4 ways to ask for a recommendation letter - wikihow

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12.12.2013 4 Ways to Ask for a Recommendation Letter - wikiHow

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How to Ask for a Recommendation

LetterSample Request Finding Potent ial Recommenders Asking for Academic Let ters Asking for

Workplace Letters

Whether you are applying to an academic program, you are a recent graduate

seeking a job in your chosen field, or you are an experienced professional with

a robust resume seeking a position in academia or business, knowing who and

how to ask for a recommendation letter can help you reach your goals.

Sample Email Asking

for a Letter of

Recommendation

Sample Request for

Letter of Rec for Job

Sample Request for

Letter of Rec for Grad

School

[1]

Sample Request
http://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Email-Asking-for-a-Letter-of-Recommendationhttp://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Request-for-Letter-of-Rec-for-Jobhttp://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Request-for-Letter-of-Rec-for-Grad-Schoolhttp://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Request-for-Letter-of-Rec-for-Jobhttp://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Request-for-Letter-of-Rec-for-Grad-Schoolhttp://www.wikihow.com/Main-Pagehttp://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Request-for-Letter-of-Rec-for-Grad-Schoolhttp://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Request-for-Letter-of-Rec-for-Grad-Schoolhttp://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Request-for-Letter-of-Rec-for-Jobhttp://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Request-for-Letter-of-Rec-for-Jobhttp://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Email-Asking-for-a-Letter-of-Recommendationhttp://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Email-Asking-for-a-Letter-of-Recommendationhttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://www.wikihow.com/Ask-for-a-Recommendation-Letter


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www.wikihow.com/Ask-for-a-Recommendation-Letter 2

1 Write out a complete list of possibilities.Try and think of everyone who might bewilling to write you a posi tive letter of recommendation in your particular field.

Generally, places requesting letters of recommendation will ask for at least two and no

more than three, but it's a good idea to think of a larger list, in case any of your ideal

candidates don't work out.

Try to come up with at least 5-7 possibilities.

Order the list.How you choose to assign "strength" to the candidates will be relative, but in

Method 1 of 3: Finding Potential Recommenders
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general you want to find a balance between the familiari ty of the letter writer with you

and your work, and that letter writer's standing in the field. While you might have had a

better relationship with a co-worker or a TA for one of your classes, a letter from them may

be less desirable than from a supervisor or a Professor who also knows your work, but may

need some reminding.

Aim high.Consider collecting profiles or portfolios of your work to share with

potential recommenders who may be less familiar with you and what you do. This is a

good way to make contact with a successful person in your field and shows initiative. The

easier you make their job, the more likely the candidate will be to do you the favor.
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1 Collect all the information about both the institution and the application toprovide to your letter writers.This means you should be nearly complete with the

application and be able to provide the supplementary materials to the letter writer for

reference. This may include:

Copy of your transcript

Writing sample or portfolio of work

Statement of purpose or cover letter

Curriculum Vitae or resume

Name of the institution

Degree or fellowship program applying for

Name of the contact at the institution receiving the letter

Address and dates for sending the letter

Any necessary letter forms, prompts, or the URL to complete and upload the letter

Method 2 of 3: Asking for Academic Letters
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Make contact.Tell the most desirable candidates on your list that you hope to usethem as a reference, in person if possible. Inform them of the general guidelines, due

dates, and provide them with the necessary resources at this time.

Gauge their willingness.Ask directly whether or not they're willing to write you a

positive letter of recommendation. If not, or they're unsure of whether or not they'll have

time to complete i t, move to other candidates on your list.
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Be timely.Professors and academic advisors are generally happy to providerecommendations and consider doing so part of their professional responsibilities.

However, because of the sheer volume of requests they receive, you should be sure to

request the letter of recommendation well in advance of any admissions application or

other deadlines.

A good rule of thumb is making first contact a semester ahead of time to gauge

their willingness to write a letter, and then making sure they have all materials at

least a month or two before the deadline.

Follow up and keep in touch.Thank your references for providing letters with a

note or phone call. Also, it's a good idea to keep them updated on your progress.

They have a stake in your success, so let them know if you've been offered a spot at the

university or program. This will also keep the door open if you need more letters


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somewhere down the road.

1 Provide only the names of professional references to potential employers.This may include former supervisors, co-workers, or subordinates as appropriate.

Potential employers do not want personal references, such as from friends or

family.

If you are a recent graduate with little related professional experience in your field,

recommendation letters from former professors and academic advisors will carry

more weight than letters from former supervisors or co-workers in jobs you may

have held that are unrelated to the posi tion you seek.

Method 3 of 3: Asking for Workplace Letters
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Give your reference the information that she will need to prepare a well-organized letter of reference.Make sure your reference has the name, title and full

address of the individual to whom the letter of reference will be directed. You may also want

to provide your letter writer with a work sample or portfolio, if necessary.

Give your reference a description of the job for which you interviewed so that he or

she can tailor the recommendation letter to address the qualifications and

expertise necessary for the position.

If a hard copy of a letter of recommendation will be submitted rather than an

electronic version, provide your reference with a pre-addressed, pre-stamped

envelope as a courtesy and to expedite the mailing of your letter of

recommendation.

Keep references aware of potential calls.If the hiring manager for the job for which


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you are applying will be calling your references rather than requesting a recommendation

letter, then give your reference a heads up to expect such a call, including the name of the

person who will be calling.

If you've already interviewed for the posi tion, let your references know what kinds of

questions were asked of you, so they might know what to expect from the call.

Be sure to give your reference enough lead time to prepare a well-crafted

letter of recommendation.Even if you're just starting to think about applying for a

new job, you'll know ahead of time this will be a necessary step in the hiring process. Make

contact as soon as possible and get back in touch when you have firm dates.

Follow up.Thank your recommender for giving you a good reference with a lunch date or


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How to

Ask for a

Reference

1. http://www.jobweb.com/resumesample.aspx?id=1833

Tips

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Categories: Finance and Business

Recent edits by: Colecrane, Connor, Jakesoup

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Deutsch: Wie man nach einem Empfehlungsschreiben fragt, Espaol: Cmo pedir una

carta de recomendacin, Franais: Comment demander une lettre de

recommandation, Italiano: Come Chiedere una Lettera di

Raccomandazione, Portugus: Como Pedir uma Carta de

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4 ways to ask for a recommendation letter - wikihow

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