The time has finally come: I am going to graduate in May. I am going to be job hunting. I am going to need letters of recommendation to get said job.
I’m sure, just as this time of year is terrifying for us senior undergraduate students, it probably gives a similar emotion to professors. They know that on top of the work they already have with teaching classes and having lives outside of class, they will also be called upon to write letters of recommendation for us.
I know that this is a privilege for us, not something that professors have to do. I remember how overwhelmed some of my teachers were in high school when the majority of our senior class needed letters from them for college, scholarships and jobs. The stakes are even higher now, since these letters could be what help launch our careers.
Given those circumstances, I know it’s important to take into consideration all that you are asking your professors to do.
I was thankful for Julie Dodd’s blog post about letters of recommendation from a professors point of view and for her tips about what we can do to make it easier for the professors.
For me, I think the most important tip was the first: giving plenty of time before the deadline date.
Over the next few months, I’m sure I will need a letter of recommendation from one of my professors. When that time comes, I will reference back to Julie Dodd’s blog post so I can make the request as easy for my professors as possible.
Here is a link to Julie Dodd’s post: http://thoughtsonteaching.wordpress.com/2013/10/31/tips-for-asking-for-letters-of-recommendation/
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