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 ...

You never know when you might get a request to write a reference letter. In many instances, you will need a letter of reference when applying for a job. Either way, it’s vital to understand the ins ...

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: ...

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 ...

Undergraduates need them for graduate-school applications; PhD students and postdocs use them to apply for fellowships and jobs; senior scientists often have to have them to apply for awards and ...

For some jobs, especially in academia and high-profile positions, employers sometimes request that top candidates submit letters of recommendation as part of the decision-making process. In some ...

Question: I’ve just submitted my Ph.D. and will start the job search shortly. The problem is that I had a particularly difficult relationship with my supervisor (Prof X) and I am unable to trust ...

Q. What sort of things do co-op boards look for in reference letters? Are reference letters from out of state acceptable? I’ve only been in New York for six months and I don’t know that many people ...