Letters of reference may be very beneficial to ambitious undergraduate and graduate students and new job seekers, and workers trying to further their careers.
Understanding recommendation letter etiquette can go a long way toward ensuring that you get the letter that will impress college admissions committees or future employers. You’ll also need to figure out who to ask – spoiler alert: it’s not just anybody. Unless she was your college professor or worked at her firm, your BFF’s mother is not a suitable reference, but you must also determine how and when to approach them.
This essay will cover all you need to know about requesting and receiving excellent letters of recommendation.
The advantages of having a reference letter
When it comes to college admissions, letters of reference are the norm, especially for those going to graduate or professional schools. On the other hand, letters of reference may seem out of date when it comes to job prospects. In a world of soundbite tweets, smartphone emails, and text message missives, sending a properly prepared letter to a hiring manager may seem ineffective.
The opposite could not be farther from the truth.
While few companies would want a formal letter of recommendation with your application or after an initial interview, many will be pleased that you took the time and effort to get one from a respectable source and submit it along with your application or interview follow-up. Even if you aren’t asked, providing a strong letter of reference is a wonderful approach to set your application apart and strengthen your prospects. After all, the more information you can offer about your qualifications and aptitude to thrive in the role, the more likely an employer will want to learn more about you.
How to Request a Recommendation Letter
It’s not as difficult as you would imagine seeking a letter of recommendation. Follow these procedures to get letters of recommendation into the proper hands:
- Determine who should write the letter
- Provide the writer with the information they require
- Make initial contact with the writer to request the letter
- Follow up with the writer in a more formal manner
- Remind the writer about the letter and any deadlines that may apply
- Thank the writer for their assistance
Choose who will compose the letter.
The first step in receiving a fantastic letter of reference is figuring out who can, should, and write one for you. Ideally, the letter writer should be well acquainted with you on a personal level and be able to speak authoritatively about your character, background, and talents.
Not everyone you approach will agree to write a letter, and not everyone who agrees to write a letter will be able to provide the information you need to advance your cause. The purpose of the referral will determine the sort of letter writer you need.
Application to colleges
If you’re planning on attending college, you should start thinking about who you’d want to write letters of reference for you at the beginning of your junior year. As part of the application process, many institutions may ask for your guidance counsellor’s letter. Because these school employees send letters to children regularly, their letters might come across as impersonal or even cookie-cutter at times.
You should create an effort to get to know your high school guidance counsellor long before college application season if you want your letter to stand out from the crowd. Schedule a meeting to discuss your college and career goals and a few follow-up sessions. The idea is to establish a rapport with your high school counsellor so that they will write a letter on your behalf that is filled with personal facts that highlight your accomplishments, goals, and potential.
It’s also a better idea to connect with your professors, particularly those who teach courses in which you excel or cover topics that you find particularly fascinating. Your professors should be at the top of your letter-writing “ask” list if you have a good connection with them.
Applications for graduate school
If you’re applying to graduate school, deciding who should be on your letter-writing shortlist will be determined by your starting position.
If you want to start graduate school right after finishing your undergraduate studies, your best chance is to find instructors who teach in the field you’ll be studying in graduate school. If you’re applying for a master’s degree in social work, look for undergraduate teachers in social work, psychology, sociology, or even statistics (since demonstrating excellence in this type of coursework can translate well to the related graduate program).
If you’re applying to law school or another professional graduate programme that doesn’t require a specific undergraduate curriculum, look for professors whose classes require you to demonstrate the skills and abilities required for law school success, such as critical thinking, assimilation of large amounts of information, and writing.
However, whether you’re returning to graduate school as a working professional, the letter writers you choose will be determined by how long you’ve been out of school and how and if the graduate programme you’re applying for corresponds to your job experience. You may ask past instructors for letters if you’re just a year or two out of college — or if you’ve managed to maintain ties. Professional colleagues who value your work and talents and supervisors and mentors who want to see you succeed as you advance in your present area or move to a new one are all good places to start. The better if the writer’s experience matches the graduate school you’re applying to.
