How To Ask For A Letter of Recommendation Via Email (With Samples)
How to ask for a Letter of Recommendation (LOR): Examples
1) Testimonials: Before you write to your professor or manager asking for a letter of recommendation, you may want to keep in handy all the testimonials supporting your educational background, extra-curricular achievements, workplace achievements and appraisals as your referrer might want to peruse these documents before writing your LOR.
2) Plan in Advance: Universities in the US/UK/EU notify candidates in advance regarding the date by which the letters of recommendation have to be submitted. While most universities ask for LORs to be submitted along with the formal application, anytime before the application deadline, some universities prioritize its submission, asking for it to be sent separately, either via email or as a physical copy. It’s always a good idea to plan well ahead, to give your referrer the maximum possible time to gather a good idea about you and the course that you’re applying to, so that they are able to write you a strong, compelling and authentic letter of recommendation instead of putting it off until the very last moment. Remember, haste makes waste!
3) Determining your referrer: This is perhaps the most challenging step in the entire process of getting a letter of recommendation. You may not be really sure who you want to ask. While deciding on whom to choose as your referee, remember, the more recent your interaction with them, the better, as the universities want to know more about the current you and not who you were years ago! If it has been several years since you graduated from college, it might be a good idea to provide LORs from people who have worked closely with you more recently – generally your immediate superiors at work.
If, during your college days, you shared an excellent rapport with your professors, or stood out owing to your outstanding academic performance/extracurricular achievements, things ought to be relatively easy. However, if you were one of the backbenchers, who never let an opportunity to bunk classes slip by, or one of the silent ones who never really got noticed that closely by the professors, choosing someone who can write you a glowing letter of recommendation can be a tough call indeed!
Approach them in person in your college, have a word or two, share some of the challenges and responsibilities you’ve shouldered at work, and perhaps appreciate him in front of any current student of your college. This ensures the rekindling of a good personal relationship which you may or may not have had during your college days. There’s no harm in trying, right? Ensure that your professor gathers a good idea about you. Remind him of some of the instances from his classes that you can recollect, and some fond memories from your tenure as a student of that institute. In the process, slowly veer the discussion towards your intent of pursuing graduate studies abroad, once you sense that your professor would be comfortable in writing you a letter of recommendation.
On the professional front, you have considerably more leeway, as it is not always mandatory for your past employer or manager to be the one sending your LOR. Apart from them, you can also approach any business acquaintances, customers, colleagues and advisors whom you have worked closely with. Politely inquire about their availability and ask them what documents they might require in support of your application for a letter of recommendation. Keep in mind that you do not push either your professor or your manager to write you an LOR as in that case, they may not draw a good idea about you and might not be comfortable in writing you a letter of recommendation. At the end of the day, keep in mind the quantum of the personal relationship between you and your referrer.
4) Frame your request letter: It is imperative that you frame a convincing request letter to your professor or manager. Therefore, don’t rush with this step. Evaluate the tone of your request carefully. Always ensure that you respect the formal or professional boundaries that exist between you and your referrers, and consider their time availability before proceeding with your request. Humbly make a request to write you a reference letter and intimate them about the original date of submitting the letter of recommendation to the universities and attach copies of all your supporting testimonials along with your request letter.
Now, if you’re wondering what the format of your request letter ought to be, here’s one you can write over an email to your professor requesting him for a strong letter of recommendation.
- If you notice, the letter has been opened with a touch of nostalgia that usually triggers an emotion within the minds of the reader. The writer i.e. the candidate offers humble greetings and maintains due respect, and in keeping with the general format of formal letters, the intent of writing the letter has been clearly mentioned in the first paragraph itself.
- You should also remind your referrer about your achievements and let them know how grateful you are to them for their efforts, as an average college professor, deals with 500 students on a day-to-day basis. So, obviously, he may find it difficult to recall your achievements in particular, especially if a considerable amount of time has passed since you last interacted.
- Do not forget to attach/enclose your academic transcripts and every other proof of your educational or co-curricular achievements and other documents as you would want them to testify for your eligibility without missing out on any relevant details.
- Always maintain a tone of politeness in your request letter and leave it at the discretion of your referrer to provide you with a letter of recommendation. Refrain from coaxing him/her repeatedly or expressing immediacy. Allow your referrer the time to write keeping in mind that they have a hectic schedule and might need to go through the information that you have provided before beginning to write the letter of recommendation.
Now, it must have occurred to you that there might arise certain challenges in the entire process of requesting the letter of recommendation from your professor/manager. What could these challenges be?
1. A limited number of LORs to be provided by your professor: It might be the scenario that your professor is willing to share only a handful of LORs and there’s a rat race going on between you and your fellow batchmates. In that case, try to be one of the first applicants. An early application is always a safer proposition than putting it off till days before the deadline. Keep your transcripts and other documents ready beforehand and be among the first ones to request a letter of recommendation. You just might have the chance to make the cut.
