Now that (I think) almost all R2 apps should be in, thought I’d see if anyone else has good ideas for thank you gifts for their recommenders? Obviously nothing crazy, but I know mine filled out five separate apps for me and I’d like to get them something small to say thank you for making the time.
Anyone think of anything fitting for this?
Posted Jan 22, 2019, 12:18 PM UTC
In terms of timing - I sent thank you gifts after getting results back, so that I had updates included in the thank you card. This might seem likr waiting a long time, but it wasn't awkward (for me, anyways). YMMV.
A nice bag of Coffee from a local place is what I just gave my recommenders. It’s also what I give my mailman during Christmas.
I gave mine booze, wine and bourbon. Not creative, but they seemed to like it.
Yeah, I wanted to do bourbon but I don’t live in the same city as one of my recommenders so gotta get creative on a non-booze solution.
I got one a bottle of champagne (ruinart blanc de blanc), and got the other a leather luggage tag with his initials on them, in each case with a thank you card.
I don’t live in the same city as one of my recommenders, so I gave my recommenders Amazon gift cards via email + a thoughtful personalized email note. I also waited until after I had decisions back so I could update them on the good news of where I was accepted along with sending the thank you gift.
I waited until my results came in and fortunately they were positive.
I gave one recommender a nice pen and another a very nice tie and expensive bottle of wine. Both were inspired by the individual’s interests/lifestyle.
I also bought a third gift for the individual ultimately responsible for deciding to sponsor me. I got that dude some sweet cufflinks.
Overall, I paid a shitload for extra nice gifts but felt comfortable given how little I’ll spend on the MBA (relatively speaking).
I aimed to avoid the booze and restaurant gift certificate ideas because I felt like they were low-hanging fruit.
Box of specialty teas. Gourmet nibbles are generally a good way to go.
I sent my recommenders who were in different cities Harry and David’s gift baskets which seemed to go over well.
I wrote a nice card and gave both a $40 gift card for coffee at their respective favorite coffee shops. I intentionally let them discover how much was on the card themselves and chose a gift that was discrete. My company is pretty strict on things like that and I didn’t want the optics of giving my management thank you gifts to be a big deal.
Mine got a selection of food items tailored to their tastes (one got a bunch of pastries from a bakery I know she loves, the other got a bunch of low carb gourmet stuff because he's on keto), then they both got $100 gift cards, and also a very nice handwritten card talking about how appreciative I was to know them and that they wrote my recs. And it was one of those sick pop up cards too.
Did you wait until after acceptances?
Nope, sent it right after I finished up my applications. My original plan was to do that, and then once I knew where I was going, send a follow up card letting them know and thanking them again, and with a small pennant flag from the school I was going to. But then I got lazy and just told them in person/over gchat since they're both friends of mine as well. But if I had a more formal relationship with them I probably would've sent the second card with the final result.
I got mine a 4-pack of truffles from a local candy store - they were very nice but obviously small and not extravagant
I got one of mine a gift card to a restaurant that I know she and her husband love, and I got my other recommender a nice bottle of scotch and some chocolates. I also wrote them each a thank you card and gave the gifts to them a few weeks after applying.
I'm planning on sending a pint glass of the school I elect to my recommenders.
There are a couple gift cards that work specifically for spas. I am always apprehensive about booze as a gift, and spas are the perfect type of gift that you won't splurge for yourself but are something that most people enjoy. Another added bonus was that my recommenders got to use it / be reminded of me at a later date - this led to some catch up emails that I didn't have to initiate!
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wine, card, lunch, handjob
In that order.
I like where this is going