Holiday Greeting Email Etiquette

Personally, I would stick with "happy holidays" around christmas time. I would advise against sending an email for both thankesgiving and christmas just because the two are one month apart and you don't want to be too much of a kiss ass.

It's fine to send a quick email to wish a happy holidays, although I would probably send it out on Monday "hoping they had an enjoyable Thanksgiving" and then wishing them a merry Christmas. This allows you to cover both holidays, without being annoying, and opens the doorway for update conversations.

I would keep it short and sweet, but feel free to toss in an extra sentence or two asking how they've been or about something you spoke of previously.

Most people are out and not paying close attention except to perhaps any live deals. Best to wait till mid week, but I generally think it's a good idea. But you want them to read the message. Send it now and you'll likely be at the bottom of the pile come Monday morning!

Most people are out and not paying close attention except to perhaps any live deals. Best to wait till mid week, but I generally think it's a good idea. But you want them to read the message. Send it now and you'll likely be at the bottom of the pile come Monday morning!

this is only a semi-related question at best, but: Is it okay to try to make a connection with an alum if you are a GRADUATE of the school, particularly a recent grad, as opposed to a current student?

Prospie,

Yes, that is perfectly alright. There is nothing wrong with reaching out to an alum of your school if you are a recent graduate. Treat this initial contact as you would if you were still in school - look for information and an opportunity to expand your network before inquiring about any job/resume review/etc. Good luck.

i would just delete it after reading the subject honestly.

If you worked with this same team for 10 weeks don't you like, know them by now?

dont be a douche

Ya don't do that.

I think it's a nice gesture. You already have an offer! Go for it :)

You serious?

I would do it. There's a good chance your firm might send you a card/gift for the holidays..mine did. You might as well be thoughtful and I really can't see how it would hurt.

When I was applying to firms this fall, I sent an e-mail to someone who was an MD at a desk I was interested in before the final round. It turned out he was at the final round (which was a 2-day thing) and he mentioned, in front of a bunch of the other applicants, how much initiative I had shown in doing research on the firm's strengths and e-mailing him with questions.

I got the offer.

So...I think being nice and not being afraid to contact MDs is completely fine. It has worked for me. They're human, and if an MD would be pissed off at receiving a Christmas card from an incoming analyst, then good luck because he's obviously an asshole.

I bet you picked up on brownnosing early on in life, I could never engage in such blatant sucking up. Too much of a rebel to kiss anyone's ass.

If this is your starting point, you will have to be very creative in your next sucking up adventures when you actually start working

Don't do it. The bank doesn't expect to hear anything from you until you show up for training.

Less is more.

There's only downside to this. Only draw attention to yourself if you're sure it will be positive. Since this is (very) potentially negative, I wouldn't do it.

don't rely on people in college for these answers, trust the people that actually have jobs and don't recommend it

yeah I wouldn't send a card....

I don't see how it would hurt you though....MDs are human too. It's not like "Oh this kid sent us a holiday card. RESCIND OFFER!!!"

And don't most people send a thank-you card anyways?

Perhaps you don't see how it could hurt you...and that's fine.

That's why the rest of us are here--to illuminate the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed newbies out there.

Here's what I sent an MD in my group (after getting a group-specific offer):

• a Holiday bouquet of fresh roses, lilies, gerbera daisies from www.gifttree.com

• a gift basket that included two fine bottles of Merlot, fruit (crisp apples, oranges, kiwis), signature chocolates and a keepsake magazine tote

• a "gift tower" of dizzying heights filled with favorites such as spearmint balls, lemon drops, peach slices, seasoned pretzels, McTavish cookies, chocolate hazelnuts, peanut brittle, pistachios, and blueberry cookie thins

• two splits of Chandon California Brut Classic

Grungemonkey... you met the guy, you spoke with him, you gauged the culture etc. If you think it appropriate, mail out a xmas card! I promise it won't be a catastrophic faux pas.

HAH! Nay sayers are being silly. Curious, HOW would it hurt him?

