Is this appropriate?

[HealthE]

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I am thinking of buying my boss an xmas gift and writing him a thank you letter. He has really stuck out his neck for me with this whole medical school application process and believed in me when others didn't. I am going to ask him to write me a medical school recommendation. I wanted to let him know about my background prior to meeting me and how much of an impact he has had on my life. Do you think this would weird him out or would he appreciate it?

 

[ObLaDi]

A nice letter is probably sufficient.

 

[Gauss44]

I am thinking of buying my boss an xmas gift and writing him a thank you letter. He has really stuck out his neck for me with this whole medical school application process and believed in me when others didn't. I am going to ask him to write me a medical school recommendation. I wanted to let him know about my background prior to meeting me and how much of an impact he has had on my life. Do you think this would weird him out or would he appreciate it?

Skip the gift. As innocent and nice as it seems, it could be misinterpreted as bribery* by anyone aware of it. A letter or card is the way to go.

*I suspect that would qualify as "bribery" in the legal sense. While I doubt anyone would ever use that, why leave yourself open.

 

[dsoz]

I did give a couple of my letter writers a $10 card to a coffee company AFTER they had written my letter. It was already in the mail. I wanted to show my appreciation for their support.

It may get weird to buy them a gift that you pick out. Especially if the person is the other gender. It may cause them to misinterpret your meaning behind the gift.

dsoz

 

[NuttyEngDude]

After they wrote a letter, I gave a gift card too, I tailored it to them when I could. For example, if I know the person likes cheese steaks then I bought them a $10 gift card to a cheese steak place rather than the generic starbucks card. But, if I didnt know anything special about them, then starbucks it was!

 

[darkjedi]

It would entirely depend on the nature of your relationship with him. I gave all of my recommenders a thank you card. If you feel comfortable and close enough with your boss to buy him a small gift, I don't see why it would be odd, particularly in the context of christmas. Just as long it's an appropriate/tasteful gift.

 

[Woland]

It would entirely depend on the nature of your relationship with him. I gave all of my recommenders a thank you card. If you feel comfortable and close enough with your boss to buy him a small gift, I don't see why it would be odd, particularly in the context of christmas. Just as long it's an appropriate/tasteful gift.

This is the key. Although I waited until after I got acceptances to give gifts to the recommenders I feel I could do it to. That way it could no longer be considered brown-nosing