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What Makes A Good Recommender?

Right place, right time?

Ever hear that one? When you think about it, isn’t it really the “right person?” When you landed that job that seemed out of reach, didn’t you impress someone in the process? And when you accepted that unsavory assignment and turned it into a revenue generator, weren’t you really using your talent to serve others? Generally, we make our own luck with our passion, intelligence, and moxie. In the process, we nurture advocates who bring us more opportunities.

When it comes to recommendations, those advocates – the ones who’ve seen us at our best in our day-to-day – give us our best shot at impressing adcoms. Consider recommendations to be the final piece. Our GMATs prove we have the brainpower. Our essays reflect our ability to learn and grow. Of course, our interviews confirm we possess those elusive interpersonal skills. But the recommendation letters…they illustrate something else. These letters validate that you are who you say. Here, adcoms can visualize how you’ll respond to adversity. And the act of writing itself indicates that bosses, mentors, or peers think you’re worth their time. Even more, they’re willing to stick their necks out for you.

But who should you choose to write a recommendation?  That was the subject of a recent U.S. News column by Stacy Blackman, who helms Stacy Blackman Consulting, a leading business school consulting firm. For Blackman, applicants should follow a set of rules that are often easier to understand than to follow.

First, find people who can actually address what adcoms want to know. Gatekeepers naturally want to see concrete examples of how you solve problems, handle pressure, work in a team, and overcome setbacks. In other words, they’re looking for your soft skills and decision-making process. In the process, they’re evaluating your “potential, performance or personal qualities.” At the same time, Blackman notes, they are seeing how those variables “stack up against those of other individuals in a similar role.” In other words, it isn’t just what recommenders say. Let’s face it, anyone can write a paint-by-numbers recommendation. Instead, adcoms focus on detail and enthusiasm – the kind that is memorable, if not infectious.

Second, choose people who want you to go to business school. In other words, your boss – who may lean on you heavily and dread losing you – may (deliberately or not) undermine your effort. “Choose people who like you, who care about your success and who think you’re good at what you do,” Blackman writes. “Choose capable writers who can express their opinions clearly. If a potential reference seems less than enthusiastic in any way, keep looking. That person’s ambivalence will likely come through in the letter.”

Finally, target recommenders who can relay your ‘here-and-now’ status. “Don’t select a person who doesn’t know who you are and where you stand now,” Blackman counsels. “If you worked with someone four years ago and have not done a good job of staying in touch, that person really cannot comment on your progress and skills today.”

To conclude, Blackman lays out her three rules on choosing recommenders in one sentence: “Ask yourself whether the person has worked closely with you, thinks favorably of you, and will put in the time to write a thoughtful, detailed endorsement of your candidacy.”  If you’re unsure about any part, Blackman adds, keep looking.

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Source: U.S. News & World Report