“Nothing influences people more than a recommendation from a trusted friend. A trusted referral influences people more than the best broadcast message.” - Mark Zuckerberg
If you’re looking to apply for a job you’ve been meaning to bag for a while, no matter where you are in your life, that is, no matter whether you’re living up the student life or the life of a working professional, we’ve got you some tips that are sure to help you grab just that kickass recommendation letter you need to land yourself your dream job. Read on to find out more and use these tips and tricks to your advantage.
In this article, we’ll tell you how to land your dream Architecture job by enhancing your recommendation letter in 4 ways
1. Ask the right person and ask in advance
2. Know exactly what you want your recommendation to say
3. Don’t give up
4. Allow them to say no
1. Ask the right person and ask in advance
We cannot stress this point enough. Make sure you ask the right person for a recommendation letter and don’t ask too many people because you fear that not a single person will respond. Follow up with the few people who really matter and can contribute to your career in a fruitful manner. Just because you might have heard from a bunch of other people in the field or otherwise, that asking your past employer for a recommendation is the way you have to do things does not mean it is the path that may work for you. If you had a rocky relationship with your ex-boss, chances are that your recommendation is going to be a mediocre one. On the other hand, if a business associate, a client, or a professor were your constant cheerleaders through work and college respectively, then asking an individual who truly believes in your skills is the way to go. If you ask an individual who is closely acquainted with your skillset, work ethic, and demeanor, your recommendation letter is sure to be a highlight of your dexterity. Even if criticism is presented, it will be presented in a positive light with an attempt to make you shine.
Another thing you have to keep in mind is that you must ask, whomsoever that may be, for your recommendation letter, way in advance. Don’t tend to leave these things for the last minute as an employer, professor or client could be busy and may not be available in the stipulated time period. Make sure you give them a couple of months notice to ensure that your work is done on time and if there are any changes you’d like to request them to make (in case they’re okay with sharing the recommendation with you for a proofread) then you can get those done without it being a hassle.
Moral of the story - Don’t jump on the bandwagon of an ex-employer for a recommendation letter, ask someone who can articulate and highlight your skills to showcase them and you in the best light.
2. Know exactly what you want your recommendation letter to say
Usually, when one asks an authoritative figure in their lives for a recommendation letter, they are more often than not, aloof in their demands and about what they’d like written in their recommendation letter. Whether it’s a recommendation letter for your dream college, dream internship, or dream job, make sure you know what you want your recommender to say. Whether it’s a particular skill, a character trait, or a particular project you worked on under them, that you’d like them to talk about, make sure you are polite in asking for exactly what you want. For instance, you could say, “Hey remember that time we worked on this project together, it was such a great experience. It would be great if you could talk about it in the recommendation letter, I really think it is a perfect display of our work rapport and showcases some of the best work I’ve been a part of.”
Be direct, be nice and be sure. That’s all you need to ensure you get what you desire.
3. Don’t give up
There is definitely going to be a time wherein the person you might have asked, for your recommendation letter may not be able to give it to you, no matter the reason. Sometimes people tend to get caught up and busy, or just don’t want to oblige and give you a recommendation letter at all. Don’t be disheartened. If you believe that this is the person who can truly contribute to your recommendation letter and help you land the job of your dreams, make sure sure you follow up in a polite manner. If they happen to be busy, drop an email or a text message suggesting that you could write the recommendation letter for them and they could overlook it if that would work for them. Make sure you explore every avenue before giving up on receiving the recommendation letter from the person you wish to receive it from, in order to land the job of your dreams.
4. Allow the person to say no
There may come a time when the person you ask for a referral says that they just cannot give it to you. The best thing to do in this scenario is to allow the individual to say no. You definitely do not want a recommendation letter from an individual who does not want to give it to you. Not only will it be a mediocre one, but it also may not even talk about your strengths and abilities and it’s just not worth taking that risk. Make sure your recommendation comes from someone who is interested in your well-being and truly bothered about doing the job and lending you a helping hand when you need it the most.
While some of you may read this and think, “Hey I already knew that!”, a lot of us tend to blur the obvious when put in the spot. These tips will definitely help you persuade anyone and get the recommendation letter you want, that’ll highlight your merits and mask your demerits in a tasteful manner and help you land the job you’ve been eyeing for a while!
Thank us later :)
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