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Discussion

Gifts for references?

Hi everyone

Well, I interviewed and accepted a wonderful job... truly my dream job! I want to send a gift of some kind on to my references. Their kind words and willingness to put their names out there for me really helped. I'm kind of at a loss for what to send, as these are my nursing instructors and I don't know a whole lot about them on a personal level.

So, what have you given or recieved that you appreciated/was appreciated by the recipient?

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A sincere thank you card expressing your excitement for your new job. With promise that will keep in touch and write an open letter to their students about how you got through school and how happy you are now that they can read to their incoming students.

Yep..No money or gift would replace a well written thank you note

  • Experts

I am in a position where I am asked to provide references ocassionally. Recently, a former student said she wanted to send me a gift and asked for my home address. I didn't send it to her. It made me feel uncomfortable to think of accepting it -- as if it were some sort of bribe. I wouldn't want to support "the system" of people feeling they needed to "pay me" for providing a reference. That's a basic professional responsibility that I should "donate."

A thank you note is always appreciated. Also, if you have the opportunity to do something positive for the person's career (give positive input into their job evaluation ... or a high rating for the class they taught ... etc.) that is is also very well appreciated and appropriate.

(There is a good story here at the end)

I am a nursing instructor and vote for the well written non-generic thank you card! Doing references is part of the job of teachers. Obviously you felt those specific instructors liked you and perhaps you liked them. Write to them giving a specific example of how they helped you through your career as a nursing student. I promise that those warm fuzzies mean a lot.

When I was a student I too needed references for grad shool. The process was quite long and it not only required a form but a one to two-page letter where the instructor had to give detailed information about my qualification. I know my teachers worked hard to do that for me. I wrote each of them a long thank you card and bought a small box of chocolates for them (though now looking back the candy wasn't necessary).

Now I teach with those same people. One day, I walked into one of my co-worker's office and up on her cork board as tacked the very thank you card I wrote so long ago. She told me, "Oh, I always keep those kinds of things around because some days, you need to remember that you actually mean something to someone." And boy is she right! Now that I teach, I LOVE getting those thank you cards and e-mails from long ago students telling me what I help is was!

So yes, a thank you card that is written by you is the best present! :D

Send a well-thought-out Thank You note. :)

As a general rule, gifts aren't given in professional situations to people who have authority over you. The one exception is when they're retiring - then it's fine for subordinates/students to pitch in for a farewell gift and/or celebration. But birthdays, Christmas, thank-yous...that's generally frowned upon.

Written words of gratitude are always appreciated...as has already been mentioned.

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