Letters of recommendation (LoR) are sought by business schools from MBA applicants to gain additional insight into their career success or potential while assessing personal and professional strengths as well as weaknesses.
Being the only part of the application that is not filled in by the candidates themselves, some of you may get confused about whom to approach and what kind of information should be included in the LoRs. However, with a little bit of care and effort, you would be able to make Letters of recommendation work for you.
Whom to approach for LoR:
Most of the schools specify that the recommendation should come from the current direct supervisor. Among the most common mistakes the candidates make is in approaching the CEO or someone in the top management for the letter.
They feel that the title carries weight while forgetting that the person may not be directly involved in assessing the work or be aware of the qualities displayed by the applicant at work.
But what is to be done if you are self employed or working in a family business with a family member is the supervisor?
In other such cases, you could be among who may have joined a new post and the supervisor may not have had time to form an assessment. Sometimes, you may not also want your immediate superior to know about plans to join a B-school.
In such situations, you could approach a former supervisor, a client or any other individual you feel would provide an honest evaluation of your work and capabilities.
What goes into the LoR:
The letter should provide specific examples illustrating your various qualities in leadership, team player and other such attributes. The schools may also ask the recommendation writer to assess the candidate on some character traits and competencies to judge whether he or she is the right fit for the program.
Thus, it would be in your interest to supply such information. Spend some time talking to them ans supply evidence in the shape of recent performance reviews that would provide concrete examples of your skills and achievements.
Choosing the recommendation letter writer:
It would be worthwhile for candidates to give some thought to choosing the right kind of person to write the letter. He or she should be someone who knows you well enough for some years to provide the kind of information sought by the school. They should have the time to pen the letter with all the details.
What all to avoid in LoR:
Do not approach family, friends or professors. In case of a family run enterprise, get the recommendation from a client, customer or non-family member. Getting a recommendation from a professor would not be of much value since the business school already knows about your classroom performance from the records already submitted.
Do not attempt to write your own LoR. It is strictly against the rules. Even if a recommendation letter writer suggests that you write the letter and he would put his signature, find someone else. (Image Courtesy: www.flickr.com)
