Talking About Your Job During the Holidays

Many people take time off work to spend time with loved ones during the holiday season, and one topic of conversation that might come up is your job.

We want to help you navigate the conversation about your job during the holidays so you can enjoy your time off without spending the majority of it talking about work. After all, you’re on vacation, so make the most of it.

If you enjoy your job: If you like what you do for work, talking about it during the holidays probably won’t be dreadful. Try focusing on an upcoming project you’re excited about, the promotion you recently received, or what you’ll be doing in your new role. Maybe even encourage the other person to share about their job.

If your job makes you unhappy: Work can be unpleasant and stressful, especially if you dislike what you do. Perhaps there are some issues with the company culture, or you’ve been waiting for a promised promotion that you have yet to receive. If that door is open to venting and you feel comfortable, express how you feel about your work situation, but don’t make it the entire conversation. Feel free to ask them about new developments in their lives in order to divert the conversation away from you.

If you want to avoid being negative with your loved ones during this shared time, one of the best things to do in this situation is to let the other person know that you don’t want to talk about work.

If you’re on a job search: There are several reasons why you could be looking for a job. You could want to change careers, or perhaps you recently lost your job and are navigating the ups and downs of unemployment. Recognize that you are not required to tell everyone everything about your employment situation. You are free to share or keep private as much information about your job search progress as you like.

Maybe you won’t be able to see loved ones or host them at your house if you’re unemployed. Be honest about your circumstances and share what you are comfortable with about the situation. Try respectfully shifting the subject if the conversation begins to get off-course.

Setting boundaries is important even during the holidays. It’s important for everyone to take some time to step away from work conversations and just enjoy the moment.

Do you like talking about work over the holidays? What parts of work do you like to steer away from during those conversations? Let us know in the comments section below!