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REFERENCES AND RECOMMENDATION LETTERS
Table of Contents
OVERVIEW
.............................................................................................................................................. 2
SELECTING A RECOMMENDER/REFERENCE ............................................................................................ 2
MAKING THE ASK
................................................................................................................................... 3
RECOMMENDATION LETTER PROCESS ................................................................................................... 3
INFORMATION TO PROVIDE TO YOUR RECOMMENDER ........................................................................ 3
DRAFTING YOUR OWN LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION ........................................................................ 4
RECOMMENDATION LETTER OUTLINE .................................................................................................... 4
SAMPLE LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION ............................................................................................... 5
OVERVIEW
A reference or a letter of recommendation provides a potential employer, fellowship or degree
program with more information about you.
Colleges and graduate schools usually require letters of recommendation during the admissions
process, as do many fellowships; potential employers usually request a list of references that they
can contact to ask about you.
A letter of recommendation is a written reference designed to offer information about your
character and work ethic. A list of references is a list of people (often former supervisors or
professors) who know about your work and can offer more perspective than an interview can about
what you are like as an employee. Potential employers may contact references by email or telephone.
SELECTING A RECOMMENDER/REFERENCE
How do you choose whom to ask for a letter of recommendation or reference?
Remember that a recommendation anyone makes for you puts the reputation of the
recommender on
the line. Select someone:
Who knows your relevant skills, abilities and experience.
Who you have kept informed of your progress over some period of time (holiday greetings,
periodic email updates/check-ins).
Who you believe agrees with and will support your chosen course of action.
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MAKING THE ASK
Particularly for letters of recommendation, make sure they have advance notice and enough
time to prepare a good letter of recommendation. (Keep their calendar in mind as well as your
own - holidays and exams/grading periods are not good times for writing letters of
recommendation.)
Send an advance email or make a brief phone call to if they can write you a letter of
recommendation or be listed as a reference. Make it comfortable for them to either say yes, no
or maybe while maintaining the relationship.
o Tell them what is involved with this specific opportunity. (i.e. listing name and contact
information; talking to an employer; writing a letter of recommendation; filling out an
on-line recommendation form).
o On-line recommendation forms are the least flexible and often most time consuming.
o Explain the expectation clearly to them such as "You will receive an email from XYZ
asking you to log on to ABC website and fill out a form. I will send you a hard copy of
the form so you can see what is required."
If needed, be open to having a further conversation with them about your qualifications and
interest in this opportunity.
RECOMMENDATION LETTER PROCESS
The general rule is to MAKE IT EASY for the person to whom you are sending your request for
a
reference/recommendation. There is a good chance, especially if they are a professor, that
others are also asking them for a reference.
Once someone agrees to provide a reference or letter of recommendation for you, follow up
your initial inquiry with information about the opportunity
o For a letter of recommendation, this should be a detailed email (see next page).
o For a reference, a conversation or an email is fine. Include information about timing,
employer, position and our suitability.
If you need multiple letters, ask your reference to tailor it for each specific place; however,
remind them to make sure that the address/contact information matches the correct place.
After the process is over, send them a thank you email/note to let them know the outcome.
Not only does is show your appreciation but it also keeps them updated on your situation in
case you need help in the future.
INFORMATION TO PROVIDE TO YOUR RECOMMENDER
Supporting Materials: Resume and if needed, other documents (i.e. research paper, report,
blog posts)
Process Specifics: Deadline, relevant links, submission process
Explanation and Qualifications: Why you are applying and how this supports your
career/educational goals; How your background and motivations are aligned to their
requirements.
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DRAFTING YOUR OWN LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
It is common for referees to ask someone to draft or outline your own letter of recommendation.
Sometimes a referee will write it entirely themselves but other times they will use the draft or
outline you provide as a basis and then add, delete, and edit the information from there. A referee
may think very highly of you, and still ask for you to draft your own letter of recommendation to
make sure they don’t leave out your important qualifications because they are busy.
If your referee does not ask for a draft or outline of the letter of recommendation, you should still
provide them with the information listed above for letters of recommendation. If they ask for a
draft or outline, write a version of the letter that they could submit, although they may edit it.
Letters of recommendation vary widely in content and form, but solid letters contain a number of
common traits.
ACCOMPLISHMENT/QUALITIES: Make a list of key strengths and experiences you want to
include along with concrete, convincing evidence. Potential areas to consider:
o Professional/Academic Qualities: Are you an effective leader, a visionary and
forward thinker? Do you function as an active participant in a team setting? Are you a
keen analytical thinker? Are you capable of conducting sophisticated research?
o Strengths/Specific Skills: Do you communicate constructively, consistently and
concisely? Do you have strong interpersonal or presentational skills? Fluency in
certain languages? Digital or social media experience? Are you technologically savvy?
o Personal Qualities: Do you work well collaboratively with others? Are you creative?
Adaptable to change? Are you a highly motivated self-starter?
o Past Accomplishments: What are the principal two or three accomplishments you
have achieved under this person’s guidance?
o Future Potential: What do you believe you are capable of achieving?
RECOMMENDATION LETTER OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION (1 paragraph)
o Begin by clearly stating referee’s position, where they work, their relationship to you, and
how long you have known and/or worked with one another (what context) and general
“thesis” statement regarding your abilities/suitability for position.
o Give a general impression of yourself with specific information on why you are qualified,
what you can contribute, and why your referee is providing a letter of recommendation.
BODY (2-3 paragraphs)
o State your most noteworthy qualities as it applies to this program or job position, and
support that claim with a specific anecdote.
o Include additional relevant and compelling traits and back them up by offering examples
that clearly illustrate these qualities.
CONCLUSION (1 paragraph)
o State why you think your plans suit you (as your referee) and how you think you will
contribute to the program or company.
o Strongly reaffirm your confidence in your abilities (as your referee) and conclude by
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telling the readers they should feel free to contact you (the referee) in case they need more
information. Include their contact information beneath your signature and name.
SAMPLE LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
Dear Selection Committee,
When I think about a student who best exemplifies leadership and a commitment to socially
responsible management, First Name Last Name is at the top of the list! First name has
consistently impressed me with their maturity, vision and sense of responsibility about making an
impact in the world.
During one of our first meetings, First Name talked about how they came to the Heller School to
become the Executive Director that they never had been their past work experiences. They had
originally imagined returning to the non- profit field in this capacity but now through their
academic coursework, leadership roles with Net Impact and expanded awareness of the shifting
delineation between the public, private and non-profit sectors, their vision of their future is very
different. There is such an animation in First Name’s face when they talks about Social Enterprise
and its current and potential global impact – it’s like they have discovered a whole new way to
look at the world and their role in this world. It’s always tremendous to see a student with such
personal introspection, willingness to challenge themselves and the ability to shift perspectives.
With their seven years background in the nonprofit sector, including marketing, fundraising,
program management, and external relations at a diverse range of agencies, they bring a depth of
experience and understanding to the MBA program; however, that is not what impresses me most
about them. It is the manner with which they works to take initiative, problem solve and
collaborate with students, faculty and staff. They have that capacity to balance experience,
knowledge and emotional intelligence in a style that makes people want to be a part of their team.
Based on all of this and more, I highly recommend First Name Last Name for this opportunity and
truly look forward to seeing what impact they continues to have in this world!
Best regards,
First Name Last Name
Director, Career and Student Services
111-333-3333; AFinley@brandeis.edu
