Tuần 9 khóa Are you a Scholarship Winner?

1. Legend
Tran Thanh Nga
06/ 2022
Letter of Recommendation

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Recommendation Letter Guide | Trần Thanh Nga
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• What does a Letter of Recommendation look like?
• Selection
• Preparation
• Guidelines for Recommenders
• How to Prepare your Recommenders
• Recommender Template
• Follow Up
Content

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From The Perspective of A Recommender

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3-Step Practical Guide to the Selection Process
Questions to ask yourself when considering potential references
• Have you worked closely with this person?
• Do you feel this person thinks favorably of you?
• If this person knows you from previous rather than current experiences, have you kept in touch?
• Will this person put the time into writing a thoughtful, detailed recommendation?
• Will this person complete your recommendation letter by the deadline you give?
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People who like you & think you're good at what you do
Choose good writers who can express their opinions clearly. If a potential reference seems
less than enthusiastic in any way, keep looking. That person's ambivalence is likely to come
through in the letter. If you select two references from the same company, try to make sure that
they can provide different perspectives on you, so as not to be repetitive. For example, one
can be your manager, the other can be someone with whom you worked cross functionally.
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People who you work with closely and know you well
The person’s stature is not as important as how well they know you. Don’t choose the
company CEO with whom you meet monthly over your manager that you work with daily.
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The more time they have, the better job they'll do recommending you. A lunch invitation
is a great way for the reference to get to know you better.
Ask Early; Start Sizing up Potential References and Let Them Know
that You May Soon Ask Them for a Letter
Copies of projects
you have completed,
papers you have
written
A list of projects and examples of successes that you have had
with this person. If there is anything specific about which you would
like them to write, this is a way to make that suggestion. This is also
a way to help them be very specific about your accomplishments.
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Copies of your
application essays
Your resume – if extra-
curricular activities are
not outlined, provide a
list as well
Specific, clear
deadlines for each
school they are
helping you with
Preparation

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Recommendation Letter Guide | Trần Thanh Nga
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Past
Projects
Remind your
reference of all of
the projects that
you have worked
on
> Create a bullet
point list with all
of the projects
that you have
worked on, in
more detail than
your resume.
Key
Characteristics
Choose 4-5
characteristics
that you’d like
your reference to
emphasize
> Possibilities:
leadership,
teamwork, creative
thinking,
determination,
focus, intelligence,
charisma, integrity.
Concrete
Examples
Come up with at least one
concrete example that you feel
illustrates each characteristic
> Example: “Initiative – Last year, when I
learned that international sales were
declining, I took it upon myself to
research the competitive landscape
and learned of two recent market
entrants. I then offered to lead a team
to analyze these new competitors and
develop a strategy for regaining our
market share. Our team of five
analysts proposed a solution after one
week of work. The solution was
implemented and within six months,
we gained back 5% of lost market
share.”
How to Prepare your Recommenders
Make it as easy as possible for them to write a glowing recommendation
This process will also help you with your own essays, so it is a valuable exercise in and of itself

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Be
Precise
Keep it to one page
> You want your reference to
actually read this document, so
try to keep it to one page, and do
not overload them with
information. It should be a handy,
helpful, quick reference. It also
helps to review it with them,
perhaps walking through it during
a one-on-one or over lunch.
Weakness
Depending on your comfort level, you may want to
propose one weakness.
This can be a tricky question, so if you lay it out ahead of time you
often have a stronger story. There are as many valid
weaknesses/developmental needs as there are people. What
does not work in this situation are the following:
> A weakness that is really a strength – “She is a perfectionist
and works too hard to get everything right.”
> A weakness that you have already addressed. - “Jason was a
poor public speaker, but after discussing this with him, he joined
a public speaking club, read several books on the subject, and
worked hard to improve. Since then, he has become one of the
strongest speakers in the company”.
> A claim that you have no weaknesses.
> A weakness that will be cured with a Master’s Degree. – “Joan’s
only weakness is her need for formal finance training. An MA in
Finance from Stanford will definitely resolve this issue.”
How to Prepare your Recommenders (cont)
Make it as easy as possible for them to write a glowing recommendation

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Template, Guidelines, and Samples
Guidelines for
Recommenders
Recommender
Template
Samples:
Recommendat
ions
Show points as points
ü You will also want to convey
important guidelines
regarding writing the letter of
recommendation to your
reference. This is particularly
true if they are not familiar
with the application process
or/and are new to writing
recommendation letters.
ü Downloadable guidelines
ü Chicago Sample Reference 1
ü Chicago Sample Reference 2
ü This Recommender
Template may be useful for
organizing the information
you want to give to your
recommender.

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Follow up
ü Keep your recommendation writers on
schedule. Provide a gentle reminder when a
deadline is approaching. Pave the way for this
reminder when you first ask for the
recommendation by mentioning a date for a
follow-up call.
ü A thank-you note at the end of the process is
critical. It is not uncommon for the admissions
committee to call your reference to clarify
something or probe further, so be sure to stay
on good behavior even after the letter is
submitted.
ü It is always best to waive the right to view the
recommendation. It adds a great deal of
credibility to the letter.
What’s next?

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