A while back we discussed the hardship of losing friends you make in the workplace.  Now it is time to have a conversation on who we choose to make friends with.  There are several different types of people in the workplace and it would be an understatement to say you should be careful who your friends are.

I’m not discussing friends in superficial networking contacts kind of way.  But more the 'go to have drinks outside work, bounce big ideas off of' type, or the 'friends you always have lunch with or see as a mentor.'  We’ve all had them. They are the people we met at training where you shared a pitcher of beer and a long conversation.  The relationship made it out of training and continues even if they leave your company.  They are more than just mere co-workers.

However, the friends you choose go beyond your immediate gratification and happiness.  They are a reflection of you.  Choose bad friends and you’ll come off as a poor judge of character.  Stick up for a flawed friend and you can end up in the same ditch with your friend having to defend yourself.  Find a good friend and down the road you may have a business partner or safety net when things change.

I break workplace personalities into three categories, and from there combinations can make any friend you desire.  The key is to find what you value in a friend and choose a friend that exhibits those characteristics the most.  Also I ran through some of the pros/cons of the different characters.

The Partier - This person is fun.  They know all the hot spots and they close every happy hour.  The person rarely talks about the future and is more concerned about the awesome concert next weekend than the impending deadline.

• Pros: Always a good time, often the office clown
• Cons: Not always the best worker, trying to keep up may hurt your own work,  often the office clown

The Friendster- This person is the friendliest person in the office.  They may have been the first person you talked to.  They volunteer for everything and know everyone.  Work is secondary to being part of the office community.

• Pros:  They know a lot of people, easy to be friends with
• Cons:  These people know a lot of gossip, can be hard to determine loyalty

The Hard-Worker - This person makes you look bad.  They are the last to leave the office and never go to lunch with the group.  Work is their first priority (not networking or relationships) and when they are away from work, they are stressing about work.  Employers love this type of person.

• Pros:  Will help you out (as long as they don’t have work), can push you to work harder
• Cons:  You’re rarely their first priority, they may make you look lazy, they are not very much fun

The Settler- This person is the young female who just graduated and you were surprised to hear is married already.  Or the older gentleman that is content with his current position.  They seldom work overtime and never attend group activities.  Family and friends are most important and keeping work and life separate is very important.

• Pros: Solid worker who can be trusted
• Cons: Doesn’t always put in the extra mile

The Drama- Does this one need an explanation?  This one always has an opinion.  However, they are always wronged by someone.  This person is rarely content with the current state of affairs.  Work is sporadic and depends on various externalities.

• Pros: Can be loyal, will fight for you
• Cons: Can wear on you

These are extremes.  A medium sized office may only have one of each.  However, most people fall somewhere in-between, a cocktail of various types.  For example, what I call the Riser - a cross between the hard worker and friendster.  They are all the extrovert of a friendster but the obsession of the hard worker.  or the Burn-out - a cross between the hard worker and the partier.  This person works till 10 p.m. and then closes the bar.  These people fulfill their name and eventually burn themselves out.

The friends you choose will be a reflection of your own values.  For most of us, it’s a combination of all the characteristics.  It all depends on what we look for in a friend- skill, loyalty, trustworthiness, and friendliness are all good examples.

What friend types do you go after?  What are you?