Writing a letter of recommendation for a friend can feel like an honor and a responsibility. It’s an opportunity to support someone you care about while helping them advance in their career, education ...

Reference letters come in many different shapes and forms, so don’t think that one size fits all. I’ve written in the past about how to request reference letters in different situations, be it from ...

A character reference letter can make or break an applicant’s chances. Here’s how to write a great one. A character reference letter can make or break an applicant’s chances Before the days of ...

It is an honor to be asked to be someone’s character reference. But even if you are enthused about helping a friend or colleague out, you might feel a little intimidated by the prospect of putting the ...

Letters of reference or recommendation are common devices in the corporate world. Many people request letters of reference from current or former employers, and employers may be more than happy to ...

Here is a common scene: A supervisor agrees to write your letter of recommendation with one condition—you draft it. Shocker. We, too, were surprised the first time this happened to us. We assumed ...

Shortly after becoming a full professor, I asked a colleague who had held that rank for years to name the greatest challenge she had faced in this ultimate chapter of faculty life. Her instant reply: ...

Writing reference letters for students and postdocs is part of my job responsibilities as an assistant dean and faculty member. But the sight of an email subject line with the words “Reference letter ...