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LOR Question - Experts, please chime in

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LOR Question - Experts, please chime in

by slique12 » Sun Oct 23, 2011 8:51 am
I am currently in the process of applying to B schools for round 2 and have a question that I am sure is faced by many applicants. Lets say revealing my mba aspirations at this stage to my boss is not the best idea, for multiple reasons, and I have chosen not to. However, lets say I do have one or two good contacts at work (more senior than I) who would be more accepting of this news and be willing sources for my LOR. I know how much B schools prefer recommendations from someone who is a direct supervisor. Is it possible to use this contact and label them as my boss and go through with the application? Of course, one would need to make sure the LOR sounds genuine, includes info from a 1 to 1 perspective, etc. So, is it at all possible? Or is it too easy for schools to catch your bluff?

I know the above sounds a little unethical, but I believe it is more of working the system rather than cheating the system. Please feel free to submit honest responses.
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by throughmba » Sun Oct 23, 2011 1:13 pm
Hi

One LOR must originate from the workplace. You really need to talk to somebody who can comment on your professional experience. If that cant be your boss, immediate supervisor or some functional supervisor. Now-a-days I tell my applicants to get clients recommendation.

The clients might be distant but then your interaction with them has a different value. If they can be convinced then you are great to go. Sit for a session and tell him/her about your plans and specifics.

LoRs are great supplements of good profiles because they symbolize relationship. There can be chinks in arrangements and they might hurt your application.
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by essaysnark » Sun Oct 23, 2011 7:12 pm
Hi slique12--

Our honest response is be honest in every aspect of your application. Many schools do background checks upon acceptance; your admission to the program is conditional, based on that process. If something doesn't check out, they could ditch you. Not worth it.

It's also unnecessary. What you're describing is a totally common situation and the schools totally understand it. All you need to do is use the other senior person, then tell the adcom why you made the choice. Some schools have a space in the online application to enter this; for others you'd include a super-short optional essay. You'd basically say exactly what you said in your post here (more formally of course) and without that little unethical thing you mentioned to us in the privacy of the BTG forums. Because it truly is unethical; you are misrepresenting the facts. And that's a pretty big no-no.

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by throughmba » Sun Oct 23, 2011 10:34 pm
Hi

One of my applicants got this response when he asked for the LOR. Though he was promised one in a casual talk. "I'm finding it extremely hard to write a letter of recommendation when you are taking sick days every other day." He had just taken 6 leaves in last year. This can be the attitude of a few managers. You have to find people who are amiable/amicable recommenders to give recos.

Some very busy managers ask to draft own letter of recommendation and then they would make any changes and sign it. Its a general norm now-a-days. You can ask somebody else to draft that one for your Manager and then present him for review. You can give them bullet points to let them know about your essays and goals as well. I had read WSJ article which suggested to get LoR's from people who have retired or moved on to a different position elsewhere. They are more likely and willing to talk freely. "It might also be beneficial to explain to references that information provided is based on their direct experience [with you] rather than as a representative of a given company."

Dont impersonate or make imaginary people send your LOR's. It may have worked for few people but it is lethal.
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by slique12 » Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:27 am
Thanks for the responses so far.
If the school do background checks, I think labeling someone as your manager would be very easy to catch as your information along with who is your supervisor are readily available. Thus, I think I will stay away from that route.

I have another question, and this is based on work history. If one extends their work experience at a particular job (if it wasnt in the US) from lets say 10 months to 1 year, simply because it looks better on paper and might reduce the gap between switching jobs, would that be easily caught as well?

I know the overall theme so far in this thread has been "be honest", but I find it hard to believe everyone applies to B schools without any exaggerations or even slightly modified history of themselves.
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by Jon@Admissionado » Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:33 am
Yep, calling someone your supervisor when they are not is a poor idea. HOWEVER, if you do have someone relatively high up in work who is SOME capacity supervises/is aware of your work, they COULD be a very good choice.

As for the date thing, you can never lie. Really. But you CAN omit. So for example, if you write 2010-2011, without giving months, then okay. But if they ask for the number of months, or the months themselves, you really need to be truthful. And soooo many people have these short work gaps. If it's a bit long you just need to explain, and there is always a good explanation to be found.
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by essaysnark » Tue Oct 25, 2011 6:13 am
slique12 wrote:I have another question, and this is based on work history. If one extends their work experience at a particular job (if it wasnt in the US) from lets say 10 months to 1 year, simply because it looks better on paper and might reduce the gap between switching jobs, would that be easily caught as well?
This is a common example that can easily be caught and cannot be easily explained. When you enter your dates of employment in the school's application, they need to be exact. If you enter 09/22/07 as your start date and it's really 09/25/07, then that won't be an issue, but if your dates are two months off, that will raise red flags. The background checks are very thorough and everything needs to match up.

Keep in mind that ethics is a huge priority at bschools; it has been for a generation now, starting with the Enron fiasco back in 2001, and slimebags like Bernie Madoff and most especially Raj Rajaratnam at Galleon and his sidekicks at McKinsey et al have made adcoms super careful.

There is absolutely no reason to lie on your applications. If you feel your profile isn't strong enough, work to make it stronger! If there's some glitch in your background, simply explain what was going on to the adcom. Nobody's profile is perfect, you don't need to try to whitewash the blemishes. You want to be able to be proud of yourself with all your accomplishments, getting into bschool included, and if you get in using shady practices, even if they seem "minoor", that just doesn't seem like the way to go.

Just our 2c; getting off the soapbox now.

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by throughmba » Tue Oct 25, 2011 6:37 am
Hi

Yes normally people dont lie. Its advised not to do so.

Even without that you can be projected special.

Factually you should be spot on.
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