5 Tips For Selecting Your Recommenders
Who you select to write your letters of recommendation is a key decision in the application process. It can be tempting to select the person with the most prestigious resume or the person easiest to discuss your business school plans with. I encourage you to carefully weigh your options. Once you have selected the right person, you also have to prepare them carefully. I will be publishing a blog specifically on this shortly.
Here are the guiding principles I advise when selecting recommenders:
1)Dont just look for impressive titles.
This is not to say that impressive titles are a bad thing, but this should not be a primary criteria. Admissions committee members will see right through a strategy to have the CEO of your company, with whom you sat in on one meeting, write a letter for you. Not only will they not be able to explain the most important aspects of your candidacy, but it may not be a very credible letter if it is clear you dont have a strong relationship with the recommender.
2)Look for someone who will take the time to write a great letter.
This addresses two very important criteria. It is best to select someone who is not only a good writer, but who will take the necessary time to write a great letter. Not everyone is great at writing and similarly, not everyone realistically has time to draft a carefully thought out letter. The quality of the writing is important in demonstrating your candidacy. That said, dont worry about English proficiency. Letters are not evaluated based on grammar alone.
3)Select someone who knows you well.
This is one of the most important pieces of advice I can provide. It is crucial that your recommender be familiar with your work, your character, your strengths, your weaknesses and your career aspirations. The best letters show intimate familiarity with the candidate. The recommender should also be familiar with your peers and be able to talk about how you compare. The use of specific examples will be important (more on that in my next blog) and the better the recommender knows you, the easier and more genuine these will be.
4)Ask non-professional references if you have strong extracurriculars and/or weak recommendation options at work.
While the general advice is to select professional supervisors to write your letters of recommendation, there are some exceptions to this rule. If you have taken a considerable role in an activity outside of work, such as a leadership role in a sizeable charitable organization, you might consider asking a colleague/supervisor in this organization to write on your behalf. If you devote a considerable amount of time to this activity, particularly if it requires strong leadership, this person should know you well and be positioned to write a strong letter. Further, they will be able to provide a different perspective on your candidacy.
Similarly, if you dont have a suitable professional reference option, perhaps because you absolutely cannot tell your supervisor you are applying to business school or because your company is structured such that you dont work closely with one particular person, you may be best suited selecting a non-professional reference.
5)Use additional influential / alumni letters in some cases.
While I said title should not be a factor in selecting your recommenders, some candidates might be lucky enough to have a close relationship (even a personal one) with someone who has strong ties to the school of their dreams. In this case (and you never know what connections you might actually have until you inquire), it is worth taking the time consider them as an additional recommender. Again, this is a case by case basis and I am happy to advise clients on this specific situation.
Remember, regardless of who you select to write your letters of recommendation, early notice is key. Dont wait too long to make these requests. Need help with your LOR strategy or any part of the MBA application process? Personal MBA Coach is here to help! We are a boutique admissions consulting firm helping clients since 2008 with a 96% success rate! Whether it is GMAT/GRE tutoring, school selection, letters of recommendation planning or essay development, we can help you achieve your career goals! Call today: +1 617-645-2424 or email for a consultation with founder Scott Edinburgh.