25 Best Practical Gifts For Young Professionals They’ll Love
Finding gifts for young professionals who’ve just started their careers might be challenging, but they’re sure to appreciate these practical presents.
Young adults getting their first job is a rite of passage into the real world. It’s also where recent grads start thinking about mature, adult things: their first apartment, figuring out financial security, bills, furniture, and more. A great way to welcome them into the world of jobs and bills is to give them some thoughtful gifts that are practical and reasonable – anything to make their lives a little bit easier!
We compiled some unique gift ideas that will be perfect for the young professional in your life. Whether you’re their parent, their friend, or even their boss, these practical gifts are definitely what every young professional wants.
The holiday season is also just around the corner, which is why is gift guide is also perfect if you’re wondering what to get for your friends and family members who have recently started their careers. So take note of their wish list, and let us help you find the perfect presents!
The Best Gifts For Young Professionals
1. Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Get this on Walmart
One of the best gifts for young professionals is a cold brew coffee maker. Why? Because they are great at their jobs, and part of being productive is staying alert and caffeinated!
A new cold brew coffee maker will help them stay on track with their work resolutions while enjoying delicious tasting iced coffee throughout the long days. Plus, who doesn’t love getting fresh cold brew in their desk every morning?
Now, this coffee maker will definitely top off your gift from last year!
2. Smartwatch (Stap)
Get this smartwatch strap on Nordstrom
If you want to go the extra mile, a watch is another great gift idea for any young professional in your life. It’s the perfect way to add a little bit of class and sophistication while also helping them keep track on time too!
Not only does it help you stay punctual when receiving important phone calls or meetings but they’ll look stylish doing it all at once.
We highly recommend smartwatches for young professionals (especially Gen Xers and Gen Z) as these have a TON of features all packed in one tiny screen. It can take calls, receive messages, even store notes and other useful things.
If your young professional already has one, then a watch strap with a sleek design would be the perfect addition.
3. Leather Top-Handle Bag
Get this Madewell bag on Nordstrom
Another good option for a present to give to someone that’s just starting out in their career, or going into business school, is a nice leather bag with a top handle — but not too long as they’ll be carrying it on their shoulder during the day!
It provides style and sophistication while also making sure they have everything with them at all times without struggling along with different items scattered throughout their purse!
4. Gym Membership
Another great idea for someone who loves working out is to give them a gym membership as their present. Young professionals who work a 9-5 in their desk jobs should be able to have the time to exercise their bodies after sitting all day!
5. Water Bottle
Another great gift idea for young professionals is a nice water bottle. Nowadays, it seems like everyone has some sort of reusable water bottle on them at all times whether it’s stainless steel or plastic.
So, why not get their favorite color? Not only will they love the fresh taste of new filtered water every day but you’ll also be helping to reduce waste and save the environment.
If you have a college student at home, this is also a great self-care gift for them!
6. Desk Organizer
Get this on Pottery Barn
While this one might seem simple, desk organizers are actually super useful gifts that any young professional would appreciate receiving as part of their present. After all, most people have more than just pens lying around on their desks these days with mobile phones being so popular lately too!
Desk organizers help keep everything in place while adding a little bit of flair, and there are so many different styles to choose from.
7. Leather Wallet/Cardholder
Get this on Nordstrom
A leather wallet is the perfect gift for young professionals who are starting their first job. Not only does it help to keep them organized and efficient with its multiple compartments while also helping them stay stylish throughout the day! Plus, everyone needs a new wallet at some point in time so why not give one as a present?
A leather wallet is practical, and it keeps their credit cards and cash in one place. If you can spare some extra money, you might also want to consider getting a luxury designer wallet/cardholder, such as one from Gucci.
8. Adjustable Cell Phone Stand
Get this stand on Etsy
If you don’t have a phone stand, you’re missing out! Adjustable phone stands are a great affordable gift idea for professionals that need to use their phones a lot during the day, or even do calls using their cellphone.
They allow you to go hands-free, making FaceTime and Whatsapp video calls that much more enjoyable. Plus, phone stands look cute on top of a desk when you’re not using the phone.
9. Laptop Bag
Get this backpack on Nordstrom
A laptop bag is perfect for someone who is always on the go. If your young professional is a freelancer or someone who travels for work, then a study laptop bag would be very, very useful. This Fjallraven Kanken bag comes in different colors too., and is super easy to carry, even if your friend loves riding the bike to work!
10. Essential Oils (+Diffuser)
Get this set on Etsy
For the young professional who loves aromatherapy, why not get them a set of essential oils? Not only are they useful for combating stress and anxiety but they will also help give their office a nice scent too!
