Examples of How to Request a Letter of Recommendation (LOR)

You’ve come to the correct spot if you’re wondering how many letters of recommendation you’ll need, how to ask for them, and from whom. By the end of this post, you should have discovered answers to the most, if not all, of your LOR-related questions! Most colleges in the United States and Canada need at least three letters of recommendation, two of which should be from professors who have taught you in college or academics under whose supervision you have conducted research or published articles. If you are a working professional, the third LOR might come from your direct boss or someone with whom you have worked closely as a professional.

Whether you’re a final-year student, someone who has recently completed their undergraduate programme, or a working professional, the procedure of requesting a letter of reference is essentially the same. A letter of reference written by your professor, on the other hand, is very different from one written by your boss at work. In both circumstances, distinct criteria must be taken into account. LORs may be found in a variety of forms and formats on the internet. The procedure of requesting a letter of recommendation, on the other hand, is difficult.

Who should I approach? What should I say? What should I write? These are just a few of the usual thoughts that students have when faced with the job of obtaining three LORs! Prior to requesting a letter of reference, the candidate’s motivation should be extremely clear throughout, taking into account the following considerations.

Tips for Requesting a Letter of Recommendation

Testimonials: Before requesting a letter of recommendation from a professor or manager, keep all testimonials supporting your educational background, extracurricular achievements, workplace achievements, and appraisals on hand, as your referrer may want to review these documents before writing your LOR.

Plan ahead of time: Universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union notify candidates in advance of the deadline for submitting letters of reference. While most institutions require LORs to be submitted with the official application at any time before the application deadline, some prioritize its submission, requiring it to be provided separately, either through email or as a physical copy. It’s usually a good idea to plan ahead of time to allow your referrer as much time as possible to learn about you and the course you’re applying to, so they can send you a powerful, persuasive, and authentic letter of reference instead of leaving it to the last minute. Remember that haste breeds waste

Choosing your referrer: This is maybe the most difficult phase in the entire process of obtaining a letter of recommendation. You might not know who you want to ask. When selecting a referee, keep in mind that the more recent your relationship with them, the better, because colleges want to know more about the present you, not who you were years ago! If it has been some years since you graduated from college, it may be a good idea to include LORs from persons who have recently worked closely with you – usually your immediate supervisors at work.

If you had a good relationship with your teachers in college or stood out for your strong academic performance/extracurricular activities, things should be reasonably straightforward. However, whether you were one of the backbenchers who never missed a chance to skip class, or one of the silent ones who were never really seen that closely by the instructors, finding someone who can write you a glowing letter of reference might be a difficult decision

Approach them in person at your institution, say hello, describe some of the tasks and duties you’ve taken on at work, and possibly thank him in front of any present students. This enables the rekindling of a positive personal relationship that you may or may not have had in college. Isn’t there any harm in trying? Make sure your lecturer has a positive impression of you. Remind him of any incidents from his lessons that you remember, as well as some happy recollections from your time as a student at that institute.

Once you feel your professor is comfortable sending you a letter of reference, gradually shift the conversation to your intention of pursuing graduate courses overseas.

Prepare your request letter: It is critical that you prepare a persuasive request letter for your lecturer or management. As a result, don’t speed through this phase. Take time to consider the tone of your request. Always be mindful of the official or professional boundaries that exist between you and your referrers, and take their time availability into account before progressing with your request. Make a humble request for a reference letter and inform them of the original date of submitting the letter of recommendation to the institutions, along with copies of all your supporting testimonies.

It has probably occurred to you that there may be some difficulties in getting a letter of recommendation from your professor/manager. What may these difficulties be?

1. A limited amount of LORs to be offered by your professor: It’s possible that your professor is only prepared to provide a few LORs, creating a rat race between you and your other batchmates. In that scenario, aim to be among the first to apply. A timely application is usually preferable to putting it off until the last minute. Prepare your transcripts and other documents ahead of time, and be the first to obtain a letter of recommendation.

2.Unwilling to disclose personal information: Your referral may be unwilling to provide information such as contact numbers or correspondence addresses with the institutions to which you are applying for personal reasons. It is not a good idea to contact him for the reasons stated, and instead, you should give him other options. Respect his decision and inquire whether he is comfortable revealing his professional email address, workplace phone number, or other pertinent credentials. Discuss with him how you may profit from these facts, since admission authorities from colleges all around the world will occasionally call referrers to check the veracity of the LOR.

3.Confidentiality: Always respect your referrer’s desire to keep any information private. Do not persuade them to share what he or she has written. Many institutions require candidates to submit their applications and letters of reference in sealed envelopes. In that situation, your referrer might choose to seal the mail holding your reference letter ahead of time. Do not attempt to open or peep into the envelope since even the tiniest violation of secrecy may be interpreted as a manipulated document, resulting in your candidature being invalidated.

A solid letter of reference is one that attests to a candidate’s genuine talents from both an educational and co-curricular aspect, and obtaining a letter of recommendation is in your best interests because it will express facts about you. So take a big breath and picture yourself holding a letter of reference.