Blog — professional references

I get it — asking a professor for a recommendation letter when you haven’t been in school for a while can feel awkward, like knocking on a door you closed years ago. But trust me: it's doable. And if you approach it the right way, you can land strong, meaningful letters even after a long gap.

Here’s my playbook, woven from lived experience, a few awkward moments, and some advice that actually works.

1. Reframe Your Mindset: It’s Not Weird, It’s Strategic

First off: don’t assume professors will think...

Layoffs suck. There, I said it. If you've recently been laid off, you're not just staring at an empty inbox — you're also likely wrestling with uncertainty, pride, and a to-do list that feels longer than an IKEA receipt. One of the things that can really help you reboot your career is having strong recommendation letters in your back pocket. But getting them when you're leaving a job (especially via layoff) takes some strategy, courage, and a little bit of finesse.

Here’s what I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way), plus advice that actually works —...