The Application Process

I have a dilmena.

As of today, I technically have only 1 recommender, which of course, for most schools, won't cut it.

The second person I asked to be my recommender is my current boss (the EVP of our company, somebody who promoted me and whom I work with daily). I had asked him several months back, and he gladly accepted.

The problem?

At the time, I was thinking of applying to part time programs (NYU and Columbia) which would allow me to continue working at my current company. I've had a change of heart, however, and am applying strictly to full time programs. As my wife is also applying to PhD programs, our schools were carefully selected to ensure maximum insurance for both of us to get into schools in the same locaiton.

None are in a location I can travel to from my current office.

What do I do? I don't want to get fired, but feel my application is MUCH stronger with my EVP's rec than if I went to somebody from my past.

Help!!!

It's a tough situation, and one I can definitely empathize with, as I also was not in a position to ask my current boss for a recommendation.

It's hard to give much advice without knowing the specifics of your situation, such as how long you've been at the company and in your position. And only you know your boss personally and how he reacts to things. However, if you've been there for a few years, you may be surprised (in a good way) at his reaction. Most employers understand that people move on, and it's better to lose an employee with months of advance notice to go back to school than to lose them to a competitor with two weeks' notice. Plus, you have your wife and her plans to take into account, which many people would also understand.

On the other hand, if you feel strongly that your job would be in jeopardy over this, or if your boss would write a rec that is less than enthusiastic out of spite, you're absolutely better off using someone from the past. Hope this is a little helpful, and again, I know how you feel - recommendations have been the most stressful part of the application experience for me.

Thanks for the reply!

I've been at my current company for almost 2 years, and have been promoted after proposing a new business idea. I now report directly to our EVP and work on a very close basis with him.

We get along on very friendly terms, often talking sports and family. He also got his MBA, but did so part-time while working...