Tuesday’s Tip: How To Get Great Letters of Recommendation
In general, when you make a request of someone they need to be clear about what you want. That way, they're more likely to either a.) decline your request, or b.) grant your request, but not c.) be confused by your request.
This is as important in everyday life as it is in asking professors/employers/associates to write letter of recommendations for you. The last thing you want to do is write an email to a professor or former supervisor you haven't spoke to in three years and say, “Hey, it's Frank Shitferbrains here. Remember me? I was in your Mass Communications class in 2009, sat in the back…anywhoooo, I got an A and I was wondering if you'd write me a letter of recommendation for grad school?”
I mean, who would grant a request like that? And even if they did, it would likely contain the same effort you made in composing the email. No good.
Keep in mind, LOR's are endorsements of your candidacy, much like a celebrity endorsing a product. When brand executives at Nike approached Michael Jordan in the 1980's to endorse their shoe, the conversation likely included a clear plan for what they wanted from His Airness and what they were willing to provide. You do the same.
Here's a few steps you can take to ensure that your recommenders write glowing letters for you:
- Send an email request for 10 minutes of their time on the phone (“Professor Magnanimity: John Schmidt here, could I speak to you for ten minutes on the phone on Thursday, I wanted to share with you a dream of mine and ask for your support.”
- During the phone call, have all of their questions answered up front: Which program? Which schools? Deadline? Brief explanation of why you're applying. Brief touch points on your future career.
- Follow-up email should contain a copy of your resume and personal statement that provides them a strong context for specifics they can write about you.
- Lastly, tell them how important their letter is and that it must reinforce the main points made in your personal statement. Don't censor your passion here, let them see how excited you are about getting into this particular program.
Good luck and remember: When asking for something, furnish the person everything they would need in advance to successfully fulfill your request. It makes them more inclined to grant it. If you have any questions about this, or previous articles, please contact us.