Is this what’s expected of interns these days?

[+ Kman]

A physical therapy student has completed her rotation here at my facility this week, it’s a lot work and she did great. I was kind of waiting for a ‘thank you’ note for her supervisor cause it seems like a lot of students seem to forget that part. Not only did she send a thank you note to her direct supervisor and myself but a gift for everyone on the therapy team. Super generous and she is a student and thus broke so now I might have to offer her a job haha.

 

Anyway there are a lot of PT jobs available in this area so not a lot of need to try to impress. But I wonder in other competitive job markets does an intern or potential employee need to shower their potential employer with gifts just to be noticed?

Edited May 8, 2018 by Kman

[rvwnsd]

I've not heard of such a thing. May be she is just a nice, generous person.

 

How valuable the gift she gave? A small token gift is a nice gesture and is typically within ethics codes (every company I've worked for set the limit at $25)

[+ Kman]

exactly like I said before many interns even forget a simple thank you card.

 

The exact gift was two 18 packs of those coffee pods...so I’m guessing it’s not much more than $20.

[+ Kman]

That would be precluded under the Code of Ethics and Conduct that I annually affirm and sign off on.

 

Very true. But do interns still try to give gifts to try to get a leg up?

[+ tassojunior]

I bribe city officials this way. Usually gift bags of leather desk stuff. But I give it to their staff. That's not an ethics question and greasing the wheels with staff is more important. I've always gotten what I wanted.

[rvwnsd]

exactly like I said before many interns even forget a simple thank you card.

 

The exact gift was two 18 packs of those coffee pods...so I’m guessing it’s not much more than $20.

Yeah, no ethics violation, at least not under any policy I've read.

 

Very true. But do interns still try to give gifts to try to get a leg up?

First I've heard of this.

[+ Keith30309]

I encounter interns occasionally and have never heard of one giving a gift.

My observation is that interns are treated like slave labor - paid very little and worked really hard (at least in the financial sector) - but the hope is to get a foot in the door of a prestigious firm.

I’d feel pretty uncomfortable receiving a gift from an intern in addition to the ethics concerns noted above.

[+ Kman]

The gift went to the entire staff and it was under $20...I emailed HR and they said there was no problem. There is more of a concern if a patient gives us a gift.

[+ WilliamM]

But I wonder in other competitive job markets does an intern or potential employee need to shower their potential employer with gifts just to be noticed?

 

No. And I did not 'require' a thank you note as well.