MBA Application Tips—Letters of Recommendation

Let's be real: Recommendation letters are not going to be what makes or breaks your MBA applications. Most don’t differentiate prospective students from one another in the minds of admissions committees. Ninety-nine percent of the time, they are filled with glowing reviews of an applicant’s leadership and/or innovation abilities and potential. No applicant asks a supervisor to write them a letter if there is any question the content of the letter could cast doubt on their candidacy.

But, if done right, a letter of recommendation can reinforce and expand upon key themes presented in other application components like your resume, essays, and short answers. Here are some actions to take to make sure that happens.

Select the Best Recommenders

Most schools require two letters of recommendation from supervisors who have overseen your work in full-time post-baccalaureate employment. Of course, you will want to choose those you know will sing your praises, but also who can back up their claims on your abilities in the areas such as innovation, leadership, and teamwork with specific examples. The writers of your recommendation letters should know you well. Don’t ask the CEO you’ve seen in the elevator a few times because you think his title will impress admissions committees. Save requests to very senior colleagues with significant influence at a specific school (say, they're donors or members of the board) for letters of support, which they can send separate from your application to the Dean of the business school. 

Take a Strategic Viewpoint

If one of your essays is anchored in a story that shows the reader your critical thinking and problem-solving aptitude on a significant project, one of your recommenders could provide additional insight on this project in their letter. And, if this first letter of recommendation further emphasizes your innovation potential, the second should focus on other qualities, such as your ability to thrive in a collaborative environment. Furthermore, if you see gaps in your application, you may want to speak with one of your recommenders who could address them in his or her letter and share how you’ve grown from specific challenges.  

Set Your Recommenders Up for Success

Give your recommenders enough time to meet your request. We suggest at least eight weeks prior to submission. It is also helpful to give each one a short portfolio of information, which should include: 

• School names, recommendation questions, and submission date(s)

• Method for recommendation submission (e.g., online via link)

• Background information (academic, professional) and your future career goals

• Illustrative anecdotes from your work with this recommender, with particular emphasis on the following topics: varied and growing work responsibilities, performance at a high level (as judged by your project managers and peers) in a team environment, personal characteristics you want to highlight (e.g., determination, intelligence, creativity and/or leadership), recognition/awards, accomplishments, and your ability to grow from constructive criticism

• (Optional) Illustrative anecdotes from your extracurricular/personal life that will allow your recommender to show your abilities in community-building, and present you as a well-rounded, caring, approachable, and motivated person who would contribute to the MBA community

The weakest type of letter is one that is too general—that lists your qualities but doesn't show them. The illustrative stories you provide (and you can do this in a bulleted list) should be unique for each recommender and should highlight the qualities you want the recommender to expand upon. These inputs will allow you to subtly influence the recommenders’ output and ensure the recommendation letters include concrete and varied examples that reinforce your existing application content. 

Frequently Asked Questions

I have a great relationship with my college advisor. Would it be appropriate to use her as a recommender?

For entry into business school, it is best to ask supervisors from your full-time post-baccalaureate professional experiences.

What if I don’t feel comfortable telling my direct supervisor I am submitting applications to business school?

While it is preferred to have a recommendation from a current direct supervisor, it may not always be an option and schools understand. Be sure to address the situation in the optional essay; and ask a former boss and/or a professional colleague who is superior to you on an org chart to write a letter. Emphasize the positives of having this person write your recommendation too. Tell them your chosen recommender can speak specifically to your actions on a valuable project. Or that you worked under your ex-boss for a lot longer than your current one and felt they could give a thorough take on your strengths.

What if my recommender asks me, the applicant, to write the letter? 

Your supervisor might say, "I'm too busy; you write it, and I'll sign it." If a potential recommender puts you in a tough spot and only agrees to submit a letter that you’ve written, it is best to move on. It is often obvious to schools when an applicant has crafted the copy because of similarities in voice to other application components. 

IQ is Important, but Don’t Forget About EQ

This summer, NYU Stern updated its MBA application to include an EQ Endorsement. Separate from the professional recommendations, Stern is asking applicants to have a friend or colleague submit a clear and compelling example of the applicant’s emotional intelligence. While NYU is at the forefront of formalizing the request for a demonstration of emotional intelligence, admissions committees have long been interested in self-awareness, maturity, leadership, and other skills highly correlated with EQ.  Demonstrating that you have the academic prowess to succeed in an MBA program is no longer enough; it is also critical to display emotional intelligence throughout your application.

There are several current models and definitions of Emotional Intelligence. One commonly used definition is from Mayer, Salovey and Caruso’s 2008 article in American Psychologist. “Emotional Intelligence includes the ability to engage in sophisticated information processing about one’s own and others’ emotions and the ability to use this information as a guide to thinking and behavior. That is, individuals high in emotional intelligence pay attention to, use, understand, and manage emotions, and these skills serve adaptive functions that potentially benefit themselves and others.”

Essentially, those with a high EQ can work successfully with others by understanding how emotions play a role in the workplace through employees’ thinking, decision-making, and conduct. This understanding helps those with EQ to have positive interactions with others, but it is much more than just building camaraderie with coworkers. Emotional intelligence is also the driving force behind persuasion and leadership, and those who are adept can facilitate difficult situations and conversations effectively and improve the motivation and performance of colleagues using these skills.

Mayer and Salovey created a developmental model of emotional intelligence, with four key components (each with four sub-components):

-        The ability to perceive emotions in oneself and others accurately.

-        The ability to use emotions to facilitate thinking.

-        The ability to understand emotions, emotional language, and the signals conveyed by emotions.

-        The ability to manage emotions so as to attain specific goals. 

Read more about the model here: http://www.theeiinstitute.com/what-is-emotional-intelligence/4-mayer-and-salovey-model-of-emotional-intelligence.html

While some people have higher EQ levels innately, it is also a skill that can be enhanced through increasing self-awareness and practice. As such, in your business school applications, you can showcase your emotional intelligence strengths, but also show self-awareness by referencing those areas that you are actively working to develop.

Take the time to weave examples of your emotional intelligence throughout your essays as well as in your recommendations. EQ-related skills are often included on the recommenders’ skills assessments so make sure that your recommenders are aware of your abilities in this arena by providing them with stories and anecdotes that they can consider when filling out the skills assessment and completing the open-ended question(s).

Some prompts to help you start thinking through specific examples that will illustrate your emotional intelligence include: 

-        Describe difficult co-worker or team dynamics and how your emotional awareness allowed you to repair these relationships and/or environments.

-        Reference times where perceiving and responding to the emotions of others helped you to drive a conversation or project forward in a different, but ultimately more effective manner.

-        Think through examples of relating to others, particularly others who are different from you, to increase teamwork or buy-in to an idea or project.

-        Think further about those times you’ve disagreed with colleagues in a rational and beneficial way, which ultimately helped you determine the best path forward.

-        Consider a time when you assisted a coworkers’ development by giving them difficult feedback or having a tough conversation.

With many corporations and recruiters showing an interest in emotional intelligence, thinking through how you can continue to develop and showcase your EQ will be a beneficial investment of time, not just for the MBA application period, but for all of your professional endeavors going forward.