Recommendation Letters: Writing One Yourself Baltimore MD

Recommendation Letters: Writing One Yourself

When requesting a letter of recommendation, don't be surprised if your instructor or supervisor hands the forms back to you and says, ""Sure, why don't you go ahead and write the first draft yourself, and I'll revise it and sign at the bottom.""

It can happen
In cases like this, chances are that person will already be handling (or dodging) a large number of such requests, and busy schedules sometimes call for letter-writing delegation. This is particularly true within professional settings, where employees are expected to carry out self-evaluations.

You might at first find the assignment rather awkward, but this is a great opportunity to make sure the letter matches your goals and effectively highlights your most relevant achievements. When preparing to write a draft for your own letter of recommendation, the following pointers will help.

Balance praise with candidness
Many people feel uncomfortable praising themselves. If you are the shy type, cast aside your timidity and try to be objective about your accomplishments. Letters of recommendation are, by definition, laudatory: grab a sheet of paper and make a list of your good qualities.

On the other hand, don't completely discard modesty and err on the side of pure, distilled self-praise: your teacher might not agree that you are indeed ""superhumanly brilliant"", and readers are much keener on candid.

Author: Amy Ambler

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