INSEAD-specific recommendation questions

Comment on the candidate’s career progress to date and his/her career focus. [text box – unlimited]

This question is often creatively interpreted so here it is - focus on past accomplishments and future goals.
Have your recommender provide the depth and human side to your accomplishments, in a way your resume can't convey.
If this person has seen you grow or transform in any way, put the focus there.

Comment on the candidate’s potential for senior management. Do you see him/her as a future leader? [text box – unlimited]
Here, what I like to do is 1) have the recommender comment on their career ambitions, and 2) then use eye-witness, substantiated examples cited in other parts of the letter to build a case that applicant has what it takes to reach their goal.


For a client with entrepreneurship goal:

When applicant instituted changes within the board, he first got buy-in from key stakeholders. This shows me that applicant has a customer-centered approach. This quality will help applicant gather feedback from local farmers, government agencies, partners and NGOs and that feedback will help him develop a solid, in-demand product offering.