Questions I’m asked as a recommendation writer
These are questions that are asked of me regarding self-funded professional masters programs in marketing and communication. I’m skipping the questions regarding how well I know the person, etc.
These questions are to be answered in addition to a full letter.
Program A’s questions
- Please rate the applicant in the following areas:
- Motivation
- Analytical skills
- Intellectual capacity
- Communication skills
- Interpersonal skills
2. What do you consider the applicant’s strengths and/or weaknesses?
3. Describe a specific situation where you have observed the applicant using critical thinking skills or applied a new skill.
4. How would you describe the applicant’s leadership skills?
Program B’s questions
- Please list three to five adjectives describing the applicant’s strengths.
- Please compare the applicant’s performance to that of his or her peers.
- What does the applicant do best?
- If you were giving feedback to the applicant regarding his or her professional performance and personal effectiveness, in what areas would you suggest he or she work to improve?
- How does the applicant accept constructive criticism or handle conflicts?
- How effective are the applicant’s interpersonal skills in the workplace?
- On the below scale, please rate the applicant’s individual vs. team orientation (1 = most effective as an individual contributor; 5 = focused exclusively on the team). Please elaborate on your rating:
- Please give an example of how the applicant has demonstrated leadership.
- Is there anything else you feel we should know?
Please evaluate the applicant by entering the following quality ratings for the traits below. Truly exceptional (Top 2%) Outstanding (Top 10%) Very good (Top 20%) Good (Top third) Average (Middle third) Poor (Bottom third).
- Intellectual Ability
- Maturity
- Quantitative Ability
- Analytical Skills
- Poise/Professionalism
- Initiative
- Personal integrity/ethics
- Interpersonal skills/ability to work well with others
- Sense of humor
- Verbal English Communication Skills
- Written English communication skills
- Self confidence
- Leadership ability
- Future managerial or business success
- Please provide us with your overall impression of the applicant
Program C’s questions
What are the applicant’s chief weaknesses or areas of growth
Rating 0-5
- Integrity
- Interpersonal Relations
- Oral Communications
- Self-Awareness
- Analytical Ability
- Research Ability
- Initiative
- Potential for Success in Chosen Field
- Maturity
- Self-Confidence
- Written Communication
- Overall Evaluation
Program D’s questions
Rate 0-5
- Communication and writing skills
- Intellectual curiosity, originality and independence in thinking
- Initiative
- Interpersonal skills, ability to work well with others
- Leadership ability and potential
- Academic and analytical ability
- Problem-solving ability
- Flexibility, adaptability, willingness to learn new skills
- Organizational ability
- Maturity and professionalism
- Research and reporting skills
- Integrity
Program E’s questions
Rating 0-5
- Academic performance
- Intellectual ability
- Written communication skills
- Oral communication skills, including willingness to contribute valuably to discussion/debate where applicable
- Analytical skills, including research and critical thinking skills where applicable