Business Etiquette- Gifts

I work at a very small (~10 employees) firm where the culture is very laid back and casual. All of us are very close. I am a fairly recent grad and building and maintaining my network is very important to me. I am about to leave this firm for a new job and was wondering if giving a couple of my managers a parting gift would be too much. Is it out of line and an awkward gesture to get them a gift? I feel that a goodbye/thank you note would not suffice.

7 Comments
 

I don't necessarily think that a goodbye gift is necessary, but definitely make it a point to maintain good relationships with your managers and ask them for coffee once in a while (if you're staying in the same city). This is beneficial down the road for b-school apps (as recommendation letters), and also if you ever need another job. I think if you were very close to a particular manager and he was your "mentor", then a small gift is OK (maybe a nice pen, or letter opener, etc).

 

I don't know, if you're on your way out, I'm thinking a highly personal gift is ok. Is this crossing the line by being too friendly?

Get busy living
 

^^^that. Alcohol is (almost*) always a good gift

*Do not get gifts of alcohol for MDs that are recovering alcoholics. They will either not like this or really like this, either of which will end up in them not being a good contact for you.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 

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