Since May, I’ve written letters for several former students–a junior who was applying for a part-time summer job in BG, a graduate seeking admission to an innovative high school teaching internship program in New York, a senior who was applying for a graduate teaching assistantship, and an M. A. graduate who was applying for a teaching position at a community college. Each letter of recommendation had to be tailored for the individual and the particular application, but in each case, my task was made easier by three factors. First, I knew the students well, having had them in recent classes, or in one case, having been a member of his M. A. oral exam committee. Second, I had examples of their written work. In the one case where that wasn’t true, the student had thoughtfully provided several graded papers from our semester together back in 2004. Third, although all of these were excellent students–and I could have gone on at some length about their good characters, work ethics, analytic skills, writing abilities, etc.–it was also crucial that I had or was given some information about which qualities the employer or graduate school was seeking.
How to ask for the letter? I was so impressed with the following e-mail that I’ve asked permission to share it with you:
Dear Professor Green,
I hope your Summer is going well! I hope you remember me; I am one of
your advising students and I was in your Lit, Theory class last
semester. I am writing this to request a favor from you. At the end of
last semester, you mentioned that you would be willing to write
letters of recommendation for anyone in the class looking for work
over the Summer. I am applying for a respite care job at Lifeskills
and am in need of letters of recommendation. If you remember me enough
to be able to compose a letter, I would appreciate it so much. The job
for which I am applying is basically a companion and part time care
provider for developmentally challenged individuals. I hope that my
letters of reccomendation will reinforce my claims of responsibility,
punctuality, and motivation. If you are willing to write this letter
for me, I would be more than happy to come and pick it up at any time.
I look forward to hearing from you and I hope you have a wonderful
day!
Whether you are just beginning your first semester at WKU, or looking for temporary employment, or seeking your first post-baccalaureate job, or applying for graduate or professional school, here are some suggestions about securing good letters:
• Remember me? Since you will probably need letters of recommendation, keep in mind that getting to know your professors and letting them know you is important. This is assuming, of course, that you are making a good impression, not being chronically late in turning in assignments, unprofessional in your writing standards, or unresponsive in class!
• My resume: When applying for a full-time job or for graduate school, provide a brief resume of your accomplishments to jog your references’ memories–of occasions when they’ve seen you read your poetry or a critical paper, for instance. The best letters of recommendation are persuasive essays that include specific details to make the case for you. Writing a great letter of recommendation is a sales job, and your reference needs to know the product she is selling.
• My grades: For the same reason, when you ask a prof to write a letter for you, it is a good idea to offer to provide some graded examples of work you did in her class.
• My goals: Where appropriate, you will want to include some description of your goals. If the job you are seeking is only a temporary one, this will not be so important, but if you are applying for a teaching internship because you have belatedly decided that teaching high school may be just the thing for you, and that working with accomplished teachers in New York would be an exciting way to approach the field, your reference needs to know that.
• Key terms: If it would be helpful to have your prof include key terms or qualities that the potential employer is seeking, or if you would like her to mention pertinent experiences you had in her class, a brief note of explanation may ensure that the resulting letter touches those bases.
• Stamped envelope: As a courtesy, you should provide a stamped, addressed envelope for each letter.
• Timing: Since really good letters of recommendation take time to compose, you will want to make the request several weeks in advance. Once your references have agreed to provide letters for you, it is an excellent idea to send an e-mail reminder at least a week in advance of the due date. In addition, even after the letters presumably have been sent, you should check to see that they have been received.
• Thanks! It is important to send a thank-you note to each of your references, and when you have received good news about the application, be sure to share it.