Most schools reiterate the adage that if it is between the CEO who has barely worked with you or knows you, and a senior manager, who has seen your progress from a newbie to a seasoned professional, choose the latter.
The truth is not in black and white form.
Flat Organization
Most Businesses pride themselves in maintaining a flat organization. Recently, I worked with a client from a multi-billion-dollar company, where his current position was just three steps away from the Chairman of the company. That means the probability that the legendary Founder knows the client’s name and worked with him on at least a couple of initiatives is high. On probing further, it turned out to be true.
The Chairman/Founder was obsessed with a Pet project to change how we consume digital content. The client was entrusted with developing a feasibility plan for the project. The results were not pleasing. The market hadn’t caught onto the futuristic way of consumption yet. The technology and privacy constraints made it even tougher to bring such sweeping changes to our world. Conveying this message was tough, but he did with a uniquely ‘creative’ narrative with Cartoon strips, probabilistic graphical models and a conclusion without mincing words.
The client was worried that such forthrightness would cost him his job. The contrary happened. The chairman framed the cartoon strip in his office and wrote a glowing appreciation letter for the MBA applicant.
Now, let us be realistic. You are unlikely to micromanage the Chairman/Founder of a multi-billion-dollar company on the phrasing of the project or coordinate with the minute details. Luckily in most organization, there is a dedicated PR person, who writes in the voice of the executive. The chairman takes a few minutes to review the final letter and voila, you have a genuine recommendation letter from a recognizable name with metrics to support the contribution at a level that not many MBA applicants could get.
So don’t blindly follow any advice.
If you are working in a flat organization or a start-up, receiving a recommendation letter from the Founder/Chairman/CEO is far better than a senior colleague or a Manager.
Senior Manager
Having reiterated the importance of recommendation letter from a top-level executive, I must warn that without the recommendation letter from a Senior Manager or a Manager who has worked with you closely, the admission team would be truly in the dark on the many contexts that you have captured in the essay.
Well-wisher vs Professional Relationship vs Mentor
There would be several overlaps on the three roles.
Few MBA Applicants are lucky to have a Manager, who is a mentor, well-wisher and maintains an excellent professional relationship with them. In our experience, this rarely happens. A Manager might have worked in just one project with you that defined your professional accomplishment, but he might not have a great dynamic with you. Or the Manager might show great enthusiasm in watching you grow, but when an MBA plan is revealed, colors change, and the Manager shows a coldness that would leave you puzzled.
On many occasions, the mentor might be a Business School Alumnus, but she might not have worked directly with you but guided your career planning. Since many M7 schools discourage from sending a third recommendation letter, applicants are in a constant dilemma on the right step to take.
At Least Two Projects
If you are caught in between choosing a Manager who oversaw your brilliant performance in one project or above average performances in two projects, choose the latter. The more time a Manager spends with another person, the more she is qualified to evaluate the varying temperament, response to failure and the secret sauce that makes the applicant tick.
Fearing that the uniqueness of her candidacy would be missed, the client hesitatingly approached the Manager, who has worked with her in three projects. The performance in those projects was ‘above average,’ partly from the steep learning curve and partly from the complexity of the projects. When the recommendation letter arrived, we were able to capture an aspect of her personality that even she couldn’t reflect.
More than 2 recommenders
Don’t hesitate to ask more than two recommenders.
Don’t send the official link yet but since most top schools have adopted the common recommendation letter template, send them the questions from the template.
Based on the comprehensiveness of the narrative and the openness to editing the letter based on feedback from consultants like us, choose the recommender. Many might not be open to the idea of editing the letter. Some are particular of keeping certain phrases even if they are lame. They turn into one-day writers, who can’t let go of the words and forget that the exercise is to help the applicant stand-out. You can’t change their outlook with pep talks. Choose another recommender, who is open to receiving suggestions.
The Backstabber
I avoid negative people like the plague. So, writing about this topic is stressful but since we operate in the real world of office politics, you should be aware that plans could go terribly wrong. I recently had a client whose recommender enthusiastically supported her MBA plan. Just a day before the upload, I insisted that I do a final review so that we don’t miss important milestones in her career. Interestingly, the tone of the ‘constructive feedback’ and the ‘response’ question was devastatingly negative as if the recommender was holding some grudge. I had to smooth out the aggression. It took several calls to persuade the Manager to use this version.
Since many of your job evaluation and career progression depends on Managers like that, you have a great punching bag in us, consultants and reviewers.
Start the conversation diplomatically like “My consultant recommended that…”
Personal Meeting
Even if it is a recommender, who is not keen on writing the letter or the father-like figure, who wants to see you succeed, meet them in person. Email and Telephone calls are alright if you have relocated or the Manager is traveling. Managing the recommendation letter process early would give you plenty of time to schedule a meeting.
You can’t convey the seriousness of your plan and how much an MBA matters to you with a one-line post-MBA goal.
Create a narrative. Share how important the recommendation letter is for your future.
When someone puts you in charge of their future, you will rise to the occasion.
Do the Extra Work
Nothing builds the right environment to share your MBA plan than putting in extra hours. Your goal in at least a couple of months before asking the recommendation letter is to make the life of your Managers easy. That means sacrificing a few weekends and taking on projects that are on the highest priority for the Manager. When you ask for the recommendation letter, the extra commitment would seem obvious. However, as humans, we are instinctively good at reciprocating a good deed even if it is a small gesture of kindness, love or appreciation.
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