagement at a party, everyone sings high praise.

Someone with this innate intuition to cultivate productive collaboration will surely minimizes risks and conflicts at the workplace.

Last Call

As an introvert, I cannot believe I am saying this.

But parties are beautiful.

They provide a magnificent medium to connect with new friends and possibly new colleagues. They set up satisfyingly wonderful platforms that challenges us to figure out their logistics like a puzzle. They may occasionally forces us to face the unexpected. And last but not least, they boost our ability to deal with the crowd…as long as everything is done with a leveled head.

The underlying skills gained from parties are all transferable to any professional work environment. Any company that runs on relationships will absolutely profit from them.

I mean, isn’t that why business is done on the golf course?

Want to see how your partying skills are advancing your career? Give me a holler.