Recommendations !
Recommend \Rec`om*mend"\ (r?k`?m*m?nd"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Recommended; p. pr. & vb. n. Recommending.] [Pref. re- + commend: cf. F. recommander.]
1. To commend to the favorable notice of another; to commit to another's care, confidence, or acceptance, with favoring representations; to put in a favorable light before any one; to bestow commendation on.
After going through all the material available online, in books and after hearing from friends who have recently been through this process, I have come to the conclusion that recommendations can do more harm than good, even if they appear to be good on the surface.
It is pretty important for the recommendations to build on and around the essays, especially in exemplifying the qualities that the applicant is stressing on. Thus it is very important that the folks recommending you know the person they are talking about.
I had decided a while ago to get recommendations from two of my colleagues who were way senior to me but had worked with me on a lot of projects. I had ruled out my direct boss, who is a director of the firm, from being a recommender, as I thought there would be a conflict of interest.
Since that time, both of my planned recommender have quit my firm. One of them has started her own venture and the other has joined another firm to change the focus of his career. Though both of them have been enthusiastic at the prospect of recommending me and both expected me to apply to B-School even before I told them so, they are not currently working with me. Will this fact devalue their recommendations in the eyes of the AdCom ?
My boss, of course, can give a very insightful recommendation as he is also my mentor. He interviewed me, recruited me, positioned me within the firm and pretty much decides what I do on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. He also heads my performance reviews. With things as they stand right now, I am extremely tempted to fill in my boss on my quest for an MBA and ask for his recommendation. (I know I seem to be wavering).
My reasoning for the change of heart is:
1. To commend to the favorable notice of another; to commit to another's care, confidence, or acceptance, with favoring representations; to put in a favorable light before any one; to bestow commendation on.
After going through all the material available online, in books and after hearing from friends who have recently been through this process, I have come to the conclusion that recommendations can do more harm than good, even if they appear to be good on the surface.
It is pretty important for the recommendations to build on and around the essays, especially in exemplifying the qualities that the applicant is stressing on. Thus it is very important that the folks recommending you know the person they are talking about.
I had decided a while ago to get recommendations from two of my colleagues who were way senior to me but had worked with me on a lot of projects. I had ruled out my direct boss, who is a director of the firm, from being a recommender, as I thought there would be a conflict of interest.
Since that time, both of my planned recommender have quit my firm. One of them has started her own venture and the other has joined another firm to change the focus of his career. Though both of them have been enthusiastic at the prospect of recommending me and both expected me to apply to B-School even before I told them so, they are not currently working with me. Will this fact devalue their recommendations in the eyes of the AdCom ?
My boss, of course, can give a very insightful recommendation as he is also my mentor. He interviewed me, recruited me, positioned me within the firm and pretty much decides what I do on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. He also heads my performance reviews. With things as they stand right now, I am extremely tempted to fill in my boss on my quest for an MBA and ask for his recommendation. (I know I seem to be wavering).
My reasoning for the change of heart is:
- He recruited me. He has mentored me. He deserves to know.
- If I do not tell my boss, he might feel bad (later on) when he finds out that I excluded him from the process entirely.
- We have a very good relationship and though he would be sad to let me go, he could do a great job with the recommendations.
- If he felt that it was best for him to not get involved, he would say so but still keep mum about my applications.
The only drawback is that he could stop putting the effort he now does in mentoring me. That means quite a lot to me as I have learnt much from him and not all of it pertains to work.
My two other recommenders are split over whether I should approach my boss at all. Hence I have put together this poll. I am sure others have had to face this dilemma and I would appreciate their feedback as well.
posted by StressTensor @ 8:13 AM
8 Comments:
I am exactly in the same boat.. and still contemplating the same.. Will it make a diff if the person has quit ? I have worked under him for two years before he quit..shuldnt tht be sufficient.. Do let me know if you get some good guidance on this one..
For me, my direct boss is my first recommender. He's recruited me when I was fresh out of school. He asked me to work/move with him when he decided to move to another company (where I am currently working). I am not working with him on the same project now but he would be the best person (also VP of the company). I also thought he would understand me wanting to pursue MBA because he's an MBA grad. But I won't tell him till Oct when I am more prepared to approach him with more essays and stuff. : )
I am in the same boss dilemma and a colleague who left the firm recenty to join elsewhere. My boss recruited me and the colleague mentored me. Do let me know too if you find anything more
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