What's a good gift for my newly employed friend.

March 18, 2005 11:37 AM

My buddy just got hired, right out of university, by a big-shot consulting firm. What's a good, cheap gift I can give him?

Useful and connected to consulting are good, under $50 is even better.

posted by sid to shopping (18 comments total)

Get him a monogrammed (or some how inscribed) business card holder. I got that as a gift for a friend who is starting her own business and she loves it.
posted by jodic at 11:41 AM on March 18, 2005

How about a copy of "Getting Things Done" by David Allen?
posted by bachelor#3 at 11:42 AM on March 18, 2005

A cot for his office.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 11:51 AM on March 18, 2005

This or this, both from Sharper Image, both having a modern, trendy vibe, and both very useful for Execs.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 11:55 AM on March 18, 2005

an empty box to put his soul in for safe keeping.

my condolences to your buddy.

=P
posted by rampy at 11:56 AM on March 18, 2005

I did (am doing) what your buddy's doing.

The cot's a good idea. So's the David Allen book, although most people in his position aren't willing to admit they need the help.

A gift certificate for a massage, maybe?

You could get him a copy of Tufte's anti-Powerpoint pamphlet, along with David Byrne's Envisioning Emotional Epistemological Information.

Or liquor.
posted by lbergstr at 11:57 AM on March 18, 2005

A good single malt, or his favorite equivalent.
posted by mendel at 12:03 PM on March 18, 2005

I second getting him a copy of GTD.
posted by mrbill at 12:11 PM on March 18, 2005

A boxset collection of "Office Space" and "The Office" (seasons 1, 2 and the special).
posted by randomstriker at 12:40 PM on March 18, 2005

Luggage
posted by punkfloyd at 12:46 PM on March 18, 2005

These are all excellent suggestions, folks. Please keem them coming.

As far as I know, he is a teetotaler, but that might change after he's worked for a bit ;).
posted by sid at 1:40 PM on March 18, 2005

A bottle of No-Doz. The newbie consultants (who work for a large consulting firm that used to be associated with the Arthur Andersen accounting firm) that are on the project that I'm on get worked like galley slaves.
posted by fixedgear at 1:51 PM on March 18, 2005

A Fisher Space Pen.
posted by furtive at 2:30 PM on March 18, 2005

a leather cellphone holder or crackberry case or something like that.
posted by amberglow at 2:31 PM on March 18, 2005

How about a picture of his family so he doesn't forget what they look like, because he will NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN. My bro has worked for Accenture for 10 years. I know of what I speak.
posted by spicynuts at 2:39 PM on March 18, 2005

Having recently left, the very practical travel-related gifts I needed when I entered consulting:
-a garment bag (probably kind of rich, but it's an absolute must-have for 1-2 night trips that have client meetings - if he's in college, I'd guess he doesn't have one)
-2 pair (black and brown) of SLIP ON dress shoes for when security has you take your frickin' shoes off
-an attractive and functional messenger bag/briefcase that didn't involve tons of zippers to remove a laptop, also for security gates (I kept mine in a sleeve in the bag, but there's probably better ways)

If he's not going to travel a lot - and he may not, there's a lot of different types of work with huge firms - then the most useful thing that he can get for work: non-iron dress shirts (also great for traveling, too, since you can step off the plane and not look like a mess - I like Brooks Brothers, they are about US$75). Straight out of college, I needed help stocking my closet and I can't iron a shirt to save my life.

If he's involved in a particular industry or type of consulting, then getting a technical book on the subject is always welcome.

Just dining out is good, too.
posted by milkrate at 3:46 PM on March 18, 2005

As long as he's not taking the whole thing terribly seriously, perhaps some of the books that do a humorous 'inside scoop' on the industry, like "House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and then Tell You the Time" which is said to be in the vain of "Liar's Poker" and "Monkey Business" which were about working on Wall St.
posted by AnnaRat at 3:05 AM on March 19, 2005

He should be giving you a gift!
posted by kenchie at 5:09 AM on March 19, 2005