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Letter of Recommendation
Info
Different
people use the term letter of recommendation to mean a whole lot of different
things, so organizing all of this has not been easy. We've tried to set
up this web site to help you find the specific information you are looking
for -- hopefully without your having to wade through a bunch of stuff
that doesn't really pertain to you.
That being
said, a lot of concepts apply to any number of the different types of
letters -- so some information appears in more than one place. You may
find it helpful (or at least interesting) to snoop around a bit here.
Instant Letter Robot
Fill in the form and the computer does the rest; impressive quality
Sample Letters of Recommendation
Complete letters you can mix and match to develop your own
Specific
Types of Letters of Recommendation
This section
explores some of the more popular types of letters - for job-seekers,
students, teachers, college admission, scholarship applications, and
more.
How
to Write a Letter of Recommendation
Getting started. Information, tips, & samples for writing a letter
of recommendation - special tips and persuasive writing techniques.
Writing Letters
of Recommendation
More Information, tips, & samples for writing a letter of recommendation
- special tips and persuasive writing techniques.
Letter
of Recommendation Template
One of the biggest challenges in writing is to organize your thoughts
effectively; this section will show you how
What Recommendations
do that Nothing Else Can
Picture yourself
as someone who is evaluating candidates for admission to a prestigious
college program. Typically, you have to review thousands and thousands
of application.
In this vast
pile of applications, everyone is using the same forms, answering the
same questions, following the same routine. All of this is in the name
of consistency. That's supposed to make the process fair - comparing apples
to apples and all that.
You know
what else it makes the process? Boring!
Reviewers
get sick of looking at all those transcripts and SAT scores.
That's what
makes a letter of recommendation so powerful: they're interesting! Reviewers
rely on a letter of recommendation for an inside look; they want insight
into who you are - more than what they can get from a bunch of numbers.
Reviewers
are much more likely to notice you because of something in your letter
of recommendation than just about anything else in your application; and
remember: if you don't get noticed, you don't get in.
Words
Win
Think about
it. When the vast majority of candidates are busy filling out their forms,
they go into form-filling mode - busy filling out all the little blocks
and circles. They see their letter of recommendation as just another form
to fill out. They focus much more on numbers - grades, SAT scores... even
IQ scores; these are the things they think matter most.
The truth
is that for the most part numbers are only used to qualify you; admission
offices use them to determine whether you can swing it at their school.
Just because you are qualified doesn't mean you are admitted. Numbers
can get you kicked out, but they can't get you in. You get in when a review
officer falls in love with you as a candidate. Numbers don't do that;
words do.
QUICK NOTE:
Even a lowly cover letter can be an important source of competitive
advantage for this same reason. When most candidates have to write a
cover letter, they scratch out a few lines that don't say much more
than "here you go." These are often tossed. Say something in your cover
letter worth remembering and they'll keep it (and remember it!) because
it is unusual. This gives your file more bulk (a thin file is usually
a bad sign) and you more "air time."
Every savvy
marketer will tell you that people really only use facts and figures to
justify decisions they've already made based on emotions. That is as true
in the admissions / scholarship process as in any other.
For this
reason, a letter of recommendation is particularly potent. It combines
the emotional appeal of words with the logical appeal of an objective
opinion from a fellow professional. The letter's emotional draw comes
pre-wrapped with a logical justification built right in.
What is more,
most candidates hardly give their recommendations a second thought - which
is actually great news for you. Because so many candidates neglect their
letter of recommendation, it is relatively easy for you to use them to
give yourself the edge - a distinct competitive advantage.
QUICK
NOTE: Competitive advantage won't get you something you're not qualified
for. Rather, it will allow you to get the nod instead of someone else
who is just as qualified - or maybe even better qualified - as you.
Competitive advantage helps you compete; if you're not qualified then
you're really not in the game!
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