How to gracefully ask someone for a letter of recommendation

How to gracefully ask someone for a letter of recommendationHow to gracefully ask someone for a letter of recommendationSo, youre applying for grad school or a new job. Maybe youre even going for a volunteering gig. Most likely, those adventures require letters of recommendation. If youve never asked for one before, going about it can seem tricky.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreDo you catch up with the person first? Or do you use the more direct approach? Heres the best way to ask someone for a letter of recommendation.If You Know Someone Really WellWhether its a favorite former boss or your thesis advisor, you should casually email or give this person a call if you feel close enough.A phone call sounds more personal, and if you dont feel comfortable cold-calling, you can always email beforehand and ask for a reasonable time to chat.Catch up for a bit, and then say something lik e, Ive decided to pursue X, and I feel that we had a great working relationship and you can speak to my work ethic and achievements.Would you be willing to write me a letter of recommendation? Easy, right? Well, if theyre really that close to you, asking wont be so nerve-wracking asIf You Dont Know Someone Really WellSometimes, you gotta pull from a boss you had a few years back or a professor who worked with you on a certain project but wasnt super close to you. Its important to warm them up before asking, mainly because youll want to refresh their memory on everything you did together.First, send a cordial email with a subject line that says something like Saying hi or Checking in Start out by asking how they are and about some parte of the school or organization that theyd be able to answer.For example, Hows French class this semester? I know around this time, we were covering tensesThen, after they reply, feel them out. Its important to be honest with yourself about how you thin k this exchange is going. If they dont seem super interested in speaking, maybe youshouldnt ask them for a letter of recommendation after all, especially if youre getting the vibe that they wouldnt have much of substance to say about you.But if it feels right, respond to whatever they said, and then go into your spiel Ive decided to pursue X. I loved working under you, and I believe you can speak to the projects I accomplished with your guidance.Would you be willing to write me a letter of recommendation? Thanks so much and looking forward to hearing from you soonThe Bottom LineUltimately, its just a question. But taking the time to speak with someone genuinely before asking a favor of them is really important. Even more important If they agree to write you one, write them a great thank-you note, either in person or in an email, for helping you.The personal touch goes along way.This article first appeared on Swirled.