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What communication should I have with my reference regarding letters they write for me?
Home » Careers » Letters of Recommendation » What communication should I have with my reference regarding letters they write for me?Posted by Your Guide on October 12, 2005 5:40 PM
Your references are doing you a considerable favor by writing you a letter of recommendation, so do everything you can to make their job easier.
If it is possible, discuss with references their willingness to write letters of recommendation long before the letters are needed. If you are leaving a job, don’t be afraid to ask your superior if you could use them as a reference in the future. In addition, always make sure you have correct contact information for your references, and remember to stay in contact with your references and make sure they have a current copy of your resume.
When the time comes that you need a letter of recommendation, contact your references as soon as possible to give them plenty of time. If it’s been a long time since you last worked with them, refresh them on your work history together and what you’ve been doing since then. Then, give them specific information regarding the position for which you are applying, especially what kind of responsibilities the position requires. If you would like them to highlight specific characteristics or abilities that you have, mention that, so they can tailor their letter to the specific position.
After they have written the letter for you, make sure to thank them with words or a gift. Let them know that you appreciate their taking the time and effort to write you a letter. In addition, tell your references where and when you have turned in their names, contact information, and letters of recommendation. Many employers will follow up on a reference with a phone call or e-mail, so prepare your references for that eventuality.
Finally, let your references know how your job search ended. The fact that they willingly wrote you a letter of recommendation implies that they care about you as an individual and are interested in your career, so keep them informed. After all, you never know when you’ll need another letter of recommendation.
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