Credentials Services
How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation

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Decide whom to ask

It is important that the author of a recommendation:

• know you,
• think well of you,
• be able and willing to take the time to write a thoughtful evaluation.

If the person who recommends you is well-known in his or her field, this can be an advantage, but only if the above criteria apply. It's better to have a thoughtful recommendation from a teaching assistant than a few lines from a famous person who seems to barely remember who you are. Consider the purposes for which you'll want to use letters of recommendation and try to include recommendations from people who have worked with you in related activities. For example, for graduate study in the sciences, it would be helpful to have a recommendation from someone familiar with your ability to do research. For employment, include a recommendation from a former employer, internship sponsor, or work-study supervisor. For faculty positions, you may wish to include letters which address teaching and research; letters which address research are essential.

 

Be sure to get at least three recommendations on file.

Beyond three, consider whether or not each additional recommendation will measurably contribute to an employer's/graduate school's ability to evaluate your application. Generally, personal references from people who have not worked with you, such as old family friends, are not particularly helpful.

 

Make your request in plenty of time.

Faculty members, especially, receive many requests for letters of recommendation. Ask for a letter as much in advance as possible.

 

Be sure that anyone who recommends you is really willing to do so.

Always ask. Phrase your request in such a way that if someone does not feel comfortable writing for you, he or she can gracefully decline. Pressuring someone to write a letter for you is likely to result in a lukewarm or qualified recommendation which does you no good. A tactful approach might be, "I'd appreciate a recommendation from you if you feel you know me well enough to be able to recommend me."

 

Discuss your plans with whoever agrees to write for you.

Recommendations are most effective when they can describe you as well-suited to a particular goal. Even if you aren't entirely sure what you will do, let the author of a letter know the kinds of things for which you are most likely to use it. If you know someone very well and are considering a variety of goals, you may want to ask him or her to write two letters, one supporting each goal. If you do, remember that the Career Services distinguishes recommendations by the same author by their date, and have the author provide two dates which can't be easily confused.

 

If appropriate, remind the person who will recommend you of your background.

You may want to provide him or her with a resume and/or a copy of a paper you wrote. You may remind former employers of special contributions which you made on the job.

 

Make it easy to return your letter of recommendation.

Provide the author with a stamped envelope addressed to:

Credentials Officer
University of Pennsylvania
Career Services
Suite 20, McNeil Building
3718 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6209

 

Check to see that Career Services has received your recommendations.

Most recommendations received by Career Services in 1997 or later have been scanned, and you may click here to see what letters are on file for you. If you do not find the letters you expect to see and they were put on file in 1997 or later, call (215) 898-4382. If you have an older file, you may come to Career Services to check our old card system or call (215) 898-4382. If a recommendation hasn't arrived by the time its author told you to expect it, it is appropriate to get back to him or her with a polite reminder.

 

It's a courtesy to get back to those who recommended you to let them know what you'll be doing.

Tell them where you'll be working or studying and thank them for their help in getting you there. Writing recommendations is a time-consuming and often tedious task. The knowledge that it's helped is a reward for the effort.

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