Reading up before a party will help move the conversation beyond "hi my
name
is, and I work at X Company."
Work is how we spend about 50 percent of our waking hours, but while
some jobs
are universally interesting most are not.
It's a pretty safe bet that no one has heard of the type of work you
do, or if
they have they have no real idea what's involved. It's an even safer
bet that
no one wants to hear about it, especially if you've been having a bad
time
lately.
Stick with more universal themes
Getting Out
You don't have to stay at a party until the bitter end. In fact, it is
usually
a good idea not to.
Typically, you want to arrive at a party no earlier than one hour past
the
start time. Survey the group and get to know the faces.
When it is time to start thinking about leaving, look around to see if
it is a
different crowd. If you were the last one in, you do not want to be the
first
one out.
If it looks like a whole new crew, feel free to say your good byes.
Fish and visitors tend to stink after hanging around too long, so
sometimes the
key to being a good guest at a party is knowing when to leave.