Recommendation Letters

Many types of applications require either written recommendations or a list of references who are willing to be contacted.

When you are thinking about asking faculty (or other people you know) to write a letter or be a reference, consider:

• Who has seen your best work, working habits, and interactions with others?  You're looking not just for someone who likes you, but someone who can share specific examples of the qualities your prospective employer/school/organization is looking for.

• Who has seen your development over time? Generally, a good reference is someone who you interacted with for an extended period of time or interacted with very frequently for a shorter period of time (e.g., someone you've taken two classes with is probably a better reference than someone you've taken one class with, but asking someone who you've done summer research with is probably better than asking someone you've taken two classes with).

• Who has experience in a similar field to the position you're applying to? Choose your references with your target audience in mind (e.g. if you're applying to medical school, consider asking professors from your science classes).   Academic programs and scholarships may be more influenced by references from professors, while corporate jobs may prefer to hear from past supervisors.

There may not be one person who perfectly fits the bill in all three categories---if multiple references are allowed/required, try to spread your requests among people who can speak to different aspects of your work.  It's also okay to ask someone if they think they would be a good fit as a reference for a particular position. 

Please don't hesitate to ask me to write a recommendation or serve as a reference---it's part of my job and I welcome the opportunity to share what's great about my students with other people! This includes past students---even if you're no longer at Hamline and we haven't seen each other in a while, I'm happy to support you in this way. If I have any concerns about my ability to write a good letter for you, I will let you know.

In order to help me prepare the best possible recommendation for you, please:

• Ask well in advance of the deadline.  Three weeks is a good guideline, but sooner is always better.  If you learn about an opportunity at the last minute, you can still ask---I'll let you know if I don't have enough time to write a quality letter by the deadline.  Please note this is also true for references where you only need to input my contact information as they often send me a form to complete that contains the same type of questions I would address in a letter of recommendation. 

• Include specific details.  What class(es) did you take with me?  What have you been up to since? What's the position you're applying for and where?

• Talk yourself up. Remind me of the great things I've seen from you! Which of your qualities are you hoping I'll highlight in your letter/reference?  What specific anecdotes or accomplishments illustrate those qualities?  Brag a little!

• Give me some context.  Is there a specific goal you're hoping to accomplish through this opportunity? Where does this letter/reference fit in the broader picture of your application? (E.g. maybe you're applying to an internship in a technical field and you already have some references who can talk about your job experience and interpersonal skills, so my main role is to highlight your quantitative skills.)

• Send me your resume/CV or other relevant application materials.  This helps both with talking yourself up and providing context. If you have to write a cover letter or personal statement for the position, that would be especially helpful.  It's okay if you need to send these along a little later than the initial request or share a draft rather than the final version---just let me know the details.