In today's MBA recommendation letter tip, I share 3 common mistakes I have seen while editing the feedback answer of the common LOR.
The question is, "Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the candidate. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response. (300 words)
1) The Tone
Either applicant themselves wrote the recommendation letter, or they coached the supervisor to such a degree that the answer looks forced. The praise about the applicant looks out of place, the details look surprisingly similar to the essays, and there are too many examples, even in the corrective steps, that don't quite match the feedback offered.
So when you finalize the recommendation letter, make sure that the tone is not like an Essay.
2) Tactical vs. Strategic skills
A big part of learning a new function is understanding the tactical vs. strategic deliverables. If you are in the 2-3 year experience range, supervisors typically offer feedback about the tactics behind completing a task or approaching a problem or communicating with stakeholders, or engaging with the team. But when you are in the 3-5 year experience range, the feedback is at a different level. The skillset expected is around understanding the strategic objective of the product/service and the direction in which the company is heading. It is far beyond simple feedback about completing a task. There will be nuances and specific examples that only a supervisor can offer. And that is where most of the mismatches happen between essays and recommendation letters.
If Essays have great narratives around leading and overcoming cultural challenges, but the feedback in the recommendation letter is around a task, then the narrative will fall apart.
It can go the other way around where the recommendation letter – even the corrective step after the feedback is a hero's journey. Don't overdo the storytelling for the feedback question.
3) The Voice
There is a template and style with which supervisors write a recommendation letter. It is similar to the bot-written templates that are readily available. But experienced reviewers can spot such templates and understand whether the supervisor has invested any time in writing the letter. There will be a unique voice even within the expected style of a recommendation letter.
It is extremely important that you create a timeline, follow up with the supervisor and offer all the information required to complete the recommendation letter.
Don't share the essay. They might borrow some phrases, and then the essay and recommendation letter will look similar.