Recommendation Letters: The Value of Meeting in Person
If you’re not yet on top of your b-school application, late summer is the time to gather the resources that will win you a top spot in the minds of MBA adcoms. While there are some elements of your application, such as GMAT/GRE scores and academic history, that are (simple) to gather, other vital pieces like essays and recommendation letters involve a great degree of reflection and preparation.
The Importance of the Recommendation Letter
The recommendation letter carries more weight than many applicants might think at first. These documents are not just a list of complimentary words about your dozens of accomplishments. Adcoms respond strongly to them, particularly if they are thoughtfully prepared.
How to Get the Most from Your MBA Recommendation Letter
What can you do to ensure that your recommenders give you the spotlight that you deserve? What will make you stand out in the field of highly qualified potential candidates?
For starters, a carefully considered letter, along with a one on one meeting with your recommender.
The letter should be a portrait of your professional narrative and the impact you’ve made so far in your career (or during your undergraduate studies if you lack work experience). It should be honest and representative of who you truly are. If you’re letter is sugar-coated and unrealistic, the adcoms with grow skeptical and assume it’s too good to be true.
Dee Leopold of Harvard Business School said in a blog post,
“Many recommendations are well-written and enthusiastic in their praise but essentially full of adjectives and short on actual examples of how your wonderful qualities play out in real life… What we are hoping for are brief recounts of specific situations and how you performed.”
Helping to Prepare Your Recommender
Your recommender may need a reminder of the specifics of your performance. Have a personal statement ready to offer the person so that not only do they have a clear reminder (in your words) of how you arrived at your current spot, but also to ensure that they don’t duplicate information that you’ve already stated in your application.
Keep in mind that the person that you ask has likely interacted with hundreds of people over the course of their career, so remind them of just what that ‘special something’ was that made you stand out.
On a similar note, remember that your recommender is likely time-strapped. Emphasize three to five qualities which you’d like them to focus upon to make their job easier. This will also help you to avoid a rambling letter that committees will have a hard time picking apart.
Stacy Blackman, on her MBA consulting blog, illuminates this with an example. If you’d like your recommender to point out your initiative, she says,
“Here’s what an instance [of this trait]… might look like: ‘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…’”
Value of an In-Person Meeting with Recommender
The value of meeting with your recommender before they write the letter cannot be overestimated. The live connection will remind your recommender of your personality. This is particularly helpful if your rapport was strong on not just a professional, but a personal level. This will also differentiate you from the possibly large number of people who have perhaps resorted to email or voicemail in an effort to contact the person. A decent amount of lead time will ensure that you can earn a place on the calendar. The lead time will give the person time to reflect upon your past working relationship.
This meeting will also confirm for you (or deny) whether this is indeed the best person to be writing your letter. Perhaps they’ve had some career change of which you were not aware, or, their schedule is simply too busy to fit you in at this time. If the latter is true, then thank them for considering the idea. The person may still be able to assist you in a different capacity further down the road.
Arrive at this initial meeting prepared for the person to take on the task. You should bring a packet for the person that includes all of the vital info that will be beneficial in crafting the letter. If they accept the task, be sure that you follow up soon after your meeting both to thank them and to check on the progress of your letter.
The in-person meeting will give you the opportunity to remind the person of why you picked them. Jeremy Wilson, another MBA consultant, recommended on his blog,
“It usually makes sense to ask someone in person … That way you can tell them a compelling story about why you’re deciding to apply… [Furthermore]… you’ll have the chance to communicate how important it is to you, which will ensure they understand the importance of the letter.”
Gathering all of your resources for the best possible letter can not only gain you acceptance into your top program, but will also provide you with a great experience toward the next move of your career.
For more guidance on the recommendation letter process, make sure to check out the following articles:
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Choosing the Right People to Write Your Letters of Recommendation
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MBA Recommendation Letters – Making the Most out of (Re)connecting
About the Author
Maggie Boccella
Maggie Boccella, a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, is a freelance writer, artist and photographer. She has consulted on various film and multimedia projects, and she also serves as a juror for the city's annual LGBTQIA Film Festival.
