How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation.
Letters of recommendation are important, so target your approach by identifying the right
people and keeping timing in mind.
You will need A list of key individuals People skills Communication skills Sufficient timeframes
A fact sheet and an &quot;out&quot;.
Step 1. Make a list of the most influential people you know who are also familiar with
you professionally and personally.
Include those who have authored recommendation letters for others.
Choose a highly regarded current or past supervisor, a professor, or a high-level business person
who knows you well enough to cite specific examples and anecdotes.
Step 2.
Schedule a timeframe for getting the letters to prospective employers.
Factor in one or two months for each writer to satisfy your request.
Step 3.
Assess the comfort level of the individual before you ask for the recommendation.
Knowing the person you are asking is essential to deciding how, when, and if you should ask.
Step 4.
Ask for the recommendation politely and with confidence.
Be forthright and let the individual know why you need this recommendation and how important
it is to you and your success.
Step 5.
Offer the individual a fact sheet about yourself to help them compose the letter, including
as biographical data, employment, academic, and volunteer history, and awards.
Step 6.
Offer assistance with the composition of the letter, if needed.
Step 7.
Allow your potential writer an "out," or a graceful way to say no.
This allows them to avoid embarrassment.
Just don't make it too easy for them to decline!
Step 8.
Say thank you in advance, and send them a gentle reminder, either via phone or e-mail,
a couple of weeks before the recommendation is due.
Did you know Did you know?
A study found that recommendation letters for women applying for faculty positions at
a medical school were significantly shorter than letters for men.