11. Daily Planner
Get this on Leatherology
A daily planner is a great gift for young professionals. This will help them take down important notes and reminders, plus it will keep them on track with their goals!
If you’re looking for a premium planner, this one from Leatherology fits the bill perfectly. Plus, it’s available in 15 colors!
12. Business Card Holder
Get this on Etsy
A business card holder is another great gift for young professionals who are just starting their careers. It helps them keep track of all the important contacts they’ve made along the way, which will be essential for building up a strong network in their field!
13. Scented Candles
Get this on Etsy
Another great gift idea for young professionals is a scented candle. Candles help make any room smell nice and they’re small enough to fit on someone’s desk without taking up too much space!
14. Laptop Sleeve
Get this on Nordstrom
A laptop sleeve is another great addition to anyone who needs to work using a laptop, such as freelancers or creatives. It helps keep the laptop safe while also providing a stylish accent to any outfit!
Since most laptops these days are thin and lightweight, they really need that extra protection.
15. Organizing Boxes
Get this set on Target
For those who are always on the go and need extra storage space wherever they go, why not give them organizing boxes? These will come in handy whenever you have to travel somewhere whether its for work or just going home over the holidays!
16. AirPods
Get this on Target
It seems like everyone is using wireless earphones these days. If your friend doesn’t have AirPods yet, give them the gift of hassle-free music and podcast listening! Before you know it, they’ll also be using these for all their Zoom meetings.
17. Premium Montblanc Pen
Get this on Nordstrom
Okay, this is definitely the most opulent gift idea on this list, but at the same time, it’s a pretty practical one. Montblanc ballpoint pens (and fountain pens) are the most luxurious pens you’ll ever see in your life, and they have a bit of a cult following.
If your friend is into luxury fashion, particularly luxury watches, consider getting them this to show your appreciation. This is a classic gift idea but it never goes out of style.
If the Montblanc pen is out of your budget, don’t worry, you can get them something equally special in the form of a personalized fountain pen. At the end of the day, every young professional needs one at their desk, so they can use it to sign papers and other kinds of important documents. Both of these pens are extremely professional, too!
18. Under Desk Foot Rest
Get this on Walmart
An under desk foot rest is a great gift for young professionals. If they want to take the edge off their workday and relieve some of that stress caused by sitting all day, this will help them get comfortable while also helping relax those tired legs!
19. Faux Desk Succulent
Get this on Pottery Barn
This is a fun gift to give to young professionals who have green thumbs. A little succulent or plant can take off stress, plus it will give their desk some much-needed personality! If they don’t have the time to take care of a plant, a faux succulent will be fine.
However, if they love greenery, you can also get them a real desk plant from places like Bloomscape.
20. Leather Tote Bag
Get this on Nordstrom
Another good gift idea for young professionals is a nice leather tote bag. They can use this one while traveling and going on business trips, or even if they just want something stylish yet practical to carry their things in throughout the day!
21. Laptop Stand
Get this on Target
A laptop stand will help keep your neck and back from straining when you’re working long hours at your desk. This reduces the risk of getting RSI (repetitive strain injury) which causes long-term damage over time!
22. Cable Organizer
Get this on Target
A great affordable gift for young professionals is a cable organizer. Their desk usually gets cluttered with all the cables they have connected to their laptop, computer monitor and other devices that are plugged into an outlet nearby — this makes it easier to keep everything organized!
23. Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Get these on Nordstrom
Blue light-blocking glasses are a great gift for young professionals who work long hours and end up staying late at the office. They help protect their eyes from blue light, which can cause difficulty sleeping, leading to a messed up circadian rhythm.
24. Self-Help Books
A best-selling self help book is another great gift for young professionals. They can use these to take a break from work and read inspirational and motivational stories from influential creators and business people.
For starters, we recommend the iconic “The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck” by Mark Manson. The self-help book talks about the real world and how to navigate through it. Plus, the colorful language makes it a fun read for Gen Zers and Millennials.
25. Gift Card
Last but not least we have simple gift cards. Gift cards are one of the best gifts for everyone at any age because they get the freedom to choose the gift they want. You simply can’t go wrong!
Giving someone a nice dinner out at a great place as their gift will definitely make their day extra special and show how much you appreciate everything that they’ve done, whether it’s hard work at school or just being an amazing human being overall.
You can also give them a gift card for online shopping, or a Starbucks gift card so they can get their favorite Frappuccino.
We hope you found this gift guide useful! If you’re still looking for more gift ideas, check the posts down below.
Get More Gift Ideas
30 Best Gifts For Stay At Home Dads That They’ll Actually Use
40 Thoughtful Gifts Every Girl Wants From Her Boyfriend
30 Best Luxury Gifts For Your Father-in-Law He’ll Actually Want