Recomendation Letters - a checklist
Getting recomendation letters is an important part of the overall application process. Here are a few things to remember
- Dont just go for the titles. So what if the title says 'Managing Director' ..wont impress too much if he doesnt have much to say about you, because he doesnt know you too well or doesnt have the time to write.
- Always go for someone who has worked with you, knows you well (both your positives and negatives) and supports and wishes well for you ( heck - its not always easy to find someone like that) - but try ... Be sure he/she understands the importance of their feedback and is committed emough to take out time for writing it out (remember its a time consuming thing, not something they can scribble in 5 mins)
- Give them enough time and notice. Dont walk up to them 2 days prior to submitting your app. Hurrying them would be disastrous..remember its you who needs a good reco ..
- And please please please dont fake, dont write your own recos and get it signed by them (I know alot of the busy bosses suggest this) but its a NO No, of course dont ever fake signatures - its a sacrilege (the adcom guys read thousands of recos, they read your essays - its their job boss..trust me ..it just takes seconds for them to figure it out). I have taken many interviews for ISB and we almost always knew and at times made applicants admit that they have faked the recos - not a very happy situation to be in. Remember ethics is something they just WONT compromise on ..
- Even if your boss hands over the reco letter to you after writing and signing it..take this tip - DONT read it. You wont be doing anything wrong by doing so - might just do it out of curiosity . But it just might happen that because you have something at the back of your mind , it might just get expressed in some way or the other during the interview. Can again be disastrous - you dont want the Adcom to have even the slightest doubt in their minds...be safe than sorry!
Remember ISB wants to know you - the real you..and would be happy to accept an honest applicant who has his share of negatives as well as positives..
Labels: Application Process
posted by Bschool Admit (www.bschool-admit.com) @ 11:02 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I have a situation and makes me worry after reading ur blog post... I have approached my Project Lead , who seen my performance for 2 yrs, reported the same to my immediate manager and was gracious enuf to take some time off to discuss with me ...first thing...Have I chosen the right recommender...
Second.....i haven't written the reco my self but yes I would admit that I have read what he has written, I had mailed him my resume and some of the activities I took part quite descriptively and instances where I excelled and helped the projects...basically I just gave him exactly what I had written for my appriasal, and he has used that text and and added a few comments to it in front of me and basically refactored some English sentences, would it still then look fake to the adcom when I write some thng similar in my essays...I can say though none of things in the reco are fake and all examples and instances are something that I have gone thru within the projects. Please mail me ur comments at isbgmat@gmail.com
I did not understand ..so finally who is your recomender..the project lead or the immediate manager..whoever it is ..if he knows u well and is willing and committed to help u - chill!:-)
If the tone/structure and the sentences are not the same - then you are not in a risk. Ideally you should not have been involved in what the guy wrote- that said now that it is done..dont worry. Since you are not faking it ..u can always defend it when asked about those instances and accomplishments. So dont worry - prepare well for your interview so that you can expel whatever doubts they have in mind!
Hey..the new application is here and the reco's are all the more complex..(i donno how they were last yr..!)..it has many categories like leadership, strength ..others all to be put in word limits of 200-300.!!Busy recomendors can miss out/ shuffle pts in sections and need not bother abt word limit...!!
what do i do in such a case if not read the reco myself and ensure that question is being answered in right way and in right no of words..?
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