PAHC 2007-2008 LETTER OF RECOMMENDATIONS
THREE TYPES OF RECOMMENDATION LETTERS Letters of recommendation differ based on who writes them and for what purpose. There are three basic types. Type of letter Employment recommendation Academic recommendation Character reference From Employer Teacher, professor Friend, relative Usual purpose Include other pertinent information about you-- things not readily apparent from admission test scores or transcripts
CHARACTER REFERENCES
Character reference letters are a special category of recommendation because they are usually written by friends, neighbors or relatives. These letters meet a variety of nonGetting a job employment and non-academic related needs. Everything from Getting into college or graduate school, receiving a gaining memberships and winning awards to child custody and scholarship or fellowship adoptions. Character reference letters can also be useful in job seeking. For adoption, court Getting a job, winning an award, childsample character letters and more information on this kind of recommendation hearing, etc. Requesting a letter of recommendation You not only need the letter, you need it to be as effective as possible. So it's important to plan your request. WHO TO ASK Given a choice about who to ask, ask someone who Is comfortable writing a letter for you Can write well and write easily Has experience writing letters of recommendation Is familiar with your work Knows you well enough to be able to include personal anecdotes in the letter Has the highest and/or most relevant job title
These distinctions are not carved in stone. Professors often write letters aimed at helping students secure employment. Employers often write letters to help current or former employees gain admission to academic programs. EMPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATIONS Whether you are laid off or leave your job on your own accord a letter of recommendation from your employer can be a valuable tool for finding a new job. Such a letter is often preferable to listing your supervisor and his or her phone number on your resume. A reference letter Provides an organized analysis of your attributes and abilities Is a "fresh when written" appraisal not clouded by time Creates an unchanging assessment Saves future employers the effort of interviewing your former supervisor Saves your former supervisor the time and trouble of being interviewed
Importantly, obtaining a written letter also gives you insight into how your former employer perceives you-- on balance either favorably or unfavorably. With this information in hand you can spotlight a good reference or downplay a poor one. ACADEMIC RECOMMENDATIONS Letters of recommendation are required for acceptance to the vast majority of both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Often applicants must provide three or more letters. While requirements differ by institution, program and concentration, generally speaking successful academic recommendations should Provide testimony to your aptitude, curiosity and industriousness Demonstrate your maturity and seriousness of purpose Speak to your leadership ability Paint you as "well rounded" Compliment your character
These guidelines apply to both supervisors and teachers. Keep in mind that if you've been working in Payroll but want a new career in Marketing, a letter from the Sales Manager of your old company will carry more weight than one from the Accounting Manager. Also, the higher up the writer the more clout the letter will carry. For example, a letter of recommendation from a full professor is more valuable than one from an assistant professor. WHEN TO ASK Situations vary, but the more time you can allow for receiving your letter the better. As a general rule request your letter at least a month or two in advance. HOW TO ASK Always be forthright when requesting a letter of recommendation. Explain exactly why the letter is needed and its importance to you. In addition Lead up to the request if possible. Get a sense of the writer's comfort level before actually making the request Never put the writer on the spot
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PAHC 2007-2008 LETTER OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Always offer to provide information that makes the writing task easier (biographical data, employment or attendance timelines, etc.) As a practical matter, if writing the letter will clearly be a favor make sure the writer knows you understand that If the subject is broached by the writer, offer to compose the letter yourself for the writer to sign recommendation are almost always the same. In other words, good recommendation letters are highly formulaic. So, approaching your letter from this context will not only make your writing easier-- it will make your recommendation more useful. PUT YOURSELF IN THE READER'S SHOES The reader of your letter will most likely have read hundreds of recommendations before, and will have only limited time to devote to it. The business reader will have the applicant's resume. The academic reader will have the applicant's transcript and his or her standardized test scores. Additionally, both types of readers will have the opportunity to interview their respective candidate. What they need from you are four things. A sense that your credentials are meaningful and therefore what you say in your letter is worth listening to A sense that you know the candidate well enough to form sound judgments A sense of whether or not you are vouching for the candidate Insights into the candidate's personal dimensions. Insights that cannot be gleaned from a resume or transcript, and often not from an interview.
WRITING A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION DON'T WRITE A LETTER UNLESS... Never agree to write a letter of recommendation unless you Have the time to write it Know the individual well enough to discuss him or her in a tangible way Honestly feel comfortable writing the letter
It is easier and better for all involved to politely say no when any of these conditions are not met. NO NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL While it's true that the more personalized a letter of recommendation is the more effective it will probably be. And it's true that writing a letter, any letter, involves a certain amount of creativity. It's also true that in terms of their underlying dynamics, what they cover and how they are organized-- letters of THE UNDERLYING DYNAMICS OF RECOMMENDATIONS
These four items form the underlying dynamics of recommendation letters. Include all four in your letter, make them easily discernable, and you will have accomplished your task.
Each of the four underlying dynamics plays a role in determining the ultimate value of a recommendation, but only one requires much writing. Dynamic
Writer's credibility
Comment
What is writer's expertise? How important is writer? How relevant is writer's background to his or her recommendation? Is writer individual's supervisor, professor, co-worker? How long has writer been in a position to judge individual's talent and performance? Is the writer strongly positive about individual, lukewarm, or something else?
How communicated
On letterhead and/or signature title In second sentence in opening paragraph of letter (see letter format section below) Made clear in first sentence of opening paragraph and reiterated in closing (see section below on communicating your overall opinion of the individual)
Writer's relationship to individual
Writer's overall opinion of individual
Business examples Ambitious? Responsible? Problem solver? Extroverted? Cooperative? Can stand the heat? How individual rates on personal dimensions Good character? Academic examples Love of field? Ambitious? Serious about studies? Can stand the rigor? Leadership potential?
