Letters of Recommendation
This article is primarily directed to engineering and design students but many of the principles extend to anyone seeking a position which requires a recommendation letter as part of the application.
About this time of year, I’m approached by many students requesting I be a reference on their application to graduate school or a job and that I write a letter of recommendation on their behalf.
You might not view yourself as a “product” but I bet you’ve made a purchase based on the recommendation of a friend or the star ratings and comments of other customers. Before a future employer or a graduate program invests in you, it’s profitable to think about what other “customers” could say about you. What comments would they say? What star rating would they give?
Often the product details and specs can be very similar (GPA, GRE score, etc.) between various choices so a buyer will turn to the customer comments. That’s the recommendation letter. It can often make or break the sale!
So, assuming your academic performance is competitive and your transcript is in top shape, but you look “on paper” like everyone else, you actually need to focus on your references and their letters of recommendation. Many people underestimate the power of a good reference letter. Assuming everything else is equal, the letter is the discriminating factor. Don’t leave it to chance. Below are some tips to really make an impact and distinguish yourself from the crowd.
Ask the right people for the specific position. I don’t ask my doctor to fix my car and I don’t ask my auto-mechanic to diagnose my ailment. The right person would be someone who knows what attributes make for a good candidate and can convincingly state those to the reviewers. For graduate school, usually this is a professional within that field (in academia or in industry) who has been to grad school and knows what skills and attributes are needed to be successful. A family member or close friend might write you a stellar letter but they likely do not have credibility with the reviewers. They are good people for sure, but they usually aren’t the right people for these letters. There are exceptions, especially if the friend or family member has special knowledge, skills, or expertise, regarding the sought-for position, but reviewers can be quite sensitive to nepotism.
Ask the best people for the specific position. If Elon Musk writes a letter for you, chances are very high I’m going to read that letter. He has a history of working in the engineering domain and is well known. I would want to see what he has to say about you. Likewise, faculty members who are more experienced might be a better choice. Note that “more experienced” could be from the experience they gained in industry before they became a professor. So, age has less to do with it, and relevant experience has more. However, know that academic reviewers may recognize names that have been around longer and that the position of “Professor” is more highly esteemed than “Assistant Professor.” Reputations are important. It’s not the only important thing, but it is a simple heuristic (perhaps applied unconsciously) that the application reviewers employ to judge the credibility of your references. So, if you are considering me (an assistant professor) or a full professor in the department, and everything else is equal, the full professor is likely the better option.
Recognize that the best people might be too busy. The best people are often considered the “best” because they work hard (among other things). This means they have lots going on and everyone else wants their time too. In your eyes, your future is one of your highest priorities, and it should be. But you might be 15th or 37th on their list of priorities. They still want to help but they also want to help everyone else, and that’s potentially one reason why they don’t have a lot of time. Be sensitive and consider that before you ask. Also, remember the best people might have 10 or 20 other students asking for letters too and so taking the rejection gracefully is in your best interest. Thus, asking the department chair or the dean of the college to write a letter for you might be the perfect strategy but if they don’t have time, there simply won’t be a letter coming your way.
Make it easy for your reference. Once you do identify someone and they agree, ask for specific ways that will make it easier for them to write your letter. Essentially, remove obstacles between them and an awesome letter for you. Sometimes I prefer the applicant give me a bulleted list of points I can make about them in my letter. The list should include specific reasons why you are the right person for the position. This is more than your resume. Yes, you should send them your resume, your transcript, your portfolio, etc. but a bulleted list can help them target their thoughts and reasons for recommending you. Occasionally, I use almost word for word what those bullets contain! It saved me a little bit of time and the student received an awesome letter. One way to think about it is, if your reference has only one hour to write a letter for you, you want them using that full hour to write the best letter possible and not mess around thinking about what to say, looking up data, and emailing you back asking for more information about what you did last summer. If you don’t do this, your letter might be shorter and less competitive. No one has time to craft the perfect letter without supporting information and so you need to provide that information.
Be clear about the submission process and reminding schedules. If you are relying on your reference to search and navigate to the submission websites, you’re wasting their time which could be spent writing your letter. Be prepared to have everything clear and concise in your emails and communications. Do the background work and include URL links and other information as appropriate to minimize the work on their side. After all, they are doing something for you which takes time away from their job, their family, or their hobbies so remember that throughout the entire process. In your communication emails, include submission deadline dates but also be prepared to ask them if they would like reminders and how often. Personally, I like it when students will remind me a week before and a day before it’s due, if I committed to writing them a letter. But others may not want any reminders. Ask them what they prefer and then do it. Keep track on your own spreadsheet or documents. Also, if you are having them submit a letter to multiple schools or programs, be even more organized. They may have to make adjustments to every single letter based on specific program requirements. You don’t want them to send the letter addressed for Georgia Tech to Purdue, so be organized, clear, and concise.
Start the process early and give them LOTS of time. Even if your reference ends up writing the letter the day before it’s due, you should still give them as much time as possible. That time could be as much as a month or more. Why? They have other things to do. Other documents need to be written which may be higher on the priority list than your letter. Things can happen which will necessitate them moving things around. If you don’t give enough time, they can’t play the Tetris game with their schedule. The last thing you want is to have them email you back a few days before it’s due and say “Sorry, I just didn’t have enough time. Good luck.” Now you have to find someone else who really won’t have time to write that awesome letter.
These above general recommendations are, by definition, just recommendations. They don’t have to be followed precisely but they are likely a good place to start. Everyone will have their own preferences so you’ll need to be flexible and respond to their individual needs. Having an awesome letter is very important – even essential. Don’t procrastinate this important step as you work towards the next stage of your life. Good luck with your application!
