MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: I Can Write My Own Recommendation

December 13, 2012 by



Writing your own recommendation letters for your business school applications can seem like a blessing. Suddenly, you have the power to control an aspect of the application process that was previously beyond you. So, your downside risk in these letters is mitigated and your upside is infinite, right? Well, it does not quite work that way.

Admissions committees are not seeking blustery rave reviews, but are seeking recommendations that are detailed and personal, intimate and sincere. Can you really write about yourself with a dispassionate sincerity? And, even if you are a master of “dispassionate sincerity,” are you able to capture the subtleties that enable you to standout? For example, let’s say that among the many important things that you do, you also do something thoughtful, which you do not even perceive to be significant – you take new team members to lunch. While you regard “closing the big deal” as significant, others may appreciate and admire this small and impactful act, which forges team unity. Unfortunately, you may lack the objectivity necessary to ensure that this nice detail makes it into your letter.

This is but one simple example, but our point is that you probably will not know what is missing from your letter if you write it yourself. So, when you approach your supervisor for a recommendation, go in ready to push back a bit if they ask you to write your own letter. Some may be busy or lazy and others may think that they are doing you a favor by giving you control. Be prepared to impress upon your recommender that you can’t help yourself and that he/she can. After all, that is why you are approaching him or her in the first place!

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  • Marvelous Essays

    Topic: Please comment on the context of your
    interaction with the applicant. If applicable, briefly describe the
    applicant’s role in your organization. (250 words)

    In January 2011, I joined Valuation Services and Reporting Group
    serving in the capacity of senior manager to the company. Margarita
    Zavidonova, a team leader of a business analyst team began reporting to
    me on the same day. Four other team leaders also report to me. We hold
    weekly team meetings with the team leaders to discuss ongoing projects,
    future projects and taking in everyone’s suggestions. I interact with
    Margarita during the week as required and also hold meetings to discuss
    important issues. The discussions and meetings allows us to be
    coordinated as we make decisions where required. My approach involves
    guiding or providing directions to Margarita who then conducts
    independent work together with her team and then communicates project
    developments to me.

    The business analyst team headed by Margarita has a mandate to
    analyze, document, and automate reporting procedures for various risk
    reporting procedures run by the global middle office (GMO) group. In
    bargain, Margarita is in charge of communication between our group and
    the Global Middle Office group and for project planning

    Topic: How does the candidate’s performance compare to other
    well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (250 words)

    Margarita Zavidonova has worked with TD for 11/2years. However, I
    have worked with her for the last 10months. She is of exceptional
    performance. She has headed a team that has achieved quite a commendable
    number of initiatives like; delivery of multiple risk calculation
    reporting solutions for business clients, visualised and documented a
    framework for more than 60 existing risk policies, recently started
    working on a major risk data governance initiative and also assisted
    with a significant trading system migration. Considering the quantity,
    quality and speed of projects carried out by Margarita’s team, I am
    pleased with her above average character and performance. Together with
    working as a team leader, margarita contributes as a business analyst.
    Her work efficiency is remarkable too. She can easily conduct and
    combine planning activities, team training, staff work reviews and
    regular business analyst tasks. Recently, she has simultaneously been
    working on reviewing documentation for the new Data Governance Project
    (GDP), planning GDP activities and creating a schedule for the year
    ahead, consulting the development team, reviewing her staff’s work and
    following up on completed applications ready to go into production. Her
    ability to do various tasks at a go is definitely rare and above average
    in the industry.

    Margarita’s skills in communication are also excellent. Her dealings
    with clients at all levels are great. She is courteous and
    accommodating.

    Therefore her performance is way above average compared to other well-qualified individuals serving in the same capacity.

    Topic: Please describe the most important piece of constructive
    feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances
    and the applicant’s response. (250 words)

    Margarita Zavidonova is extremely focused on satisfying customers’
    requests and delivering quality product on time. She is keen on
    maintaining the image of a great service provider and is therefore very
    demanding of herself and her team. Since i started working with her, i
    have recognized her passion to get things done properly. However, she is
    easy on clients and accepts their rushed and non-standard requests. For
    instance, clients from the Global Middle Office (GMO) group placed a
    request which demanded unusual ways of extracting input data for reports
    or non-standard report naming. Margarita did well in fulfilling all of
    their requests.

    Standardization of reporting processes is in our best interests. With
    standard reporting format it is easier to implement and maintain report
    calculations. I have spoken to Margarita explaining this situation and
    that all special client requests should be avoided so as quality is not
    compromised at all costs. She agreed to this approach but raised some
    concerns that in some rare cases, GMO clients truly need customized
    reports due to the nature of their businesses. An example is one of the
    Dashboard reports her team worked on was in a special format which
    facilitates understanding by the senior management.

    We held numerous discussions and consultations and concluded that:
    special requests from regular or new customers will get go-aheads and be
    fulfilled if they add extra value to the business and if they fit the
    stipulated project plan. Margarita together with her team now works with
    the new approach in all of the new projects. In case a request for a
    report in an unusual format is received, discussions with the clients
    are held to come up with the best strategies to standardise them before
    the next stage of work commences.