19 Jan 09 Letter Of Recommendation: How To Make Sure That Your Letter Of Recommendation Will Be Read
What do you think is the single factor that determines if your letter of recommendation will be read?
It’s simple, really: length.
Most people hate to read long letters, so the shorter your letter is, the better chance of it being read. Every time you come across an article or book, the first thing you do is a quick cost / benefit analysis: given my interest in this topic, is reading this article worth the effort. The more lengthy the letter is, the less likely you are to read the whole thing.
Now if you’re trying to pass the time and there’s a book in front of you, it’s probably okay for you to read a few chapters of it. But if you are swimming in applications, how likely are you to snuggle up to a four-page letter of recommendation in an 8-point font?
Some managers take a little time to skim the page and maybe even read some bits carefully, but if the important selling point in the letter is right down at page four, there’s a mute chance you’ll even get that far.
Do you see the point? So many candidates make the mistake of putting everything out all at once. They’re not sure what the organization is looking for so they overwhelm the recipient with data that they think will get them hired. This seldom works.
These people reviewing your letter or recommendation, they’re just humans. Rarely would they have the patience to plow through the blocks of paragraphs in your recommendation letter to find out whether or not you have something to offer that they might need. Especially not when they have tons of applications to review.
In our so-called information age, we are all becoming swamped with data. Being able to summarize large amounts of data into a very concise but effective form, is a skill that most people should have in order to succeed in their fields. Not surprisingly, this is exactly the skill more and more people are looking for in the candidates they evaluate.
For more information, including tips, samples, and templates, please check out our website: Letter Of Recommendation
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