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Have you written a recommendation letter?

idea_steed

idea_steed

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My friend, Andy, is applying for an MA program in communication and I just took a look at the recommendation letter written by his professor.
Have you ever written any type of recommendation letter?
 
idea_steed said:
My friend, Andy, is applying for an MA program in communication and I just took a look at the recommendation letter written by his professor.
Have you ever written any type of recommendation letter?
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good evening is

Yes I have
 
idea_steed said:
My friend, Andy, is applying for an MA program in communication and I just took a look at the recommendation letter written by his professor.
Have you ever written any type of recommendation letter?
Click to expand...

I never liked doing it. There are too many pitfalls here, because you are not allowed to write any negative points.
 
idea_steed said:
My friend, Andy, is applying for an MA program in communication and I just took a look at the recommendation letter written by his professor.
Have you ever written any type of recommendation letter?
Click to expand...

ive written numerous resumes,but never a rocommendation letter.


if yhouve ever seen my grammaqr or just simply read this post,youd know im lazy at grammar,therefore i hate writing resumes,as im actually good at grammar iof i feel like it.letters of reccomendation are just as bad >.<
 
joG said:
I never liked doing it. There are too many pitfalls here, because you are not allowed to write any negative points.
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I think you're confusing reference letters with recommendation letters.
 
idea_steed said:
My friend, Andy, is applying for an MA program in communication and I just took a look at the recommendation letter written by his professor.
Have you ever written any type of recommendation letter?
Click to expand...

Yes. I frequently serve as a referee, and my last conference presentation was on this topic. Are you concerned about the quality of the rec? And if so, did you look at the rec form to which the letter was attached (because the rankings in various categories sometimes tell the story)?
 
I've written several, and I'm very selective of who gets my recommendation, as doing so puts my reputation on the line, and in my line of business, my reputation is all I have.
 
Just for fun, here is LIAR, coined originally in the '80's by Robert Thornton, an economics prof at LeHigh University, as the Lexicon of Inconspicuously Ambiguous Recommendations. Now the "I" stands for "Intentionally," a better word:

Some examples from LIAR:

To describe a person who is totally inept: "I most enthusiastically recommend this candidate with no qualifications whatsoever."

To describe an ex-employee who had problems getting along with fellow workers: "I am pleased to say that this candidate is a former colleague of mine."

To describe a candidate who is so unproductive that the job would be better left unfilled: "I can assure you that no person would be better for the job."

To describe a job applicant who is not worth further consideration: "I would urge you to waste no time in making this candidate an offer of employment."

To describe a person with lackluster credentials: "All in all, I cannot say enough good things about this candidate or recommend him too highly."

LIAR [AVDF Humour]

Reference Letter Can Be Gem Of A Liar - Morning Call
 
I certainly have no idea why a recommendation letter from a former boss is credible. If that person had been so talented and valuable, why would the company have let him go in the first place? And, even if that person left for other reasons besides the lack of intelligence or sense of responsibility, it is sort of weird to ask someone you used to work for to do something for you. Therefore, as the LIAR joke displayed, the recommendation letter is not truly believeable.
 
joG said:
I never liked doing it. There are too many pitfalls here, because you are not allowed to write any negative points.
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If you wouldnconsider negatives you should not be asked
Done lots
 
idea_steed said:
I certainly have no idea why a recommendation letter from a former boss is credible. If that person had been so talented and valuable, why would the company have let him go in the first place? And, even if that person left for other reasons besides the lack of intelligence or sense of responsibility, it is sort of weird to ask someone you used to work for to do something for you. Therefore, as the LIAR joke displayed, the recommendation letter is not truly believeable.
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There are many good reasons for taking another job and any boss worth his salt wants the best for his people above any inconvenience it causes him. Thats why people come back if the rightbopportunities develope. Never damage your network.
 
dogtowner said:
There are many good reasons for taking another job and any boss worth his salt wants the best for his people above any inconvenience it causes him. Thats why people come back if the rightbopportunities develope. Never damage your network.
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I certainly understand this but this is why the recommendation letter may be flattering. Oh, wait, at least it can prove that that person is not the worst human being.
 
I've written a few --- I usually avoid writing them unless I know the person well and am comfortable with their work/professional habits.
 
Ockham said:
I've written a few --- I usually avoid writing them unless I know the person well and am comfortable with their work/professional habits.
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What if someone you are not familiar with come to you for a letter? What will you say to properly decline?
 
idea_steed said:
What if someone you are not familiar with come to you for a letter? What will you say to properly decline?
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Every recommendation form and letter requires you to explain how long you've known the applicant and within what context. If you've only known him or her a few months or cannot testify to observed virtues and provide specific examples, you will be doing the applicant a disservice. So just him or her that because it's the truth.
 
idea_steed said:
I certainly have no idea why a recommendation letter from a former boss is credible. If that person had been so talented and valuable, why would the company have let him go in the first place? And, even if that person left for other reasons besides the lack of intelligence or sense of responsibility, it is sort of weird to ask someone you used to work for to do something for you. Therefore, as the LIAR joke displayed, the recommendation letter is not truly believeable.
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After the construction boom went bust I had to lay off a lot of good men. I had to make some tough choices. That really sucked. Sometimes it just came down to a choice between two men with equal talent. But only one of them was a father. It's just harder to send a man with kids to the unemployment office than a man without kids.

And they were all strong, reliable and talented men, otherwise they wouldn't have been on one of my concrete crews in the first place. Every time I let someone go I told them that I would write a recommendation letter. I also told them that they could have any prospective employer call me.

This one cement mason got very angry, called me every name in the book and busted the hinges on the office trailer door when he stormed out. I still recommended him when a prospective employer called me asking about him. I could understand why he was so angry. He lost a good paying job through no fault of his own.
 
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idea_steed said:
What if someone you are not familiar with come to you for a letter? What will you say to properly decline?
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I haven't had that happen - but I have declined before. I think I said something like: I haven't worked with your and I do not intimately know your work. It would be better to request a recommendation letter from someone who has familiarity of your past work and habits and could answer follow up questions if required. Unfortunately I do not have enough information about your background and would not do you nor your prospective employer justice by providing a recommendation. I'm sorry.
 
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