Professional LOR Required... SOS

alex.e92

I started filling out applications this week and noticed that Columbia requires a professional LOR for anyone who graduated before 2015 (I graduated in May of 2014). The LORs I secured at the beginning of the year are both from old professors. I immediately reached out to my previous supervisor of 2 years (not my current employer -- for obvious reasons) and asked for a last minute LOR. He happily agreed to write one and I know that he will write a positive recommendation; however, I have never seen him write in any capacity (he's a brilliant data guy -- not necessarily a wordsmith). I will be waiving my right to read the letter, so I'm a bit nervous. Does anyone have any advice as to what I should pass along to him in order to help him write the best LOR he can, we're both clueless about what admissions is looking for in a professional recommendation from a field that isn't particularly relevant to the law. Are there certain characteristics in data analysis/cost forecasting that he can expound upon that would be seen as a bonus to my application? Anyone been in a similar situation? Thanks.

Cant Get Right

When I've read letters of prospective employees, I've never really cared about what the job was. I care about how the person handled themselves within a professional environment. I'm looking for indications of leadership, general competency, social skills, problem solving skills, commitment, dedication, and passion. If he intends to write a good letter, he just needs to stay away from any wording that could potentially come across as tepid. So if you're a good programmer or whatever it is, saying you're "a good programmer" is really really bad. That's what people say when they're being polite and writing a letter they don't really believe in. With that example, he should say something more along the lines of "the most talented programmer I've ever had the privilege of working with." It sounds hyperbolic and probably is, but mild language is typically read, at best, as indifference towards the subject of the letter.

Tom from Vegas

My notes say:

"Letters of recommendation should provide positive references on as many of the following fields as possible: Ability to learn, adaptability, work ethic, potential for growth, leadership skills, a strong desire to succeed, integrity, and honesty."

However, the closest reference I could find deviates slightly.

Good luck!

desire2learn

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/application-prep/law-school-letter-of-recommendation

Check out the above link. I think it might help you and your supervisor. I don't know how accurate it is in terms of what Columbia "REALLY WANTS" but hopefully it will help give some specific direction.

alex.e92

Thank you all! This has been helpful

ariellentb

I graduated in 2014 and spoke with Columbia admissions in person. They will accept two professors uf you can acquire two professors. The employer LOR is only to benefit people who cannot get recommendations from professors because they graduated too long ago to still have a really good relationship. If you can get 2 professors, they prefer it, even a few years out.

ariellentb

Sorry, let me be clearer. I spoke with them last year-- not in 2014-- about applications for last and for this year.

David Busis

Great question! I'd ask your recommender do the following:

1. Write at least 500 words.
2. Use anecdotes. E.g., "One day, when we were overwhelmed with work, Lauren took fifty boxes of women's shoes off the shelf and described all of them for the website, even though she had never written copy in footwear."
3. Mention specific accomplishments. E.g., "Hasdrubal was our most productive employee in the months of February, March, and June."
4. Compare you to other employees. E.g., "In my thirteen years of management, I have only supervised two or three employees who worked as hard and as efficiently as Demosthenes."
5. Mention your intelligence, work ethic, and communication skills.

If your name doesn't happen to be Lauren, Hasdrubal, or Demosthenes, you may want to modify the names.

alex.e92

@ariellentb @david.busis Thank you both! This is very helpful.