Blog — letter of recommendation tips

TL;DR

• Pick someone who actually knows your work, not just the person with the fanciest title.
• Ask early. Two to four weeks minimum. Last-minute requests put people in a bad spot.
• Ask in person or over a real conversation first, then follow up in writing with specifics.
• Give them a "brag sheet" — your resume, the role or program you're applying to, and a few concrete accomplishments they can reference.
• Make it stupid easy to say yes: deadline, submission method, formatting requirements, all spelled out.
• Say thank you. Then say it again when you land the thing.
• If you...