Recommendations

[mobenny]

Hi,

I am trying to figure out who to choose for my letters of recommendation. I graduated CAL in 2005. I spent the first 2 years after college working in the family business (in SC), which was real estate development. I did rotations with Marketing, Project Management, and Finance. After that I relocated to CA and worked as a project manager for a real estate development firm for about a year. The real estate development business crashed and I found a job working at an equity trading firm. I currently work as an Associate in the Market Intelligence division of the equity trading firm. I have worked at this firm for about 8 months.

I am planning to ask my supervisor at my current firm for a rec. He knows me very well and is well aware of my accomplishments. However, I am having trouble deciding about the other recommendation. I think that busienss schools will want a rec from my last job. I am concerned about getting a rec from my last employer. The last firm was very small. There were only four of us in the office. Sadly, my pervious supervisor recently passed away. So, I am left with asking the office manager who I worked with on a few projects.

Also, I know that I could ask the general manager that worked for the family business when I worked there. He is no longer with the firm because the business fell apart during the real estate crash, but I am confident that he would be happy to help and write me a stellar rec.

Any suggestions? Also, what resources do you recommend for learning how to guide your recommenders through the process?

Thank you!!!!

[mbamission]

You should definitely choose your current supervisor. It sounds like the GM from the family business will be your next best option. If the Office Manager from your previous job can't write detailed anecdotes, then the recommendation won't be good, even if it is more recent.

We have a recommendation guide available for purchase on our website:
http://www.mbamission.com/store.php

Here are a few blog entries that might be helpful as well:
1) Meeting with recommenders - http://www.mbamission.com/blog/2008/06/ ... ommenders/
2) I have no supervisor! - http://www.mbamission.com/blog/2008/08/ ... upervisor/

Hope this helps!
Monica Okrah
MBA Mission
646-485-8844
Website: http://www.mbamission.com
Blog: http://www.mbamission.com/blog
MBA Mission Insider’s Guides: http://www.mbamission.com/store.php
Free Consultation: http://www.mbamission.com/consult.php

[mobenny]

Thank you for the information. In addition, I am interested to know about how to manage my recommendations. I read that I should not ask any one recommender to write recommendations for more than three schools. Is this true? If so, how should I manage recommendations for 5-6 schools? Should I seek out more than two potential recommenders?

Please shed some light on this topic for me.

Thank you.

[mbamission]

Use your judgement to ensure that you are not overwhelming your recommenders. This will depend on your relationship with the recommender and their "free time".

You can certainly choose alternate recommenders for various schools. However, I wouldn't do this unless it's absolutely necessary.

Hope this helps!

Monica Okrah
MBA Mission
646-485-8844
Website: www.mbamission.com
Blog: www.mbamission.com/blog
MBA Mission Insider’s Guides: www.mbamission.com/store.php
Free Consultation: www.mbamission.com/consult.php