Letter of Recommendation

Question

Just wanted to check in with you on my mba application. For INSEAD the school asks for two letters of recco from me. Now i have asked my immediate superiors to submit a recommendation. Now for the other recommendation i am a bit confused on whom to select. Here are the two options for individuals who can write a recommendation i have and a pros and cons analysis as per me:

a) I can select a colleague who has worked with me for the past five years in the current organisation 
Pros: Worked with me for five years

Cons: Not sure how the school will consider the colleague recommendation as against partners.

b) I can select one my Partners at KPMG. Who is also my mentor. 
Pros: The person whom i worked with is a partner

Cons: I have not worked with him for the last so many years. So his reccomendation might not hold the same weight as opposed to a person who is working with me now.

Regards
Pawan

souvik101990 · Answer

I think LOR should apply for people who have been in your life in the last three years.
However, you should choose somebody who knows you better and has a clear understanding of what you are good at.

Admissionado · Answer

B, most likely. Colleague recommendations, unless they are SPECIFICALLY asked for (like in the Stanford app) tend to be very weak. The reason is that they aren't your boss, so they don't oversee your work, and whatever goodness they would write would be less effective then when it comes from on top. If he is willing to help, then you can easily make up for his con of not being all that involved, by reminding him a wee bit of some of your achievements etc. Very important, which you haven't really mentioned yet is that your recommender be EXCITED! So try and think about that too.

Apphelp · Answer

Go for one of your partners from KPMG. Colleague recommendation will hold less value as adcoms are aware that an applicant in most cases can get anything written from a colleague. Also, a colleague at the same level in the organization might not be capable of commenting on applicants leadership abilities, business acumen etc.

Unless the interaction with the partner has been really limited e.g. 1-2 months, we would recommend going with the partner reco.

Apphelp Team

Letter of Recommendation

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