Asking for a letter of recommendation from a professor you don’t know well in 2024 (Complete Guide)

A letter of recommendation can be a game-changer for your career growth. It is a document written on your behalf by someone who knows you professionally. When you are in college, your professors are the ones who can help you in it. You may prefer to get it from specific professors. But what if you do not get it from them? In such a scenario you are only left with the option of getting a letter of recommendation from a professor you don’t know well.

Of course, going to a professor you don’t know well gives you nervousness. When I was your age, I got my letter of recommendation from a professor to whom I never talked before. Recently, my niece has gone through a similar situation. I helped her also. Thus, I know how to deal with such a situation. Here is how you can ask for it and what things you must avoid.

What is a letter of recommendation?

A letter of recommendation is a letter that is written for you by someone who knows you professionally. This type of letter is written specifically when someone wants to recommend you for something. It could be for anything including internship, graduate school, fellowship program, etc. Having a letter of recommendation helps to boost your chances of getting selected for a particular thing. These letters show your abilities related to the position you are applying for. Also, it will show why you are the best choice.

One thing that you must remember is that letters of recommendation are usually confidential and thus will most of the time be directly submitted to the authority where the letter of recommendation was to be sent. It means you will never know what was written in the letter of recommendation.

How to ask for a letter of recommendation from a professor you don’t know well?

When I needed my letter of recommendation, I was too shy to go to the professor. It was because I had never talked to him before. But I had to do it. It is because, many students lost their chance of getting admission, just because they did not have the right letter of recommendation. As a professor is a professional referee, it was important to get one from them. So how do I do that? Here is a simple process I followed-

1. Contact them directly

As I don’t know him much, the first thing was to contact them or make an appointment with them directly. When you meet them, tell them why you want a letter of recommendation. Don’t show that you’re only interested in getting the letter of recommendation. You can start by expressing excitement for the class you attended of them.

2. Give them proper details

Once they were ready to write it, I had to give them all the necessary details. Thus, this is your next step. You will need to give all the requirements of your applications. Some requirements are details about you, the institution you are going to, the course you have joined, etc. Try to add the details, you think will improve your chances of getting into the institution.

Make a proper summary document to help the professors to know about your achievements. Remember that they also don’t know you much, thus, you must share all your details with them. You can also try to add on the things that happened in the class to show them that you were interested in it.

3. Sharing resume or cover letter

The next thing that I did was share my resume and cover letter. When you share that with the professor, it will help a lot to know about you. If it does not work you can also ask for a short meeting.

4. Giving reminders

Send them reminders so that they complete your letter of recommendation. If you know where and when the letter is going, provide your professors with a postage and address envelope. It will help to make the life of a professor easy as they only need to write and mail it.

What are the common mistakes to avoid when requesting a recommendation letter?

Many students make mistakes when they ask for a letter of recommendation from a professor they don’t know well. What are they? Here is a list of common mistakes that you must avoid while asking for a letter of recommendation from your professors-

1. Believing that professors owe you the one

One of the most common mistakes that students make is they believe that the professor must write letters of recommendation for them. Always remember, your professors are under no obligation that they have to write it. Most professors will write it just because they feel happy to do it for their students. Thus, all you can do is request your professors to write it. It’s up to them if they want to write it. It shows that there is no guarantee that you will hear a yes from your professors. 

2. Just asking for it

If you generally want a letter of recommendation from your professor, you must ensure you are doing everything you can. Many students ask it once and then leave it, but you must not do it. It means you must be present whenever your professor asks for it. You will need to give all of your information to the professor. In addition, you will have to take follow-ups with your professors. Give reminders to the professors. It will make them believe that you want it.

3. Getting impatient

When the professor is ready to write it, you should stay calm and have patience. Many times, the professor gets late in giving you the recommendation letter. The simple reason is that your professors have a lot of other work to do. To avoid such a situation, ask for a letter of recommendation a few days before the deadline for submission. Another possible reason may be that you have not provided all the necessary details till now. Therefore check if all the details are right or not. 

How to ask for a letter of recommendation from a professor in a short period?

If you want a letter of recommendation in a short period, choose a professor you know very well. It is because it will be easy to make them understand the problem you are facing. Choosing the one you don’t know much about may give the impression that you’re not serious, and they may not help you with it. Discuss the reason why you didn’t ask them before.

Do not give any invalid reason that leaves a wrong impact. Tell them why you chose them at this moment and why you want to get it from them. Ensure you are not imposing anything on your professors and give them a chance to decline. It will help them to know that you respect their time. 

Can I ask for a letter of recommendation via email?

There is no harm in asking for a letter of recommendation via email but remember, asking them in person will have a good impact on you on them. However, it is not always possible. Thus, you are only left with the email option and can ask for it via email. If your professor does not reply to your mail don’t worry. Wait for at least 48 hours as they might be busy with other work. If still, there is no reply, you can send them a reminder mail. An important thing before sending them an email, you must remember that you are capitalizing the professor’s title.

Conclusion

A letter of recommendation is a letter that is written for you by someone who can recommend you professionally. As professors are your professional referees, you can also ask for a letter of recommendation from you. You can even ask the professors who do not know you well. Try to get an appointment with them and ask them to write a letter of recommendation from them. You must give them the important information to add to the letter of recommendation. Try adding your achievements that will help to improve your chances of getting into the institution.

You must avoid some common mistakes that most students make like thinking that the professors owe you a letter of recommendation, and do not take follow-ups from them. Your professors may or may not accept your request and thus you must put all your efforts into asking it.

FAQs