Alumni Advice: Showing Gratitude
This time of year, we are pausing to give thanks for the many incredible students, alumni, faculty and staff that make up the Tommie Network. In particular, we are grateful for the thousands of alumni who have volunteered to share their career insights on St. Thomas Connect. We asked them, “What are effective ways that Tommies can effectively express gratitude throughout their career journeys?” You can learn from these words of wisdom below!
Interested in finding a mentor of your own? Search for alumni on St. Thomas Connect who have volunteered to support your career journey.
“For me a genuine ‘thank you’ goes a long way. Throughout my career, I have conducted hundreds of interviews and about one in twenty candidates send any type of thank you. As an interviewer, you remember those who express their gratitude. In general, just be a good neighbor and friend. Open doors for others, help them carry items, stay and clean up after the meeting or party. People notice, appreciate and remember those simple acts of kindness.”
Tom Fischer
“If you plan to pursue graduate or professional school after graduating from St. Thomas, chances are your positive experience with one or more faculty members during your undergraduate career pointed you to your course of study and post-graduate plans. Consider setting aside some time to thank each of them in person before you graduate and leave campus for good. And of course, there’s no reason not to thank them via a handwritten note or email at any time.”
Daniel Schlichting
“Every Thanksgiving, reviewing your contacts list of friends, mentors, alumni, and colleagues can be helpful. Then send a short personal message to each, expressing how they’ve supported you through your journey and wishing them well. While such a task can seem effortful at first, the impact a small gesture like this can make is enormous in terms of making those you message feel valued; especially in the context of your wider relationship with them. It’s an excellent way to practice intentional gratitude and provides opportunities for reflection on just how much others have been involved in the paradigm of your professional and personal journey.“
Eshan Varma
“As you get into the “real” world, you have to realize this one fact; no matter how talented you are how smart you are as successful as you may become; the one thing you always have to remember is to thank the people who helped you get there because NOTHING is done on your own.”
Bill Kilduff
“I take an hour every Thanksgiving morning to write notes of gratitude to my team, my mentors and for those that unexpectedly supported me at different moments throughout my career. Also, when I receive recognition for something that a mentor has helped me with, I always send a note or leave them a voicemail sharing the recognition I received and thank them for their guidance which led to my improvements.”
Brie Arnold
“Sending a handwritten thank you note is almost never done these days. You can show thanks by speaking positively about someone to others or writing something nice on their LinkedIn. But most of all pay it forward!”
Jennifer Greenquist
“Say thank you at every opportunity you have.
Depending on what they have done for you, follow up with a thank you note. It’s great when it’s unexpected.
Linda Ladley
“A handwritten thank you note goes a long way!“
Sara Ford