Addressed in the body of the letter. Covering these or other similar dimensions makes up the bulk of the letter (see letter format section below).
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PAHC 2007-2008 LETTER OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Well rounded? Good character?
LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FORMAT As a rule letters of recommendation are organized into three sections. They usually contain between five and nine paragraphs. Total word count can range from 200 to 600. Section Length Content
Sentence 1-- State the purpose of the letter, namely that you're writing a recommendation concerning the individual Opening 1 paragraph of a couple sentences Sentence 2-- Explain how you know the individual. State from where and for how long you've known him or her. Be very clear about the working relationship involved. That is, explain whether he or she was your subordinate, co-worker, student, etc. Paragraph 2-- Ease into the specifics contained in the rest of the body. Use this paragraph to characterize the individual in general terms. 2 to 6 paragraphs of 2 to 4 sentences each Paragraphs 3 thru 6-- Address personal dimensions such as those listed above that you feel are pertinent and for which you have direct knowledge. Include anecdotes to back-up your assessments. Cover 1 or 2 dimensions per paragraph. Final paragraph of body section-- If relevant, explain why the individual is seeking a new assignment. For example, if he or she was laid off mention why. Closing 1 or 2 paragraphs of a couple sentences Express your level of confidence in the individual. Explain the extent to which you believe he or she is suited to the job or program sought.
Body
REC LETTER LENGTH Longer is not necessarily better. The reader, either the personnel professional or the admissions officer, is not likely to hang on every word. More probably, he or she will be doing a quick take on each of the four dynamics outlined earlier. What is important is that letter length in and of itself affects the reader's perceptions. Dynamic
Writer's credibility Writer's relationship to individual Writer's overall opinion of individual How individual rates on personal dimensions
Comment
The more important the writer's title the less time the writer can devote The closer the writer is to the individual the more likely the writer will include anecdotes Communicated in opening and reinforced in closing The more the individual stands out on a particular dimension the more apt that dimension will be covered at length.
Expected length
Shorter letter Longer letter Does not influence letter length One or more longer paragraphs
COMMUNICATING YOUR OVERALL OPINION OF THE INDIVIDUAL When you combine the likelihood that the reader will not be devoting much time to reading with the truism that first impressions are not only potent but hard to overcome, it's becomes clear that communicating your overall opinion of the individual should be done very early in your letter. In fact, recommendation letter writers almost always communicate most if not all of their true opinion when they open their letters. The trouble is it is often unconscious. So, it's important to understand the message you send when you open and to make sure it matches the tone of the rest of your letter. Example opening words This letter is in reference to This serves as a letter of reference for Opinion of individual Very low Fairly low
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PAHC 2007-2008 LETTER OF RECOMMENDATIONS
I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation for I am pleased to recommend It is a genuine pleasure and honor for me to recommend WRITING YOUR OWN LETTER Since writing a letter of recommendation can easily consume 1 to 2 hours, it is not unusual for a busy manager or professor to hand all or part of the writing task back to the individual making a request. If you find yourself composing your own recommendation keep in mind You have two audiences, the signer and the recipient. While you must satisfy both, the signer is more important. So try to write from his or her perspective. Follow the letter of recommendation format outlined above. Address several personal dimensions. Obviously you want to emphasize your strongest points, but be aware that too much attention to one or two things is often perceived as a lack of breadth. Be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses. Don't let overcompensation for weaknesses drive what you say. Unless asked to do otherwise, only deliver a complete, polished version of the letter-- one theoretically ready for signing. If the signer nevertheless wishes to add or delete something, accept his or her changes gracefully. SAMPLE COLLEGE RECOMMENDATION (GRADUATE)
To Whom It May Concern: As Principal of George Mason High School I am delighted to recommend to you a stellar member of our teaching staff, Mr. Samuel Cohen, and to write this letter on his behalf. Sam has taught American History at the school for three years. He is one of our most popular and effective instructors and has already won several teaching awards. He came to us directly upon completion of his bachelor’s degree, but immediately settled in as if an old pro. Sam is a master of all of the ingredients of successful teaching, especially the ability to inspire. This gentleman is highly professional in both dress and demeanor. To my knowledge Sam has never come to work without both a suit and tie, more times than not a bow tie. The majority of others at the school, both teachers and students, dress differently and lean to more informality. Never once, however, has Sam’s manner of dress elicited the slightest comment. Why? It is simply because Sam’s attire seems entirely natural given his dignified comportment. That comportment in turn is driven by Sam’s love and respect for American History. Sam views himself as the messenger for something serious and important, and this is reflected in the way he teaches and in the way his students respond. Reaction to Sam’s classes has been overwhelmingly positive. So much so that more than once it has been reported to me that study hall students have been spotted lingering outside the door to Sam’s classroom listening to his lessons. Sam’s impact has even been felt outside the school with the parents themselves. His section on the importance of voting has inspired students to cajole their parents to register to vote. Several have mentioned this to me at parent-teacher meetings. One even called the school to have me pass on their thanks to Mr. Cohen. The only thing that we in the school administration have ever worried about in regard to Sam is the prospect of funding his bottled water. Sam is such a passionate and prolific speaker that he needs a steady supply to maintain his voice. So far we have gotten a pass on this, as students have bought it for him, including what must have been a year’s supply on his last birthday. It will be a sad day when we announce that Sam will be pursuing his graduate degree on a fulltime basis. We can only hope that he keeps his promise and returns to us as soon as the ink is dry on his new diploma. Sincerely, Harold W. Brown Principal George Mason High School
Average Fairly high Very high
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