After graduating from university, students are often asked to provide a letter of recommendation if they wish to apply for a job or continue their studies. This document is one of the most crucial documents in an application. Also known as a reference letter, this document is a written consent of an individual, either representing himself or an organization, appraising another individual. Organizational LOR are usually written in letterheads that specify the type of institution.

The main purpose of a recommendation letter is to give the employer or admission office a glimpse of who you are from another’s perspective. This is to ensure fairness and credibility of who you are and the claims made in your CV. A popular myth existing among students is that LORs must be written by only prestigious people. While this is a plus to the application, a strong letter of recommendation can be written by anyone who has had a personal or professional relationship with you. What gives a recommendation letter credibility is honesty and not verbose words that makes it read unnatural.

That being said, anyone who knows you well can write a recommendation letter, depending on the requirement. If an academic recommender is requested, then it can come from any lecturer who has taught or worked with you. For example, a chemistry student who shows more interest in petrochemical engineering can get a letter from a lecturer who is aware of this interest, can speak confidently about it, and probably support their assessment with previous projects on it.

If the application permits non-academic recommenders, then community leaders, employers, religious leaders, mentors, or leaders of legally recognized organizations can also write recommendation letters. Ultimately, what matters most is not the recommender’s status but their ability to speak truthfully about your character, work ethic, and potential.

This is why you should develop positive traits before you seek recommendation writers. You can’t be of questionable character and expect a favorable recommendation. Remember that reference letters are personal evaluations. The writer is free to express their opinion based on their perception of you. Philosopher Agnes Callard, for example, once recalled receiving an email from a former student who thanked her years later for believing in him. Reflecting on the impact of that trust, she said that she would gladly write his recommendation letter again and again.

Therefore, the first way to get good recommendation letters is to have a good reputation. Develop good characters that are desirable in the society, and demonstrate a positive mindset to work. As long as these virtues are noticeable to the public, people will be willing to recommend.

Other methods to secure a strong recommendation include:

• Build a relationship with your potential recommenders: If you are still an undergraduate, this is the best time to start. Look for lecturers whose interests align with yours and engage them meaningfully. Help them out to write their projects, take their classes, and volunteer to help with their administrative tasks. Doing this will convince the lecturer not only to write the letter for you, but to write it intimately. If you are seeking professionals or non-academic persons to write for you, begin building those relationships early through consistent engagement and meaningful contributions.
• Offer to work as assistant for a while: This is for the graduate students. Offer to help your lecturer as their assistant for a specific time. The essence is to build a rapport that will make it easy for you to request their recommendation. Requesting a recommendation from someone who barely knows you often results in a weak or generic letter.
• Keep track with recommenders: Some recommenders may forget that you requested a letter or overlook submission deadlines because of their busy schedules. Follow up politely and remind them well in advance of deadlines. Continue maintaining the relationship beyond the recommendation request by keeping them informed about your academic or professional progress and offering assistance where appropriate.
• Trust the recommenders: Once you have chosen your recommenders, trust them to write honestly and professionally. Recommendation letters are often confidential, and you should respect that confidentiality. Agnes Callard once shared that a recommendation letter intended for a fellowship programme was mistakenly delivered to her residence. Rather than reading it, she returned it unopened to the professor who had written it. While you may never face such a situation, the lesson remains valuable: respect the confidentiality of the process. A recommendation letter is built on trust, and demonstrating that trust reflects your own integrity.