tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27054305.post53917234610335543..comments2023-12-23T04:56:29.702-05:00Comments on Ferule & Fescue: Recommenders: adviceFlaviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17832765671541392835noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27054305.post-12150083784784790292007-10-05T07:24:00.000-04:002007-10-05T07:24:00.000-04:00And just to confirm, Famous Scholar probably almos...And just to confirm, Famous Scholar probably almost expects it. Once you get to be famous scholar, people ask on the slimmest pretexts. (One friend called it the letterhead test). <BR/>THe thing is, you never stop needing letters, so once you reach a certain stage, you know you'll be writing a lot!Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09716705206734059708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27054305.post-165109674426729492007-10-04T20:32:00.000-04:002007-10-04T20:32:00.000-04:00Theodora:Aren't you the sweetest! I'll keep you in...Theodora:<BR/><BR/>Aren't you the sweetest! I'll keep you in mind if I ever need a rec letter for. . . well. . . I don't know quite what. But I'll keep you in mind!<BR/><BR/>And thanks all for the advice. Will keep you posted.Flaviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17832765671541392835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27054305.post-79847989195712140182007-10-04T13:15:00.000-04:002007-10-04T13:15:00.000-04:00Oh, and I would so love to write a letter for you,...Oh, and I would so love to write a letter for you, as someone else suggested, for the amount of value you've added to *my* professional life as I read your intelligent, well-written, funny, perceptive blog!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27054305.post-45313319426267063632007-10-04T13:14:00.000-04:002007-10-04T13:14:00.000-04:00On the other hand, a recommendation from your curr...On the other hand, a recommendation from your current boss won't hurt. That person can address your sterling qualities of responsibility and perseverance, that you will actually follow through and add value to the fellowship program, etc etc. It's no good being brilliant if you're going to fink out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27054305.post-41052482476451057562007-10-03T23:10:00.000-04:002007-10-03T23:10:00.000-04:00Yes! Ask the famous person! Sharing our work and a...Yes! Ask the famous person! Sharing our work and asking each other for recommendations are an expected part of this profession, so it's not like it would be coming out of left field. (although it always feels like this weird and inappropriate thing when I have to do it, even though I know otherwise.) <BR/><BR/>Like other people say, give the famous person a gracious way out when you ask and all will be fine.Sisyphushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09880634753539329199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27054305.post-53009432020183175652007-10-03T20:41:00.000-04:002007-10-03T20:41:00.000-04:00Even when I was in my 2nd year of the PhD, my grad...Even when I was in my 2nd year of the PhD, my grad school mentor told me to get a letter for my job dossier from someone not at my grad school. Mentor counselled me to get one from a guy who edited a book volume that has my essay in it. I say go with Famous Person. If you don't feel comfortable with asking him/her, why not ask the editor of either the journal or book volume where one of your articles is published? He/she will know your work well, if only by virtue of editing it comma by comma and by being in your field. If Famous Person has done this or is likely to do this in the future, so much the better! If not, or if you don't feel comfortable (with which I'm entirely sympathetic at this awful time of year), you've got pubs, so go with one of those people.Pantagruellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16276888537167616031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27054305.post-2310548562595317172007-10-03T19:59:00.000-04:002007-10-03T19:59:00.000-04:00If Famous Lady has read your article, said good th...If Famous Lady has read your article, said good things about it, and offered to read more, I'd definitely ask her. My experience with non-grad school recommenders has been that such a relationship would definitely be sufficient, and that people who are in a position to write authoritatively about others recognize that and see it as part of their professional obligations. I'd offer to send her your c.v., maybe something else to read if you have another article-length thing suitable to send her (although sending the grant proposal will probably suffice), and whatever more info she'd like, and give her lots of outs in case she doesn't feel she knows you well enough or just honestly doesn't have enough time. But definitely ask her - my prime non-grad school letter writer (who ironically now works at my grad school, but didn't when I was there!) has told me explicitly that she has people like that who write letters for her still. Anyway, the worst is that she says no, and you're no worse off. <BR/><BR/>(Do you ever feel like you wish you could ask blog readers to write letter for you? I do!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27054305.post-1948678936992193822007-10-03T17:30:00.000-04:002007-10-03T17:30:00.000-04:00I am struggling with this same issue and recently ...I am struggling with this same issue and recently decided to ask the person who knew me better than the more "famous" person. But because this person offered to help you, is famous, and is not a "grad school" mentor, I think you should go with her. I think it's important to get letters from people beyond just the professors you've taken classes with.Julephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08217631264010671678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27054305.post-115750017140921242007-10-03T16:27:00.000-04:002007-10-03T16:27:00.000-04:00I agree with wol and hilaire -- ask the famous per...I agree with wol and hilaire -- ask the famous person. Given that you know each other and she offered to read, I don't think it would be presumptuous. I have to think that everyone else (i.e., even the famous, established people) know how difficult it is to ask and that it is a necessary thing, and so will be gracious about it.life_of_a_foolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05427532203981697246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27054305.post-87567193368600865772007-10-03T16:06:00.000-04:002007-10-03T16:06:00.000-04:00Ew, I know how hellish it is asking for recs. I'd ...Ew, I know how hellish it is asking for recs. I'd say what wol said, though - she once *offered* to read something. I'd say that makes asking her to write a letter for you entirely reasonable.Hilairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09033740943173352249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27054305.post-26951509366207759802007-10-03T14:29:00.000-04:002007-10-03T14:29:00.000-04:00I had a similar situation earlier this year. Askin...I had a similar situation earlier this year. Asking for recs sucks--it's the thing I hate the most about the whole grant/job/whatever hunt.<BR/><BR/>I went ahead and asked a famous person who had recently chaired a panel I was on, and she said yes. I would ask your famous person. S/he sounds like s/he knows your work fairly well, even if you aren't personally close yet. And, much more important, s/he's offered to help. <BR/><BR/>Good luck!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com