Recommendations: supplement or complement?

Question

I am at a crossroads when it comes to how to steer and advise my recommenders.

Should I...
1) Ask them to focus on areas that “back-up” and supplement the rest of my profile. For example, If I was a History major major and am now doing education consulting, have them talk about my communications abilities and ability to motivate junior team members; or,
2) Ask them to focus on areas that “balance” and complement the rest of my profile. Using the same example background above, but have them focus on my quantitative skills and data-centric approach to problem solving?

Thoughts, ideas, and experiences welcome

WyseGyde · Answer

Blueapple,

As with so many other things, it really depends on your particular situation as well as the direction you'd like to move your career in post-MBA (i.e. more quantitative or qualitative directions). The answer potentially can be that you want the letter of recommendation to "both" supplement and complement the available material.

Think of your entire application this way: there is a finite amount of space in which to communicate the greatest amount of relevant information in an effective way. So you certainly want to try to leverage the different aspects of the application to have them complement each other--for instance, if you can communicate different successes and strengths between the essays, resume, and letters of recommendation without repeating them, this means you may have painted the most comprehensive picture of yourself. But you also don't want to provide so much information that it is overwhelming or disorganized. Hence the need to also use the letters of recommendation to supplement the material already provided. Some particularly relevant points of your candidacy may warrant additional emphasis.

This brings us to the third element aside from complementing and supplementing the rest of your application: play to your recommender's potential strengths. If your recommender is an authority in a particular field, for instance, then ensure his/her credibility and resources are highlighted and not squandered. Ensure that you have conversations with your recommenders so they also understand your future career plans better and can shape the elements of your recommendation towards that which helps paint a consistent long-term story for the admissions committee.

We invite you to check out our blog on Poets & Quants [url](https://poetsandquants.com/2015/11/05/ho ... onsulting/[/url]), and if you have any questions or would like an initial consultation, please contact us through our website (https://www.wysegyde.com) or by email directly ([email protected]). The initial consultation is free and our services are only $59/hour after that. And if you are looking to apply in the January round, it's important for you to know that our consultants will still be meeting clients' needs with those timelines for the foreseeable future, with services ranging from strategic counseling and school selection to essay review and interview prep.

Good luck with your applications and please let us know if we can help in any additional way.

- WyseGyde

Admissionado · Answer

The most important thing in a Letter of Rec is that it sound fantastic - I mean excited, full of praise, etc. They can comp both missions likely, but the important things remain the same:
1. Focus on leadership and teamwork first
2. Then all other MBA skills 
3. That they provide EXAMPLES which back it up.

But like I wrote, first and foremost it's gotta FEEL fantastic.

Hope this helps!
Best,
Jon

Recommendations: supplement or complement?

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