Sidebar: A good friend just announced he's leaving JPM as head of HR North America to head HR position at Sara Lee. I recently had breakfast at their home and I witnessed the "holiday/congratulations" gift basket that he received upon the press release announcement that he will start his new position at Sara Lee in January. He got a gift basket with every conceivable Sara Lee product imagineable... teas, coffee, muffins, hot dog buns etc.

C'mon, companies share silly corporate holiday gifts with each other, why would a holiday card from a new recruit be so tragic?

i dont think it would hurt him, just unneccessary, and a total kiss ass move

Alright, then I'm a kiss ass too :-)

I may start a new position in January myself and I intended to send holiday cards to a few members of the team prior to then. My motivation was that I haven't spoken with anyone in oh let's see, perhaps a month? I don't have open issues to communicate with anyone about, yet feel a little awkward by the silence so to me a holiday card is a simple gesture meant to keep communication lines open.

Hey, if you guys think that's brown nosing, that's your perogative. I think it's funny you guys think that way :-)

Well seems overall people are against it so will take the vets advice on this one. THanks.

Be careful what you write or you'll join the ranks of the past hall-of-shamers (i.e. Vayner, Lucy)

I've changed my mind...let's all send Christmas cards to our bosses!

It'll be great

Yeah, it's a little lame... but I'm still gonna do it. Who cares!!

Zala... send me your home address. I'll send you one too!!

I see the point of sending them to clients, not that anyone actually cares or feels particularly heart-warmed or full of the festive cheer just because they got one from A.N. Other banker but you do remember who you didn’t get one from and vice versa, it’s all part of the great Christmas card game (I wonder how much money is spent on Christmas cards a year by the I-Banks?). But sending one to someone you work with? It’s a bit too HR/ high school for me – we’ll have mailboxes on every floor and a big Santa handing them out next! If you already work with the card recipient then it’s just plain weird (IMO) and if you’ve some newbie who’s been given an offer it’s all a bit too keen and leaves you open. The only way you should be drawing attention to yourself is when you hit the floor and start making good impressions by good work/ attitude and – what the hell – a bit of subtle, non-vomit-inducing brown nosing.

But that’s just me.

Only a true douchebag who needs to have his offer rescinded would ever so something so dumb. Pisses me off that someone would actually consider it. You disgrace IBD.

Livingthedream, I appreciate that, really. Just one thing - - elaborate what you mean by "if you're some newbie who's been given an offer it's all a bit too keen and leaves you open." Leave you OPEN for what?

I think this is sooooo funny!!!

It's simply a matter of judgment... if grungemonkey felt it would be appropriate to send out a card, he should do it! If I want to send out a card, I'm going ot DO IT!

Who cares? LOL as I type this :-)

aadpepsi - depending on where you work, open for general ridicule. I agree that there's a high probability that it goes completely under the radar and is seen as completely innocuous but in that case, why bother?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not overly concerned either way and potentially am very wrong but that was my opinion. If he wants to send the card, he shouldn't stop because of what some random people on some random message board said - some things we can be a real help with, others you need to use some of your own judgement for.

Yes, judgment ought to prevail. So send away IF you are comfortable with the relationship, group / bank dynamics, or WHATEVER.

However, if you don't have a feel for how the potential recipient(s) may react, it's best to leave it alone.

We were originally discussing someone who has yet to step into a first day on the job, after all....

I see. Well thanks for clarifying.

:-)

I think everyone should grab a mate, take a LOOOOOONG lunch today, have a drink to loosen up and blow off work for a little bit... too uptight :-)

DO IT!! It's imperative.

Sending a frickin' card to one's prospective boss violates a man law, which goes like this :

Thou shal not, under any circumstance, kiss thou boss's ass

Do you want to be a pansy threadstarter ?

Frickin' grinch!

Your man law sucks.

Woman law:

Thou shal not, under any circumstance, follow man's law!!

Please tell me you people that are sending Christmas cards are women...

No man should ever send a Christmas card.

Yes. I am woman. I send out christmas cards. I'm from the dark side.

Guard your loins!!!

your man law

Thou shal not, under any circumstance, kiss thou boss's ass

is BS!!! unless you accidentally typed 'not' there it's the anti man law. You guys are all boss ass-kissers. Or you should be. It's a big part of getting ahead...also known as politiks.