Mavenology.

NOT TO SOUND LIKE YOUR MOM, BUT A GENUINE THANK YOU REALLY DOES GO A LONG WAY

This time of year, we’re feeling extra thankful. Between the smell of pumpkin spice in the air and a social calendar packed with fun holiday festivities, it’s impossible not to develop a case of the warm fuzzies.

We all know that cultivating gratitude is a great way to instantly boost your mood, but why stop there? Now’s the perfect time to let the people in your life know how much you appreciate them. And we aren’t just talking about your friends and family. Taking time to sincerely tell your coworkers how thankful you are for all that they do will not only spread some serious holiday cheer – it’ll make your job better, too. Here’s how.

Recognize Your Recruiter’s Efforts

You may not realize it, but there’s a lot of work that goes into sourcing, evaluating, and scheduling interviews. Recruiters’ schedules are action-packed; they often have to re-prioritize their entire to-do list at least a few times a day. And while they get to share exciting news about interviews and job offers with their candidates, they’re also the ones who have to tell their clients that they didn’t get the gig – and it can be rough.

Show the recruiter you’re working with that you appreciate all her hard work with a thoughtful “thank you” – and be specific. Is she incredibly responsive? Super well-informed about the role? An awesome ambassador for her employer? You know how your recruiter encourages you to send a thank you note after an interview (check out Don’t Forget the Final Step: the Thank You Note)? I can tell you from first-hand experience, receiving an actual thank you note is a complete mood changer, and brings an instant, gratitude-inducing smile to your face.

Thank Your Co-workers

It’s easy to take your co-workers for granted – especially if they’re good at their jobs. Why not take five minutes out of your day to let your teammates know how great you think they are? As always, be specific. Did a co-worker go out of her way to help you on a crazy project? Is he a super positive presence in the office? Is she just downright great at her job?  It can be as simple as sending a quick email to say, “thanks for being great!” or giving kudos at a staff meeting.

Not only will your teammates feel extra special, but they’ll probably be more likely to help you out when you’re in a pinch or speak highly of you in peer reviews, which will make your job even better.

Let Your Boss Know That You Appreciate Her

In addition to (hopefully) being a great manager, your boss has tons of additional responsibilities to juggle. And, leadership can sometimes be a thankless job. Your manager likely spends oodles of time making sure you have everything you need to succeed. And that’s pretty amazing.

Taking the time to genuinely thank your boss for her feedback, tell her how much you appreciate her training you, or heck, even giving her a thoughtful gift will serve to solidify your relationship. It’ll make her feel appreciated, too.

Even better? If your boss knows that you’re sincerely grateful for the thing she does for you, she’ll probably be a bit more forgiving when you make a mistake and more willing to invest in helping you develop your career.

There’s no better time of year to practice gratitude in every area of your life –  work included. Letting the people you work with know how much you appreciate them will not only make them feel wonderful (which is reason enough to say a great big thank you), but it’ll also solidify your relationships in the process. That’s the awesome thing about gratitude – its benefits are exponential.

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Written by: Jaclyn Westlake, Founder of The Job Hop

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