Applications for jobs
For job searchers, finding a competent letter of recommendation writers presents a variety of obstacles. If the employment you previously had is unrelated to the one you’re seeking, turn to instructors, internship supervisors, mentors, and prior employers if you’re applying for an entry-level career. If you wish to advance in your work, go out to previous supervisors and even coworkers who can effectively advocate for you based on their understanding of your skills and work ethic. Whenever feasible, use letter writers with a lot of expertise in the sector you’re interested in.
Make sure the writer has all of the information they’ll need.
If you want someone to help you, make things as simple as possible for them. And if that favour is writing you a powerful letter of recommendation, make sure you provide them all the information they need so they can accurately reflect you and your achievements.
This might be as simple as send them a copy of your résumé or a link to your LinkedIn profile for job searchers. Create a bulleted list of supplementary information if you have additional achievements that aren’t shown on your resume or professional profile. This might contain details about your written publications, boards you’ve served on, and volunteer work you’ve completed. You may email them a copy of the job description and underline the sections that correspond to your skills.
When deciding what information to submit, the litmus test should be: Will providing this information improve my chances of receiving an interview or a job? Whether the answer is yes, give it to the letter writer and ask if it may be included.
If you’re still in school and don’t have a long employment history or much to say about yourself outside of school, provide your letter writer with a list of your most important traits and achievements. Remember which of their classes you took if they are a professor. the grade you obtained, and any intriguing information about your excitement for the subject matter that may have surfaced when you were a student, such as the topic of a paper you authored or your continuous attendance in class.
Remember, this isn’t the time for feigned humility. It’s now time to demonstrate to the letter-writer that they can have faith in you and your ability. To put it another way, it’s OK to boast a bit.
Make the first contact with the writer and request the letter.
Making the first approach in person and then following up with a more formal request is the best method for getting a reference letter. Pick up call and speak with the writer about the letter, pay them a personal visit at their workplace or company, or submit your first request by personal email. However, allow the writer enough time to compose the letter. Last-minute demands put unnecessary strain on the writer and might even be considered disrespectful.
Remember that most professionals, professors, and guidance counsellors have dealt with similar requests previously and are aware that persons applying to schools or seeking new jobs need these letters. Composing letters is sometimes an element of a person’s employment, such as in school counsellors’ cases. It’s reasonable to presume that the person you’re asking for assistance has requested assistance from others in the past. Most people would gladly send you a letter and appreciate the fact that you asked for their help personally.
Contact the writer more officially.
You may approach the writer more officially for the letter after receiving approval from your casual outreach. After thanking them for agreeing to written the letter, you’ll wish to provide them with all the information they’ll need to produce the finest letter possible.
If you’re applying for a job, for example, include some information about the position, such as the title and major duties. Remind them of the school and your principal topic of study, whether you’re applying to college or graduate school. Include a copies of your transcripts and your résumé or “brag sheet,” which is the list of achievements mentioned before (if relevant).
Provide a suggested subject line in your instructions, such as “Letter of Recommendation for Job Candidate Jane Doe.” make sure to include the recipient’s complete name, title, business name, address, and email address. Provide a pre-addressed, stamped envelope if the letter is to be sent. If email is the desired means of distribution, ensure that the writer knows the recommended format (e.g., written in the body of an email or provided as an attachment in Word or PDF format).
Send a link to the site and step-by-step directions on how to upload the letter, what format it should be in, and any other information the writer would need to make the letter delivery process as simple and foolproof as possible.
Make sure to provide your writer with all of the relevant information ahead of time to create a decent letter on your behalf.
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Remind the writer of the letter and any applicable deadlines.
Suppose the letter has a deadline; attempt to contact the writer two weeks before the deadline to give them extra time. If there isn’t a defined application deadline, but you want the letter completed as soon as feasible, contact the writer around a week after making the original request.
Thank them for agreeing to compose the letter and express your gratitude for their assistance.
Thank you for your assistance, writer.
It’s crucial to send a thank-you message to the writer once the letter has been sent. This is one of those occasions when a handwritten message of gratitude is appropriate. Taking the time to handwrite a letter of thanks is a kind gesture that shows you value the writer’s time and attention. If you want to follow up through email, communicate the same emotions in a customised message.
Consider following up with them after you’ve accepted the job or been accepted into the school programme, expressing your thanks for their assistance. It’s always gratifying for a writer to realise that their work has aided someone in achieving their objectives.
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