Textbook Problem

Persuasive Request: How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation.

As a student, you will need letters of recommendation to find a job, to apply for a scholarship or grant, or to enter graduate school. Naturally, you will consider asking one or several of your college Instructors. You talk to Paul, a senior you know, to find out how to get a busy professor to write you an effective letter. Paul has the following advice:

Ask only instructors who have had the opportunity to observe your performance and may still remember you fondly. Two to five years after you attended a course of 20 to 40 students your teachers may not recall you at all.

Contact only instructors who can sing your praises. If your grades were poor, the endorsement won’t be glowing. Some instructors refuse to write recommendations for mediocre students. Make it easy for your instructors to agree to your request and to write a solid letter promptly by following these guidelines:

Make the first request in person; your former instructor will be more likely to remember you.

Introduce yourself by name and try to point out something memorable you did to help your professor recall your performance.

Have a hard copy of the job description, scholarship information, grant requirements, or graduate school application ready, or direct the instructor to a website.

Carry a copy of a recent polished resume, or promise to e-mail these documents and any other information to help your recommender recall you in a professional setting and understand what you need.

Confirm any agreement by e-mail promptly, and set a firm yet reasonable deadline by Which the letter must be received. Don’t expect to get a letter if you ask at the last minute.

Gently nudge by e-mail to remind the recommender when the deadline is approaching.

YOUR TASK. Write a persuasive request by e-mail asking your Instructor (or supervisor or manager) to write you a letter of recommendation for a job application, grant, scholarship, or graduate school application. Provide all relevant information to make it easy for your reader to write a terrific letter. Explain any attachments.