Drinking (we’re not talking soda here) and networking events frequently go hand in hand, but if you don’t think about what’s in your glass as you work the crowd, you may be setting yourself up for disaster.

Here’s a scenario for you: You’re at a national conference. You make a plan to connect with old pals or new acquaintances and head out for cocktails after a long day of programming. You return to the hotel, sloshed. Your boss, or perhaps a prospective employer, who also happens to be in town for the conference, sees you. You’d better hope their memory isn’t so good as to connect your face to the obnoxious behavior that resulted in this unfortunate state.

So much for first impressions, eh?

Yes. Just one lapse in judgment can cost you a work opportunity—or damage the reputation and credibility you worked so hard to build.

Don’t. Let. This. Be. You.

Whether at the company holiday party or a client dinner, it’s likely that you’ve been confronted with the quandary: To drink or not to drink. Here are some ways I avoid even getting to the point of wondering, “Have I had too much?”

• Of course, the easiest thing you can do is to not drink (alcohol) at all. If you need a security blanket to hold during the event, reach for a soda or bottled water.
• If you do opt to imbibe, have ONE LESS drink that you normally would at a non-work-related outing. In my case (here’s comes the admission that my social life is that of a mother of young children), if I reach for a second glass, it’ll bring me to the brink of tipsy-dom. I know my boundaries. Best to stick to just one!
• What is hard for you to drink? Not because it’s gross, but because you drink it more slowly? For me, I tend to drink wine more slowly than mixed drinks. Choose that drink you can sip and enjoy. By the end of the night, you’ll have had fewer drinks in total.
• Eat. Yes, eat BEFORE the event. This is a good idea for two reasons. One, it will minimize the effect of any alcohol you may have during the event and, two, have you ever tried to balance shaking someone’s hand with a plate of food AND a drink? It’s awkward. Just don’t. Do away with the plate and focus on shaking hands, talking and making connections. That’s why you’re at the event in the first place.
• Don’t use booze to take the edge off. Alcohol is not the vehicle to use to de-stress. In fact, if you’re on edge, you may have the tendency to pound back even more than you normally would. Remind yourself how capable you are and why. Your confidence will stand on its own.

Drinking and networking isn’t a no-brainer. It’s not always easy to manage the circumstances (and your nerves).  But, have a game plan.

Set a standard for your conduct, and stick to it.

Trust me, the alternative is not pretty.

What about you? How do you handle the “drink | not drink” issue?