Requesting written references
If you are asking an academic to write a reference for you, you should be aware of the following guidelines:
- Please give referees at least three weeks' notice before the reference is due. Senior members of staff in particular may well be asked to write scores of references every term. Often each reference requires updating or adaptation to a specific job or scholarship. It is in your own interest to give the referee enough time to do it justice.
- Never put down someone's name as a referee without asking them in advance.
- Provide all the information needed to write the reference. Make sure that you have filled out your part of any form you submit.
- It is helpful if you include all the information your Academic Mentor will need in a single email, with a clear subject line. You might, for example, wish to remind them of scholarships awarded or internships undertaken.
- Sometimes an application requires a reference from the Programme Director/ Departmental Tutor. If so, the usual practice is for your Academic Mentor to produce a draft which the Programme Director/ Departmental Tutor will then sign.
- Once someone agrees to be a referee, he or she has the obligation to do the job on time. Inevitably, busy people writing scores of references sometimes forget so gentle reminders are worthwhile.
- By providing a copy of your CV, your referee will be able to see your work experience and extra-curricular activities, so enabling them to write a fuller reference for you.
- You should not normally name your Academic Mentor as a referee for a job unless you have first discussed the matter with him or her, although a general discussion may result in a blanket permission to use his or her name as a referee if you are applying for a number of jobs.