NEW YORK:Your inbox is likely crammed with holiday invitations right now. Whether it is your workplace, your volunteer organization, your kid’s school, your faith group or your alumni association, everyone seems to want a piece of your time with festive gatherings. While many people blow off these events, they can actually be career springboards with very real effects – such as hearing about new opportunities, making critical connections and paving the way for promotions.

“People are not intentional enough about them. They just show up, not quite sure about what the plan is or what is supposed to happen,” says Michael Melcher, executive coach and author of the new book Your Invisible Network. “These are very underused resources,” he added. Tread carefully, though: While holiday networking can supercharge your career prospects for 2024, it can also be a potential minefield.

In fact, 63% of people harbor regrets about their conduct at past gatherings, according to a new survey by the site . Those regrets include office-party classics like drinking too much, gossiping and flirting. To maximise the positive and minimise the negative, here are a few pointers.

Say yes

Holiday gatherings can feel like a hassle, especially with so much other stuff on your to-do list at this time of year. In fact, 70% of employees say they feel pressured to attend, according to the FinanceBuzz survey. But if you do not go, you will miss out.

“We shouldn’t look at these as negative or as a ‘gauntlet,’ nor should we skip out on them,” says Matt Abrahams, a Stanford University lecturer and author of the new book Think Faster, Talk Smarter. Many of these situations might allow for deeper connection, learning and potential collaborations in the future, Abrahams says. “See these situations as opportunities, rather than threats and obligations,” he adds.

Have a plan

There is a lot of anxiety around networking chitchat, especially for introverts. To alleviate some of that anxiety, it could be helpful to do some prep work in advance. “It’s OK to develop a plan, and it’s OK to be strategic,” says Selena Rezvani, a leadership expert and author of the book Quick Confidence.