It’s always a lovely feeling when we receive a gift or card from someone, thanking us for our hard work and dedication.
Of course, most of the time, we’ll be treated to a cake, a box of chocolates, a bottle of wine… yum.
But occasionally, we’ll receive a slightly more unique (or odd) gift that certainly gets the whole office talking!
So this week, I thought I’d take a look on the internet and ask around the office to find out what our consultants consider to be the weirdest gift they’ve ever received.
Whether it’s to seal the deal, bribe their way to a new job or just to say a big thank you, it’s always fun to see something a little more unique.
Here are 30 of my favourites.
Treats (or tricks).
1. A fresh trout.
Caught whilst away on a fishing trip… I’m sure the recruiter’s co-workers appreciated the smell.
2. A crate of wine.
One of the benefits of working with a wine supplier.
3. Non-alcoholic wine.
The horror!
4. Tickets to Cadbury World.
What a fab and unique idea.
5. A tier of a wedding cake.
I’m assuming they had too many leftovers and nothing to do with them!
6. A “bouquet of fruit.”
Because flowers are so last season.
7. A packet of beef jerky.
One man’s meat is another man’s poison…
8. A breast-shaped cupcake.
In the candidate’s defence, this gift was meant for her boyfriend.
9. A box of cereal.
Lucky charms, perhaps?
10. A Chinese take-away.
This candidate’s CV was inside folded up like a fortune cookie! Amazing.
11. A bag full of cakes.
Yes, an entire big plastic bag filled with them – as you can imagine, this went down like a TREAT.
Some extremely happy clients...
12. An expensive watch.
Someone was extremely happy to get that job.
13. Coupon for a ‘romantic spa break.’
Both recruiter and the client were single…
14. An invitation to their wedding.
Wow.
15. Expensive Perfume.
Trying to tell them something..?
16. A bike.
Who are these people?
17. A £50 note.
Shameless bribery! Well, at least they’re being upfront I suppose.
Animal Madness
18. A goldfish.
Hand-delivered, with a tank, of course.
19. Dog food.
In all fairness, the recruiter did own a dog.
20. An origami eagle.
I quite like this little touch!
21. An “Adopt a Penguin” pack.
You’d assume they’d had a previous conversation about penguins… but who knows?
Keeping it green
22. Fly-catcher Plant
I love this one – it’s so original and a bit different from your normal flowers and/or plant.
23. An orchid.
Very sophisticated.
24. A dead lucky bamboo plant.
Oh. I’m assuming it died on the way to the recruiter? (Hopefully, anyway).
Why not?
25. A painting of the recruiter.
Created from memory (but perhaps Facebook/ LinkedIn gave a helping hand too).
26. A dressing gown.
Is this weird?
27. Socks/ Slippers
I personally LOVE this idea.
28. A garden gnome.
Because – why not?
29. One shoe.
The candidate wanted to ‘get his foot through the door’
30. Lottery tickets.
I see a flaw in this plan… how gutted would they be if the recruiter had won?
Feel inspired!?
Honestly, most recruiters will just be happy that you found a perfect new hire or got the job – and just a quick thank you will do the trick.
Recruiter Pro Tip If you are considering sending something across to a recruiter as a quirky and unforgettable stunt, just make sure you follow through. Too many candidates get ‘creative’ and raise the bar so high that they actually fail to meet the expectations at interview. In this case, you’re actually sabotaging yourself. Also, be careful what kind of “stunt” you choose, I’m sure some of the gifts above would have gone down well… but others, not so much! Know your audience. Click here to check out some more ideas.
And recruiters… don’t be too harsh on candidates who fail in their attempt to be creative (like this lot); many feel like there is an expectation to be different, these days – but sometimes it just doesn’t hit the mark!
If you're more interested in ways to say "thanks" to your staff (the real heroes!) then this blog is the one for you!
Want to read more?
Check out some of the great posts I’ve been reading this week…
- 15 Weird Gifts For Corporate Clients
- The Most Bizarre Items That Have Been Sent to Recruiters Ever
- 32 Weirdest Objects Sent To Recruiters Ever!
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