Want to show your appreciation for your baby shower largesse? Check out these adorable thank-you notes, all unique enough to show your gratefulness. From adorable floral postcards (believe us, when you have dozens of notes to write, less space is a good thing) to baby stationery that will take your lil one through his first birthday, these thank-yous will inspire some serious appreciation. Keep clicking to find your favorite.
This reader posted in our Ask Savvy community group, seeking advice on how to thank someone professionally.
A director at my organization has recommended me for a promotion and is organizing a significant pay rise for me. I have been working very hard, but it's still unexpected and very flattering. This sort of thing just doesn't happen (well, at least not to me)! He's leaving the company at the end of the month, and I want to tell him how appreciative I am that he recognized my potential. I only found out about his recommendations through my manager in my recent performance review though, and the director hasn't brought it up with me. If anyone has any suggestions on the proper way to say thank you in this sort of situation, I'd be very grateful. We work in an open-plan office, and no one other than my manager knows about the promotion yet, so I'm finding it hard to figure out how I can bring this up with the director without everyone hearing that I'm going to be promoted.
Ask anything budget-, etiquette-, or planning-related — well, almost anything — by posting your questions in the Ask Savvy group, and we'll find the right expert to help you out.
It's very important to follow up after a job interview, because even if you think the interview went badly, keeping in touch may improve the interviewer's perception of you. It reflects persistence, and it's also polite to thank the hiring manager after the interview. Remember to also send the note within two days of the interview; although, if you've passed the two-day mark, a late response is better than no response.
There is such a thing as being too pushy, so keep it light, cheery, and professional. Here is a sample of the kind of email you should send:
Dear Interviewer,
It was great meeting you today, and I appreciate you taking the time to interview me. I'm excited to be considered for the (name the position) as well as all of the opportunities the company presents. I had a good time discussing my passion of (insert what you're passionate about) and really enjoyed learning more about (insert what new tidbit you learned about the company).
Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to following up with you.
Best,
Interviewee
Remember, you should have asked them when you'll hear about their decision at the end of the interview. If you've forgotten to do that, you can politely add the question to your follow-up email.
The party's over, the sugar high's waning, and all of your lil one's unwrapped gifts are piled up in the corner. What's next?
For traditional mamas, the next step would be sitting down either with her school-aged tot or on her own to write thank-you notes to everyone who was gracious enough to bring a present to the party. While the actual writing process may be tedious, it's a sure way to teach lil ones gratitude and an excellent way to help your tot practice her writing skills (even preschool tots can take a moment to write their name on the card).
But recently I've noticed a trend where a note is waiting in my email account before I even make it home from the party. We're not talking about a personalized note that thanks us for the specific gift we've given, but a generic note sent from an ecard site thanking us for the "toy" that the birthday child "is going to love playing with" in the future. Sure kids (and their task-master moms) would love an easy way out of writing, but are these even worth sending if the guest of honor isn't the one doing it and the child who attended the party isn't the one receiving it?
In teaching your children the importance of gratitude, writing personal notes to friends and family is a great hands-on activity to put the lesson into action. After the next holiday or birthday in your house, skip the preprinted or fill-in-the-blank notes and instead invest in a special set of stationery. If he is too young to write, let him dictate what he'd like his message to say. And even if he's just getting started with a pen and paper, thank you notes are a great way to practice. Here are some of our favorite options for kids stationery that's uniquely their own!
In this age of instant gratification, encourage your kids to learn and practice simple acts of gratitude. Not only will it help build and improve their value systems, but it's also a great way to help them find more happiness in the everyday. Follow these five easy tips to inspire more thank-yous.
Source: Flickr User Vistamommy
I'm a big believer that nothing says thank you more than a heartfelt, hand-written note. While a short and sweet email would certainly suffice, there's something that feels natural about sending, or receiving, a note via snail mail. If you're going to go the extra mile to show your appreciation, you might as well do it right with a card that makes a statement on its own.
I've gotten a million compliments on my Kate Spade Thank-You Notes ($25.) Not only are they super sleek and understated, but I love their cursive matter-of-fact message: "Small card. Big thank you." It's a great option if you're sending a thank-you note after an interview or to give thanks to an end-of-Summer hostess. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I'm also partial to those crazy cartooned Beans & Rice Notecards ($17). The quirky message, "Beans and Rice, you're so nice," surprisingly does the trick.
Whether you're into cards that are silly and sweet, or you prefer thank-you stationery bursting at the edges with a bold print, I've pulled a selection sure to inspire those who recall the lost days of snail mail. Do you normally send a thank-you card to say thanks? Or are these "tangible" cards reserved for birthday celebrations or big gifts?
With the long weekend looming delightfully ahead of us, I wanted to remind you of the importance of the thank-you note! If you're spending the next few days at a friend's house or attending a barbecue or party hosted by a loved one, after the fact, take a quick minute to send them a thank-you. It doesn't have to be a handwritten note (although those are always greatly appreciated), a short, but sweet email or text is perfectly acceptable. Here are four reasons why you should make time to say thanks:
Do you send a thank-you after attending a party? What's your reasoning for it?
This post is by reader in our Ask Savvy group. Weigh in with your thoughts below.
I have a question re: thank-you notes after job interviews . . .
This is a multiround hiring process, and I really want the job, and I sent out thank-you notes after the first interview to the people I spoke with (phone interview) and have another phone interview. The question is, do I send a thank-you note to the same people again (since they may be on the call) or do I leave it at the one with a more informal email follow-up. Then if I do progress onto the third, it's an in-person interview where I have to travel, and it will likely be all of the same people again.
Any ideas are welcome!
Even if you think you nailed the interview, you should still send a thank-you note, because according to a CareerBuilder.com study, this small gesture can affect hiring decisions. Poll results found that more than one in five employers say that a candidate has a lower chance of getting the job if they skip out on sending a thank-you note after the interview. Hiring managers feel it signifies that you don't follow through and that you're not taking the job opportunity seriously. Here are more things an employer wants to see:
Another thing you might find interesting is that it's common for companies to electronically scan résumés for keywords, which is why it's really important for you to pick relevant ones. It's also important to specifically state what value you've added to your company and the quantifiable results you had on your company's profits. The aim is to prove your claims to convince them that you'll make a worthy addition to their team!
