From excuses like I am busy on Saturdays and Sundays to “How can you do this to us (startups)” to “There are strict protocols on submitting recommendation letters from an official email id” to “Write what you want, I will sign it”, the variations of the supervisor who don’t want to play ball come in many forms.
When applicants face such non-cooperation, the first instinct is to find an alternative supervisor or even abandon the MBA plan (many do!) or ‘adjust’ with a mediocre recommendation letter that certainly won’t work.
To improve your chances, keep these 3 best practices:
1) Educate
This is a surprisingly effective way to turn around your supervisor’s perspective about writing a recommendation letter. Most supervisors are not well-versed on the format for an M7 and a top 20 school. I have written bare bones (not to be copied – just to give you a start) – strengths, feedback, and leadership recommendation letter samples. This is not the real version of a letter that I edit or even finalize. For authentic narratives, see the MBA recommendation letter editing service. But the samples will give you the voice and enthusiasm that is expected in a recommendation letter.
Supervisors might have written letters or short notes for those seeking employment. The stakes are not that high like MBA admissions where most give up after reapplication.
Not educating your supervisor about the right way to write a letter could cost you a valuable opportunity to pivot to an industry or gain momentum before you turn 30.
2) Ask the right Way and Negotiate
Maybe the supervisor is interested in writing the recommendation letter, but you didn’t ask the right way, or there are past (recent or a few years back) unresolved issues between you two that are now standing as an obstacle for the reciprocation.
Understanding the nuance of the dynamics between you and the supervisor will help you negotiate. Maybe they are just stalling. Ask the right way no matter how inconvenient the process is. Remember that they are doing a favor for you and not vice versa.
In startups, such revelations can have a negative impact. You have to be careful and make a judgment call whether to ask the current supervisor or your previous supervisor for a recommendation letter.
3) Introduce the Consultant
The best way to manage the inconvenience and the awkwardness of coordinating project details, highlighting milestones, and writing favorably about you compared to your peers is by introducing a consultant like me. When a third person is introduced into a strained or even a less-than-perfect relationship, the supervisor tends to be professional. They might stall but a consultant will have the right follow-up questions to ask.
