Guidelines and Tips for References

How many times have you been asked to write a letter of recommendation for a student? It can be a time-consuming process. Here are some tips:

  • Write a generic letter of recommendation that would apply to any student from a particular major.
  • Address your letter to "Dear Employer" to avoid writing multiple copies of the same letter.
  • Discuss the content with the student and then create a focused letter for a job or graduate school that is appropriate.
  • What can I say?: There are many legal pitfalls with letters of recommendation. It is sometimes very difficult to walk the line between saying something about a potential candidate's abilities and what can be labeled as slander.