Letters of Recommendation
Recommendation letters are a vital element of a business school applicant's profile because they offer the admissions committees their only truly objective window into the candidate's abilities. For this reason, recommenders can contribute significantly to a candidate's chances for success, but only if their letters are written in a credible and compelling manner.
Writing Your Own Recommendation
Writing your own recommendation letters can seem like a blessing. Suddenly, you have the power to control a part of the application process that was previously beyond you. So, your downside risk in these letters is mitigated and your upside is infinite, right? Well, things do not quite work that way.
Admissions committees are not seeking blustery rave reviews, but want recommendations that are detailed and personal, intimate and sincere. Can you really write about yourself with dispassionate sincerity? And even if you are a master of "dispassionate sincerity," are you able to capture the subtleties that allow you to stand out from your fellow applicants? For example, suppose that in addition to the many important things you do at work every day, you also occasionally do something thoughtful that you do not even perceive as significant—you take new team members to lunch. While you might consider "closing the big deal" meaningful, others might instead appreciate and admire this small yet impactful act, which helps forge team unity and illustrates your mentoring skills. Unfortunately, you may lack the objectivity necessary to ensure that this positive aspect of your character is included in your letter.
This is just one simple example; our point is that you probably will not know what is missing from your letter if you write it yourself!
Choosing a Recommender
If you are having trouble negotiating with your supervisor to ensure that he/she is putting the proper thought and effort into your application, you are not alone. Because of the inherent asymmetry of power, a junior employee can only do so much to compel his/her supervisor to sit down and write thoughtfully. So, before you designate your supervisor as a recommender, you must first understand his/her level of commitment to helping you with your candidacy. If your recommender intends to simply write a single letter and force it to "fit" the school's questions, or if he/she plans to attach a standard letter to the end of the school's recommendation form, then your recommender is not helping you—in fact, he/she is hurting you! By neglecting to put the necessary time and effort into your recommendation, your recommender is sending a very clear message to the admissions committee: "I don't really care about this candidate."
If you cannot convince your recommender to write a personalized letter or to respond to your target school's individual questions using specific examples, you will need to look elsewhere. A well-written personalized letter from an interested party is always far better than a poorly written letter from your supervisor. We estimate that one of every five applicants has an issue with one of their current supervisors that prevents them from asking for a recommendation. Common issues include the following:
- Brief tenure with current firm
- Disclosing business school plans could compromise promotions, bonuses or potential increases in salary
- Supervisor is "too busy" to help and either refuses the request or tells the applicant to write the recommendation him/herself, which the applicant is unprepared to do
- Supervisor does not believe in the MBA degree and would not be supportive of this path
- Supervisor is a poor manager and refuses to assist junior staff
- Candidate is an entrepreneur or works in a family business and thus lacks a credible supervisor
If you cannot ask your supervisor for his/her assistance or do not have a suitable supervisor, do not worry; other options are available. Begin by considering alternative recommenders, such as a mentor, previous employer, supplier, client, legal counsel, representative from an industry association or anyone else who knows your work particularly well. Then, after you have identified your replacement recommender, use the optional essay to briefly explain the nature of your situation and your relationship with this individual. As long as you clarify your choice, the admissions committee will understand your situation.
Time Crunch
A common question among candidates as the end of the application round approaches is "What if my recommenders don't get their letters done by the deadline?"
In our opinion, the easiest way to ensure that your recommenders complete their letters on time is to present them with your own deadline, which is earlier than the school's. If the application to your school of choice is due on January 15th, for example, tell your recommenders that you are submitting on the 8th. (Incidentally, submitting your application early can be good for your sanity as well.) By setting this advanced deadline, you can put some additional pressure on your recommender on the 8th (if he/she has not finished the letter) and should still be able to submit on time—and not have to deal with a major problem, had this happened on the actual deadline day.
Many candidates make the error of handing their letters off to their recommenders and praying for the best. With some simple preparation, you can reduce stress for yourself as well as your recommenders!
