-
rhunter
- Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 8:19 pm
- Thanked: 1 times
- Followed by:2 members
Hi All!
I finished my M.S. in Mechanical Engineering just over 6 years ago and have been in industry since. I have only been at my current job a year, though they are very understanding and willing to work with me on going to a full time MBA program. I just scored a 720 on the GMAT last weekend - happy to be done - not retaking.
I am trying to figure out whom to ask for letters of recommendation. I can ask people at my current work, but I don't really have definable "superiors" here and I have much more history with my managers at my last job who may be able to speak better to my strengths. Additionally, one of my business partners in my side company is a long time friend/classmate/coworker and can speak better to my strenghts and potential, both in a personal and a professional sense, than almost anyone.
So, the question is two-part:
a) Is a letter from my current employer preferred over one from my last employer, even if it means they have less history off which to base their letter? Or should I get one from here and one from there?
b) Would it be acceptable to use the side-business partner for one of the letters (for the schools allowing 3 letters)?
Quick background:
Undergrad: 2 years working in research labs (almost full time), awarded most outstanding senior design project, started graduate course work during undergraduate senior year - 3.0 GPA
Grad school: 2 years working in a National Laboratory, both on thesis and non-thesis research projects - 3.2 GPA
Work:
- 1 year at an engineering firm working on projects from a wide range of industries with big-name companies
- 4 years at a leading rocket engine manufacturer (subsidiary of a Fortune 100 company) - engineer at the start, moved to business development analyst by the end (responsibilities included managing the internal R&D budget process)
- 1 year at an alternative fuels startup - backed by Google, GE, BP, Northbridge Partners (just to name a few)
- 2 years (on the side) running an engineering consulting and design company assisting other startups who do not have the technical capabilities needed to develop their first conceptual/prototype system. We work to get them to a point where they can then go to investors with something more concrete than a napkin sketch. (BTW, I am hoping this will count as my main extra-curricular activity...there isn't a whole lot of time left in the day between working one startup and running another)
I finished my M.S. in Mechanical Engineering just over 6 years ago and have been in industry since. I have only been at my current job a year, though they are very understanding and willing to work with me on going to a full time MBA program. I just scored a 720 on the GMAT last weekend - happy to be done - not retaking.
I am trying to figure out whom to ask for letters of recommendation. I can ask people at my current work, but I don't really have definable "superiors" here and I have much more history with my managers at my last job who may be able to speak better to my strengths. Additionally, one of my business partners in my side company is a long time friend/classmate/coworker and can speak better to my strenghts and potential, both in a personal and a professional sense, than almost anyone.
So, the question is two-part:
a) Is a letter from my current employer preferred over one from my last employer, even if it means they have less history off which to base their letter? Or should I get one from here and one from there?
b) Would it be acceptable to use the side-business partner for one of the letters (for the schools allowing 3 letters)?
Quick background:
Undergrad: 2 years working in research labs (almost full time), awarded most outstanding senior design project, started graduate course work during undergraduate senior year - 3.0 GPA
Grad school: 2 years working in a National Laboratory, both on thesis and non-thesis research projects - 3.2 GPA
Work:
- 1 year at an engineering firm working on projects from a wide range of industries with big-name companies
- 4 years at a leading rocket engine manufacturer (subsidiary of a Fortune 100 company) - engineer at the start, moved to business development analyst by the end (responsibilities included managing the internal R&D budget process)
- 1 year at an alternative fuels startup - backed by Google, GE, BP, Northbridge Partners (just to name a few)
- 2 years (on the side) running an engineering consulting and design company assisting other startups who do not have the technical capabilities needed to develop their first conceptual/prototype system. We work to get them to a point where they can then go to investors with something more concrete than a napkin sketch. (BTW, I am hoping this will count as my main extra-curricular activity...there isn't a whole lot of time left in the day between working one startup and running another)
