Selecting Recommenders

[angeladiaz08]

I am encountering a stall in my application process because I’m not certain whom to approach for my letter of recommendation. I resigned from my position at my last company because I was not experiencing any career growth and was unhappy with the way the company was being managed.

Upon my exit interview, I essentially had to tell my boss’ boss that the reason I was leaving was because I needed stronger leadership. My boss, "W" was a remote employee who became depressed and paralyzed (figuratively) due to the pressure of being given unrealistic expectations. The company had a really high turnover rate. As more and more managers left the company, my boss inherited all the additional projects, deadlines and responsibilities. As a result, my boss became extremely distant to the point where communication and getting things done was a constant struggle.

I learned that about a month after my resignation, my boss was demoted. I viewed this as a good thing. About a month or so after that, my boss’ boss "A" quietly disappeared (laid-off, fired, quit?). Lots of political turmoil in this very small company (less than 100 employees).

In b-school applications, they want to hear from someone who supervised you, but honestly I was in the position of managing my manager for at least the last 2 years at my job. I don’t feel my former boss was a strong leader at all. My former boss no longer even has the "manager" title. What are they looking for in a recommender? A manager title?

One coincidence is that my very first boss, "T" returned to the company, though not as a manager. Should I ask "T" for the recommendation, even though "T" left for a while and upon returning no longer has a "Manager" title?

Another person I’m thinking of is "Q." Q was never my direct supervisor, but is familiar with my work and someone I have a great amount of respect for. Q no longer works with the company either, but does now work for an extremely well-known company in the high-tech industry.

A little about me:
-BA in Sociology
-Worked 4.5 years in IT
-3 months as Service Monitoring Clerk
-4 years as a Functional Analyst
-Volunteer on Non-profit Board for 1.5 years

Thanks for any insight you can share on this topic!

[mbamission]

Dear Angeladiaz08 -

Thank you for your question. It sounds like you have been through some interesting times at that company!

From what you're telling us, it sounds like T would be a good choice for you. While T does not have a manager title, s/he did supervise you. AdComs care less about title than about a recommendation from someone senior to you, who supervised you, knows the quality of your work and can discuss your strengths in detail. If Q was senior to you at your company and worked closely with you, then Q could also be a good option.


Sincerely,
Jessica Shklar
MBA Mission

646-485-8844

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