Articles & Advice

Recommendation Cheat Sheet

By Stacy Blackman
Admissions Strategy Consultant

Tips for You

Things to consider when selecting a recommender:

Since 2001, Stacy Blackman Consulting has helped hundreds of clients gain admission to every top business school in the world. The company's approach, based on developing and implementing a winning marketing strategy, makes the application process less stressful and more successful.

1. Choose people who you work with closely and who know you well. The person’s stature is not as important as how well they know you.
   
   
2. Choose people who like you and who think you are good at what you do.
   
   
3. Choose good writers who can express themselves clearly.
   
   
4. If a recommender seems ambivalent, you may want to ask someone else. You do not want that ambivalence to come through.
   
   
5. If you select two references from the same company, try to make sure they can provide different perspectives so as not to seem repetitive.
   
   
6. Avoid selecting family members or anyone who could be perceived as being biased. These recommendations will not be credible.

Tips for Your Recommender

Here are some pointers you can print up and give to your recommender once you decide who you want to write on your behalf:

1. Recommendations should be school specific and answer in detail each individual question; please do not prepare a generic reference letter for all schools.
   
   
2. Recommenders may be busy and think that the candidate should write their own letters for your sign-off. This is not a good idea as schools may recognize that the letters are in the same style as the essays.
   
   
3. If there is a grid that asks the reference to rank the candidate on a number of dimensions, it is not necessary to indicate that the candidate is in the top 2% in every category. It is important that the ratings are credible.
   
   
4. Early on, in an introductory paragraph, establish credentials with the school. Recommenders should tell the school how long they have known the applicant and in what capacity. Limited information about the recommender may build credibility, such as mentioning that they have an MBA, or have been a banker for 15 years. However, keep the focus on the candidate.
   
   
5. An honest assessment of the candidate’s weaknesses is as important as a review of the strengths. Thoughtfully and honestly review where the candidate can improve. This will give credibility to the rest of the recommendation.
   
   
6. Specific examples should be focused in the following six key areas: analytical skills, leadership potential, maturity, integrity, potential to contribute back to environment and team skills.
   
   
7. The best letters are very clear on a candidate’s successful past and future potential and are filled with vivid, detailed examples. They are enthusiastic, as well as honest and thorough.
   
   
8. When discussing strengths, it is very easy to make statements such as, "Jane is the best leader I have ever encountered." However, remember that unless this is backed up by specific examples, it is not believable. Give strong examples that reinforce the traits you are describing.
   
   
9. The following four areas should be emphasized throughout the recommendation:
   • Professional experience
   • Clarity of goals
   • "Fit" to a particular school
   • Interpersonal skills
   
   
10. Recommendations should highlight a key distinguishing factor – how are you different from others with similar skills sets or resumes?
    
    
11. Recommendations should discuss personal attributes that are not easily described in essays, such as integrity, respect, honesty.
    
    
12. Application deadlines are not negotiable. If it is not possible to meet the deadline, the applicant may choose to ask someone else.
    
    
13. Sometimes a reference can address a special circumstance that the candidate does not want to or is unable to address elsewhere in the application. For instance, the candidate worked with a particularly difficult manager, or was dealing with a family illness. The recommendation letter can be a good opportunity to bring such issues to light in a less direct way.
    
    
14. End the letter on a high note with a strong final endorsement. Make the school aware of the ways that the candidate will positively impact the school.