Job seekers will experience a variety of different emotions throughout the job search. They can become stressed and anxious as they wade through a sea of lengthy job applications, tricky interviews, and potentially awkward networking events, but there are high points, too—like when they’ve finally perfected their resume, secured a networking contact, or landed an interview.
A gift is often an excellent way to cheer up a job seeker who’s in a funk, or congratulate them on their success. Check out these gift ideas for job seekers in any emotional state:
- If the job seeker in your life is feeling unmotivated, consider giving them a fun gift to cheer them up—like the adult-children’s book You Can Do It, Bunny!, which breaks down the woes of a job hunter into a whimsical story about a bunny looking for employment. The animal picture book was inspired by the author’s struggle to find employment upon graduation from a Master’s program. The book is a positive version of “Go the F*** to Sleep,” or the motivational equivalent of “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!”—a perfect match for the exasperated job hunter in your life.
- If your job seeker is feeling uninspired, consider ordering them personalized business cards. Business cards with basic contact information can come in handy during professional networking events or informational interviews, and their elegant design can allow anyone to leave a good impression. Vistaprint is a cost-effective option—they even provide free cards.
- If your job seeker is feeling determined, encourage them with the gift of a paid subscription to a top job-related website. Vault is a career site that offers perks for paid membership, including employee reviews of companies, salary reports, and more. Or if you want to save yourself some cash, help them get set up with a job search app like Jobs You’ll Love that will help them take their job search on the go.
- If your job seeker is feeling happy, reward them by offering to help with transportation costs as they move about during their hunt. Offer to drive them to an interview or accompany them if they need to travel far away for a meeting. You could also provide them with a monthly train, bus, or subway pass, a gas card, or a gift certificate to have their car cleaned. They’ll appreciate that you’re taking an active interest in their plight and are helping to alleviate small burdens.
Remember, finding employment is tough, and it’s important to be patient and kind to anyone going through the difficult process. While many may not think gifts will be beneficial to job seekers, it can often mean the difference between a good day and a bad day as they navigate their search.
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