The company party: a great opportunity to chat casually with coworkers, get free food, market yourself to big-name clients and—oops—have one too many Cosmos from the open bar and trip right in front of your boss. Despite the professional strides that can be made at a company party, there is always the chance that something might go terribly, job-riskingly wrong. Savvy Miss asked readers to reminisce about their office party experiences, hoping you can learn from their mistakes and keep cool at your office bash.

DO chat with everyone.
And we mean everyone. There are benefits in getting to know all event attendees: from the interns to the most important execs. Katharine, 27, sees this tactic from a networking perspective. “You never know who will one day be above you in office hierarchy, or who has the ear of the executives.” If they’re important to the company, they should be important to you.

Approaching a guest—especially one that could promote you—can be a bit intimidating. James, 27, says that the “approach is all about confidence,” so fumbling over that plate of shrimp cocktail in front of the head honcho will only showcase your nerves. “Go straight up to them and introduce yourself,” he says. Remember that if they don’t know who you are, it won’t be to your benefit. Try to mention something memorable about yourself: something positive that they’ll associate with you when passing you in the hallways and, hopefully, when brainstorming over who should get that next pay increase.

DON’T create a reason for people to talk about you (unless it’s with praise).
Remember being a teenager, having your friends over to your house, and then being completely ashamed of your parents? As James explains, sometimes the same thing can happen with family members at important company functions. His brother accompanied him to an office party, where one of the more prominent clients was accompanied by his 23-year-old daughter. After hitting the open bar a bit too hard, both James’ brother and the client’s daughter retired to her hotel room for the night. Days later, the client approached him about his brother’s behavior. “Judging from the look on his face it would have been suicide to deny it. My response was a polite ‘really.’ Let’s just say that he hasn’t been on good terms with the organization since.”