2.Not willing to share personal details: Often, your referrer may not be comfortable with sharing details like contact numbers or address of correspondence with the institutions that you are applying to and the underlying reasons for this could be personal. It will not be a good idea to approach him for the reasons and instead, you might want to provide him with alternatives. Respect his decision and ask if he is comfortable with sharing his professional email id, workplace telephone number or other relevant credentials. Discuss with him how you may benefit with these details as admission officers from universities abroad tend to contact referrers at times to verify the authenticity of the LOR.
3.Reference Letter to Referrer Ratio: It is important that you understand, that the more number of reference letters you produce, it substantiates more of the information you provide in your admission application. If you require two letters of recommendation to be submitted, make a request to at least five professors/managers or higher authorities. You will then be able to produce the best reference letter according to you, to support your application. For this, it is recommended that you maintain a sound inter-personal relationship with your professors and managers and get known through your skills and contributions. Even if you are a student in your final year and are looking forward to starting your master’s program in the ensuing year, it’s not too late. You still have a lot of time for building professional relationships.
4.Documents: It is a good idea to provide your professor with a brief summary of your undergraduate career in writing. A compilation of your projects, workshops, seminars and co-curricular achievements helps your referrer with drafting a convincing letter of recommendation. In your workplace, provide your manager with past appraisal reports, project information and CSR (Corporate Social Activity) activity reports as he may be reluctant to go through the office computer and search for the same. It does not create a good impression if your referrer has to revert time and again, asking for information that could be incorporated in the letter of recommendation. Therefore, it is always safe to keep all your documents ready and provide them the same for reference. Allow your referrer to filter the documents and determine what he chooses to mention in the letter.
5.Confidentiality: If your referrer wants to keep any information confidential, always respect that. Do not coax them into sharing what he/she might have written. Many universities demand sealed envelopes containing the application and letter of recommendation from the candidates. In that case, your referrer may seal the envelope containing your reference letter beforehand. Do not try to open and peek into the envelope as the slightest mark of breach of confidentiality may be treated as a tampered document and may result in your candidature being disqualified.
I believe you now have a detailed insight into the process of acquiring a letter of recommendation, whom you should approach to get one, and what the steps are, in requesting for the same. Always keep in mind that it’s a simple request that you are making. The fulfillment of the request depends completely on your professional etiquette, behavior, interpersonal relationships and most importantly, your own achievements. A strong letter of recommendation is one which testifies the true capabilities of a candidate from both the educational as well as co-curricular standpoints and acquiring a letter of recommendation falls under your interest as it would state facts about you. So take a deep breath and imagine yourself holding a letter of recommendation for yourself. How would you like to read it? What would you like to be mentioned in it? The decision is always yours to make. I wish you all the success with your university applications process as well as with getting the best LORs for your profile!
Who to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation
Recommenders fall into two categories: professional and personal references. When applying for a new job, it’s strongly preferred that references be professional. Even though your best friend may have a lot of great things to say on your behalf, it’s best to keep it to individuals who can attest to your work skills.
Although you should steer clear of family and friends, ‘professional references’ doesn’t necessarily mean only your last boss. A character reference can come from anyone who knows you in a professional atmosphere. For example:
The person you choose to request a recommendation from should be someone who’s worked with you directly and can attest to your experience. A recommendation letter from a company superintendent who you barely spoke to, or a job that you haven’t worked at in 8 years may not add value to your application.
Before sending out your request, you should take a moment to evaluate what this person is going to say about you. They may be perfect on paper, but if they have negative comments or simply nothing positive to add, it could seriously hinder your resume. Request a letter of recommendation from a person who knows your work and will emphasize your strengths.
Sample Letter Asking for a Reference
Reference Request Letter Example (Text Version)
I am reaching out to ask you to provide me with a reference for a new opportunity I am seeking with CBI Industries. Of course, I completely understand if you are unable to commit to this. Please just let me know as soon as possible.
I learned a lot about the industry while working for you at Acme Corporation, and I think you would be able to provide the kind of insight into my skills that would increase my chances of landing this new position. As you know, I have recently been employed at VBN Industries, heading their research and development division. The opportunity at CBI Industries is related but would also require many of the sales and marketing techniques I developed while working for you.
Thank you very much for considering my request. I have attached a copy of my updated resume and the job posting for your review. Gary Smith from Human Resources will be the contact person at CBI who will be in touch if you agree to provide the reference for me.
Sample Email Message Asking for a Reference
I am reaching out to ask you to provide me with a reference for a new opportunity I am seeking with CBI Industries. Of course, I completely understand if you are unable to commit to this. Please just let me know as soon as possible.
I learned a lot about the industry while working for you at Acme Corporation, and I think you would be able to provide the kind of insight into my skills that would increase my chances of landing this new position. As you know, I have recently been employed at VBN Industries, heading their research and development division. The opportunity at CBI Industries is related but would also require many of the sales and marketing techniques I developed while working for you.
Thank you very much for considering my request. I have attached a copy of my updated resume and the job posting for your review. Gary Smith from Human Resources will be the contact person at CBI who will be in touch if you agree to provide the reference for me.
Resource:
https://www.greedge.com/blog/how-to-ask-for-a-letter-of-recommendation-lor-examples/
https://www.zippia.com/advice/letter-of-recommendation-over-email/
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/asking-for-a-reference-2062928