Recommendation Letters
Is it common practice for people to write their own recommendation letters and simply have the "writer" sign it?
About 5 years ago, one of my students was applying to a private, all girls school in Mountain View that required both a teacher and principal recommendation. The principal, because he didn't know my student at all, asked me to write the letter for him. I didn't like the idea, didn't feel quite right about it, but did it anyway, trying to alter the voice of the letter so it didn't sound too much like my own recommendation. He signed it, she got in, done deal.
Now I'm in the process of finding a job and I need recommendation letters. A couple weeks ago I asked my directors to each write one for me. Tuesday I get an email from one of them saying that she's worried she won't be able to get to writing my letter right away, and since there's just so many good things to say about me, would I mind writing a draft that she could just embellish?
I was insulted. I've given nearly 9 years of my life to Garfield and she can't take an hour or so out of her schedule to write a recommendation letter?
So I thought about it and wrote her back, saying I'd really prefer that she write the letter, that I wouldn't feel right doing it myself, and that I hoped she could find the time to do it even though I know she's very busy.
Geez.
posted by prez @ 5:47 AM
7 Comments
7 Comments:
Darron,
It happens all the time .
I had to write my own employee review for the last five years. My co-workers and I got so fed up with this HR ritual that we used to write each others' reviews and turn them in.
When I worked for UCB, I wrote the reviews for the senior scientists and post docs b/c the Professor didn't have time.
Don't take it personally. Most people don't write as well as you can and are crippled by a blank page. You can help by composing some prompts for them or giving them some examples. Sorry, that's how it goes. (Although that doesn't make it right.)
I had to write some of my own rec letters for med school, but the people that knew me on a more intimate basis wrote their own. I agree that she should make the time to write one for you, seeing that you work in a small setting, not a huge, impersonal agency. But maybe she just thinks that it's standard practice, since it does happen all the time. Or maybe she is just tired of you causing problems for her, getting her into trouble with the district with your extreme political views and whatnot.
Call me naive, but I actually thought recommendation letters were real! Oh well, I guess that belief will have to go the way of Santa Claus.
No wonder so many organizations are ineffective and hiring is so hit or miss. If none of the evaluations and reflection is actually done by the higher ups because they "don't have time," then nothing improves. And if recommendations are all written by the people themselves, then what objective piece of information is there to trust? People can easily fool you in an hourlong interview.
So I told her I wanted her to write it herself. We'll see what she says.
For the reasons you stated above we do not accept letters of recommendation from people. We will have people sign waivers letting us talk to their references and we do background checks.
I must admit, I did write my own recommendation letter for my CEO when I applied for my MBA, however, I was not happy about it.
Stick to your guns, especially being you feel strongly about this. She will find time to do it, or you can find someone else. Maybe you can provide her with ideas on what skills or instances you want highlighted to give her direction.
I don't think all rec letters are a waste. I have a suspicion that the reader can tell when a letter is genuinely written by someone who thinks you're great vs. a self-written letter. But if your director doesn't want to do it, then she may not rant and rave about you when she finally does write a letter. Maybe you should ask somebody else who's willing?
People ask me to write letters of rec all the time for them. In fact, I need to write another one this weekend.
The only reason I am telling you this is because I am obviously more important than the rest of you.
It has happened to me a few times in the past, too. One of my grad school teachers told me that a letter of recommendation just means that you found yourself a friend somewhere . . . .
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