westsew wrote:
Hello,
I need an advice here.
as for third reco: lower level manager who knows me well vs ex-upper who knows me little vs dean of my undergrad faculty who knows me well ?
the first two: current supervisor, executive director of my department
Conventional wisdom always seems to say that you should find recommenders who know you. It seems like you already have two work-related recommenders who probably know you well. If this is true, is the lower level manager going to add much new info? If you think he will, then maybe that's the way to go (although then I would ask whether the the first two recommenders really know you very well). Otherwise, I'd probably go with the dean from UG. He can provide an alternative perspective on your academic performance and abilities. The "ex-upper" who doesn't know you very well seems like a bad choice.
For what it's worth, my three were a current supervisor/manager, department head from UG major, and another professor from senior year. The first two knew me extremely well, and I had a good relationship/rapport with the third from the semester in his class.