Letter of recommandation in french or in poor english?

Question

Hi,

I am french guy who intend to apply to INSEAD and HEC Paris next year (MBA full time).

I am currently working in an old and traditional french luxury Maison, and I plan to ask one of my manager to complete one of the recommandation forms. Even though the company is quite famous oversee, there is no requirement for staff to speak English and their level are not really good, sometimes very poor.

So, here is my question: can letters of recommandation (forms) be written in french (both institutions are french)? And if not, will the level of English affect the quality of my application?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Cheers

MBAPrepCoach · Answer

loneo3006
No unfortunately everything needs to be submitted in English for both of those schools. I would have them concentrate on the quality of the content and mettre à côté all concerns about the language.

The way I work with International recommenders who don't speak English well: client hires translator and then Will it at anything that the translator might have gotten incorrect. Once it is in English, I edit from there for further clarity. So it's very important that recommenders work with you openly! Enforce this requirement.

Find a translator who has a background in this kind of thing and I think it would be honestly a wise move to hire a bilingual admissions consultant such as myself.

The most important thing however it is for them to give engaging, detailed chronological anecdotes that illustrate how you embody the qualities that business schools are seeking.

Not an annual review, a data dump of stuff, tons of adjectives, or backward-looking generalizations....which is generally what people get and it's a real missed opportunity.

This is often a very tricky thing.

https://mbaprepcoach.com

loneo3006 · Answer

Hi MBAPrepCoach,

In your opinion English quality is important for the recommandations, and if the person doing the recommandation isn't comfortable with Shakespeare language you suggest that someone (a coach like you or someone else) rewrite/translate the recommandation. Am I understanding you correctly?

Cheers,

MBAPrepCoach · Answer

Well Shakespeare language sounds a little bit sarcastic? I can't really provide a yes no response to your question so I'm going to provide more information and context and I will hope that that helps clarify.

I believe that you should choose the recommender based on the *quality of content* they will provide, how well they know you and your work, how much they champion you, and - this is big - their willingness to be flexible, coachable, and put in time on your behalf.

Because in most cases they are going to have to become my student (or be coached by you.)

Most people say that they know how to do this and they don't....they just don't! even MBB MPs do not know how to create a good letter. I taught the whole damn Madrid BCG office how to write a letter of recommendation. It was a journey. But they love me now.

Their applicant had a 780 GMAT, stellar CV, semester at École Polytechnique, was shut out of round one without any interviews...came to me..then got into both schools is at MIT and turned down Wharton. We really improved his essays but I feel that the letters of recommendation were the biggest things holding him back.

The reason I mention this is that it's important to have them work with you openly. If they work with you openly then you and your coach can manage the language situation.

Ideally, you and/or your coach can provide them with *talking points* on the front end, if needed, and then allow their work to be *edited* with a light touch, on the back end.To clarify what they are trying to say.

I recommend that you choose someone who will work with you openly *no matter what their language skills are* so that you can have as much transparency as possible into your application.

Many many people work very hard on their applications and then the recommendations, *which count as much as your essays if not more* torpedo your candidacy because they're simply not competitive. Nice, kind, not negative - but not differentiating you. Because they are not in the business of marketing people and good storytelling.

https://mbaprepcoach.com

loneo3006 · Answer

Thanks for your reply and sorry if I sounded sarcastic, I didn't meant to.

I am bit disheartened by your message since I am not note sure to be able to engage that much the two managers I had in mind for my recommendations.
One of them is the strategy director of a very important brand and the other is one of my client. Both of them are quite fond of me, and will champion me, but they probably won't have time to seat with me more than one time to discuss about my recommandations.
Also, there is a former manager of mine that will both champion me and have time to prep the recommandation but it's been a while since we collaborate, 2013. Not sure this is a good idea.

theMBAroom · Answer

MBAPrepCoach

While I disagree with you that an MBA consultant should modify the recommendation at any point (most of the recommenders will be highly uncomfortable with this), I would agree that hiring a translator is a good idea. I recommend that applicant connect with recommender and explain what school looks for and suggest few of the stories that the recommender could use as starting point.

loneo3006 , In this particular case, I would let recommender write in French and get it translated into English. Content matters more than the form. Having said that, if the adcom doesnt understand what is said, it is a great loss.

MBAPrepCoach · Answer

I've worked for a half-dozen top admissions consultancies and it is standard practice to edit recommendations https://mbaprepcoach.com

bb · Answer

Letter of recommandation in french or in poor english?

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