3 Ways to Give Thanks to Your MBA Recommenders

Applying to an MBA involves more than just your personal aspirations—it requires the support of others who are willing to invest their time and effort in crafting a strong letter of recommendation. Putting together a quality recommendation letter isn’t easy. And some admissions officers even say a strong recommendation letter can actually make or break your MBA application.

Given the importance of recommendation letters and the time and effort that it takes to craft a quality one, it’s important to express gratitude to your MBA recommenders for their contribution. Jennifer Jackson, an admissions counselor at Stratus Admissions Counseling, recently offered a few tips for how to thank your MBA recommenders for their time and effort.

BE THOUGHTFUL

Your recommender takes time to carefully draft your letter of recommendation, taking your personality and interests into consideration. Likewise, it can be a nice gesture to keep their interests in mind when returning the favor.

“For a person interested in fitness, you could give a gift card to Lululemon, for example,” Jackson says. “Many people would enjoy a bottle of their adult beverage of choice or some good coffee. If you know your recommender’s tastes and interests, you can customize the gift rather than just sending a generic gift card.”

SEND UPDATES

Your recommenders are invested in your career and goals. They wouldn’t write your recommendation letter if they weren’t. One way of showing your gratitude is to keep your recommenders updated throughout your MBA journey.

“Your recommenders would appreciate staying in touch and receiving updates from you, at least through LinkedIn but also through more personal notes and emails,” Jackson says. “Staying in touch and learning what you’re doing would allow them to see the impact they helped make on your life and career by writing your recommendations.”

GIVE IT YOUR ALL

Another way of showing your gratitude, Jackson says, is to keep working hard in your day-to-day job, even after you’ve been admitted to B-school.

“If you take your foot off the gas, your recommenders (one of whom is likely your supervisor) might question the strong work ethic and integrity they wrote about in their letter,” Jackson says. “Maintain the same level of effort throughout your entire time at the organization even if it’s not always easy.”

Sources: Stratus Admissions Counseling, Fortune

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