If you’ve ever applied to a professional job, college or grad school you know—references are a must-have. Personally, I dreaded asking for them until grad school when I realized: everyone has to ask for them and writing them is par for the course for professors, advisers and employers. So there is no shame in asking! Not only that, you are much more likely to get a “yes” than a no. Wherever you are in your school or professional career, here’s a little go-to list on handling references and letters of recommendation:
• Make a list of the employers, supervisors, professors, advisers, customers, coworkers or business associates who know you and who you think would write a good recommendation for you (or be a good phone reference). Choosing people who will have specific, positive information about you and who are able to write clearly and correctly is key. • Be courteous when asking people to be references or to write letters of recommendation. Also make sure to ask before including anyone’s contact information on an application or resume, and leave them plenty of time to write letters. • Make sure printing is professional. For letters of recommendation, ask that they be printed on professional letterhead if possible, or print them yourself on the same high-quality paper as your resume. • Help references help you by supplying them with any information you think will be relevant. You might want to include your resume, a statement of purpose, your transcripts or a list of the courses you’ve taken with that professor—anything you think will make their job easier. • Get ‘em and keep ‘em. Even if you don’t need letters or references right now, it’s smart to request them before leaving school or losing touch with contacts. You never know when a letter of recommendation will come in handy—and you can always ask the writer to update the letter a few years down the road.
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