The Unexpected Gift - How Thinkst Canary Made My Day as a Job Applicant

One word...Thanks!

Honestly, this has to be the best experience as an applicant to a job.

A little while ago, I applied to join Thinkst Canary, a company I found fascinating. Sadly, they weren’t hiring in Switzerland, so that door closed pretty quickly. But then something unexpected happened. They thanked me for applying and offered to send me a gift. My first reaction? This has got to be a scam. I mean, who sends gifts to candidates they’re not even hiring? But a few weeks later, ding-dong—DHL shows up at my door with a package. Inside? Tangible Web by Michal Zalewski.

I was genuinely surprised. It wasn’t some automated email with a coupon code for an online store, but an actual book—thoughtfully picked and delivered. It’s the kind of gesture you don’t expect, especially after a job rejection, but it left me smiling.

Why Candidate Engagement Matters

This little surprise got me thinking about how companies engage with people in the hiring process. Not saying that companies should send gifts to every candidate who applies, No! It's more about the response to the candidates application. I for one edited my CV and cover letter to reflect my core capabilities matching the role of interest and I sent the application directly to the hiring team (At the time of posting this, there was no official job portal to dump my application)

How organisations engage with candidates, even those they reject says a lot about who they are and what they value. For Thinkst Canary, even though they weren’t hiring in my area, they still took the time to acknowledge my effort, and in such a personal way. That tells me a lot about their culture—they’re not just going through the motions, they actually care.

The way a company treats its candidates, even the ones who don’t make it through, shows how they value people in general. If they’re thoughtful and respectful during the hiring process, you can bet they treat their employees and customers well too. That’s the kind of culture I’d want to be part of, truly. A culture of kindness and thoughtfulness.

It was a good reminder that even if you don’t land the job, there can still be bright spots along the way. And in this case, Thinkst Canary’s simple, genuine gesture left a positive, lasting impression on me.

Thank you Thinkst Canary! Keep doing what you are doing.