Before you start writing a letter of recommendation for a friend, clarify the purpose of the letter itself. Is it for a job, graduate school, a volunteer position, or something else? Understanding the ...

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 ...

Personal recommendations are an important request and require special attention to make them suitable. If you’ve been asked to write a personal letter of recommendation for a friend, you may have ...

In today's job search climate, applicants are looking for ways to stand out from the crowd more than ever. Because hiring managers can use the internet to research candidates and wade through their ...

When a colleague or peer asks you to write them a reference letter, it can feel like both an honor and a challenge. You want to help them succeed, but crafting a strong reference letter requires more ...

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: ...

It is around this time of year, when letter-writing season is in full swing, that many professors receive numerous requests for recommendations from students and colleagues applying for graduate ...

Academic reference letters are an essential aspect of academic life. Nearly every educator will be asked to write a range of reference letters during their career. In my long experience of doing so, I ...