Applying to graduate school, a scholarship, or a new job? You’ll likely need a letter of recommendation, and in most cases, it’s helpful that recommendation come from a professor who can speak to your skills, abilities, drive, curiosity, and future potential.
In this blog post, a real-life professor shares helpful templates and tips to help you ask your own professors for letters of recommendation that actually help you land a place in graduate school, a scholarship or even a new job.
Professors and students are some of the busiest people in the world. Ok, that is a bit of a biased opinion from a college professor of course, but still, time is a currency and in today’s digital age, you want to get to the point ASAP.
Are you asking for a grad school reference, a letter for a scholarship or perhaps just a simple reference check for an internship or future job opportunity?
Whatever you want from your professor, get to the point early in your communication, like the first sentence early. Here are a few examples of how to do that.
Example For Graduate School:
Dear Professor Ibrahim-Taney,
I’m applying to law school, and I’d like to ask you to be one of my recommenders. I had you as a professor in business ethics and law and I really valued our conversations in that class and feel we had a good student/professor relationship.
Example For Employment:
Dear Professor Ibrahim-Taney,
I’m in the final stages of a very competitive law internship and I’d like to ask you to be one of my recommenders. I had you as a professor in business ethics and law and was a TA for the department last year and feel you could really speak to my professionalism as a student and TA, which is hugely valuable for this future internship.
As a university professor, I teach hundreds of students a semester and multiple semesters a year. Basically, I teach a lot of students. Some I know well enough to know their dog’s name or that they are working two jobs to pay for schools while others I probably pass ignorantly by in the grocery store on a weekly basis and don’t even know it.
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When considering who to ask for a letter of recommendation, consider your why. Do you need a professor who can speak to your moral character? What about academic promise? Or perhaps your need someone who can endorse you in your professional skills?
I’m often asked by students to write letters of recommendation, but I have no idea why they are asking me specifically! Why me, what was significant about our relationship you want me to highlight? Am I really the person that knows you best?
Continuing from our What templates in the previous section, here are a few examples of how to express your Why…
Example For Graduate School:
One time in class you had mentioned a story of your own law school experience as a first-generation American and this really resonated with me. Before hearing your story, I never even considered I was good enough to get into law school. You really helped me see a path that I never thought was open to me. That experience was a huge reason why I am applying to law school now and am asking you to be one of my recommenders.
Example For Employment:
When I was first learning my TA role, you took the time to train me and show me how to be successful in my job. This was such a huge help and a big reason why I was asked back for a second term- thank you!
When writing letters of recommendation, it’s helpful to tell your professors how you want them to recommend you. If you are asking three professors for a recommendation, you should ask them to each highlight different skills, abilities and potential so your letters together, create a holistic picture of who you are as a student.
It’s totally ok to tell professors how to write the letter. Does it need to be a single page? Tell them that! Does it need to be on official university letterhead vs. an email? Let them know.
And lastly, share your resume, academic success, and statement of interest with your professors (for grad school or jobs) so they know how to recommend you in the way you need/want.
Here are few templates to express your how.
Example For Graduate School:
So here is the deal. The Graduate school will send you a link to submit a one-page reference letter highlighting my skills in argumentation, reasoning, organization and my ability to learn as a student. The deadline is April 15. I am attaching my personal statement, transcript and resume to help you better understand my success over the past few years at school and hopefully this helps in your writing my letter.
Example For Employment:
If you agree, I will put your name and contact information down with the HR recruiter. They said they would be calling references in the next week or so for a simple, 15-minute phone conversation to assess my skills in argumentation, reasoning, organization and my ability to learn in the internship. I am attaching my personal statement, transcript and resume to help you better understand my success over the past few years at school and hopefully this helps when you speak with HR.
Writing letters of recommendation or engaging in phone reference screenings takes time, energy and focus. Commodities that faculty have little time to spare, especially during the academic year so when a professor agrees to help you, say thank you!
Example For Graduate School:
Thank you so much professor! I am very hopeful that I will get into my law program and am so honored that you will be part of that journey. If it is helpful, I would love to write you a recommendation on LinkedIn or to the department head saying how impactful of a teacher you have been to me. Let me know what you think!
Example For Employment:
Thank you so much professor! I think this internship opportunity will be the catalyst I need to really jump start my career and I’m super honored to have you be part of that journey with me. You’ve been a huge support to me in my student and professional development and I want to say thank you for all you have done already, it means the world to me. Thank you!
Be clear in what you are asking of your professors, why you are asking them specifically and how they can best recommend you to help land the job, scholarship or grad school program of your dreams.
Lastly, be authentic, real and invest the time and energy in developing true relationships with your professors. It doesn’t take much, simple conversations in class, a reach out on LinkedIn, participating in extracurricular programs to get noticed. These are all simple ways to get to know professors well enough to get them to say yes to recommending you!
Make it easy for them to say yes by doing your homework, being organized and strategic with your ask and give them all the resources they will need to write you an awesome recommendation or to sing your praises in a reference call.
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Meet The Writer!
Hi! My name is Nadia Ibrahim-Taney and I help people design happy and fulfilling careers through authentic career coaching. My expertise includes career exploration guidance, resume writing, interview prep and LinkedIn profile optimization. My pronouns are She/ Her/ Hers and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I focus on how diverse identities impact and influence folks holistically and professionally. Please connect with me on LinkedIn or at Nadia@beyonddiscoverycoaching.com
