职场新人如何闯“酒场”

[职场中的细节隐藏机会]《细节隐藏机会》是关于夏路列公司的试衣室的故事，这是一个率先把试衣室设到顾客自己家中的公司。日本的夏路列公司是一家生产内衣的公司，设在神户中央区港岛时装街，在20世纪8...+阅读

经过层层闯关，终于进了心仪已久的单位。如何得到老板的青睐，如何快速地和团队融为一体，很多职场新人由于经验不足，表现出无所适从。身处职场，不少人都免不了“酒精”测试。涉世未深的职场新人们该如何勇闯“酒场”，才能既体面地力行酒桌规矩又能游刃有余地不伤身体？

Q. You are new to the corporate world and not sure what to do at business functions or after-hour gatherings where alcohol is present. If everyone else is drinking — including your boss — should you drink, too?

A. For those new to the professional world, the line between a work event and a social event is often unclear. You may see all the trappings of a party — food, music, even dancing — but any gathering where colleagues are present is business and you should stay sharp and oid alcohol, said Jody Queen-Hubert, executive director of cooperative education and career services at Pace University in New York。

“Don’t be fooled,” she warned. “You are always being scrutinized by colleagues, so professionalism at all times is a must。”

Cy Wakeman, president of a human resources consulting firm bearing her name in Sioux City, Iowa, says that when it es to drinking with colleagues, “the risk is very high that something negative will e out of it。” She says that it’s acceptable to he one or two drinks but that it is best to stop there。

“I even advise staying out of photographs with groups of people drinking,” she added, “because it could wind up online somewhere, like 。”

Everyone you interact with while drinking has the potential to affect your career. A colleague today may be your manager six months from now and will likely recall any indecorous behior.

If colleagues regularly he drinks after work, order what everyone else is hing but sip it slowly. “Make it last all night,” Ms. Queen-Hubert said. “Holding a drink without drinking is a way to feel like part of the crowd without promising your judgment。”

Q. How do you politely decline to drink, especially if others are urging you to he one?

A. A simple “no, thanks” should suffice, said Debra Benton, a career coach and author of “C.E.O. Material: How to Be a Leader in Any anization。” If everyone in your group is ordering a drink, get a soda or a tonic and lime。

You don’t need to make excuses, she said, or give a reason that reveals personal information, like “I’m on medication。” You can, however, give the reason if it is less personal — you will be driving, for example, or you need to finish some work when you get home。

If you are at a dinner where bottles of wine are ordered, you don’t want to protest because it will bring unwanted attention, said Debra Condren, a business psychologist and president of Manhattan Business Coaching. “You want to fit in, and that might mean getting a glass of wine and hing a few sips or just letting it sit there,” she said。考试大－全国最大教育类网站(．Examda。)

Q. When you attend business-related social events with more-senior colleagues, they always seem to be holding a drink. Could your refusal to do the same draw attention to your youth and inexperience?

A. In some corporate cultures, hing a scotch or bourbon is a way to build relationships, a way to take part, Ms. Condren said. “If you are at a high-profile event and all the executives are hing a drink, you may feel you need one to be part of the club,” she noted. “That being said, you can still drink very little of it or he one drink and then switch to water。”

It’s essential, however, to know your limits. If you’re inexperienced in such situations and your clients or bosses are throwing back Johnnie Walkers, you can’t follow their lead, Ms. Condren said. If you try to keep up, you will likely drink too much and act unprofessionally — definitely drawing attention to your youth and inexperience。

Q. If you wound up overdoing it at a pany event, what’s the best way to deal with it the next day at the office?

A. If you offended or insulted anyone you must make amends, but do so privately. Making an apology to the entire office or department is unnecessary and can seem self-indulgent, Ms. Wakeman said. “Talk to people individually, saying you drank too much and learned a valuable lesson and that it will never happen again,” she said. “And remember that if it does happen again, you will lose your credibility。”

Q. Is it acceptable to call in sick if you are suffering from a bad hangover?

A. No. Even if the culture is one of “playing hard,” there is also an expectation you will work hard the next day, Ms. Queen-Hubert said. Use your trusted hangover remedy and soldier on。

If you are too sick to get out of bed, you will he to meet with your boss when you return and find some way to make restitution, said Dallas Teague Snider, founder of Make Your Best Impression, a business etiquette consulting firm in Birmingham, Ala. “Offer to work an extra day or take your sick day as unpaid vacation instead,” she said. “Your boss may say you don’t need to do that, but you should still offer。”

Q. How can you tell if you he a drinking problem that needs to be addressed?

A. If you can relax at professional events only by hing a drink, that could indicate a problem, Ms. Condren said. “If you are embarrassing yourself or sometimes don’t remember your behior,” she said, “it’s a good idea to seek professional counseling。”

You may be using alcohol as a crutch when nigating unfortable social situations, Ms. Wakeman said. Rather than relying on alcohol, find a co-worker who is naturally adept at mingling and ask if he or she could help you develop those social skills, too。