Recommendation Letter from Employer-When You Own Your Own Business

[Winkie]

I apologize in advance if this has been asked before...
A lot of DO schools will accept a LOR from your current employer in lieu of a current professor, understanding non-traditionals may have been out of school for a while (I graduated 12/2005). I own a small business with my mother and I think it has put me at a disadvantage not to have a LOR from my current employer (I will be re-applying for the 2009-2010 cycle), but I can't really write one for myself or get one from my mother! Since the business has been part of my life for the last 8 years (I also finished school, continued my volunteer paramedic service, etc. over the last 8 years), I don't want to ignore it like I did on my first application. I naively ignored it because it is not medically related, but now realize I should use it to my advantage. Would it be appropriate to get a letter from a business associate, someone who has used our services for years? Thanks for your help.

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[elly]

I'm not at all experienced with this, I'm still premed, but wanted to offer some thoughts. I too am nontrad and own my own business with my husband. I would sit down and make a list of anyone I work with, clients/vendors/etc that can give a good report on accountability, work ethics, ability to meet deadlines, etc. I think a good idea would be to use any of your clients as LOR writers, b/c in the end when you own your own business, it is truly your clients that are your boss.

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

 

[sindadel]

I only had to provide a couple of LORs for my (Canadian) schools but I used a major client and client employee as verifiers/personal references for the activities section of my application. I've been self-employed since 2000.

Since it's less common to write LORs in these fields, make sure to pick someone who feels comfortable writing and offer to give them information to make it a great LOR. They might well want to bounce ideas (or the letter itself) back and forth between the two of you for feedback since you're more in a peer sort of relationship.

 

[student1799]

Would it be appropriate to get a letter from a business associate, someone who has used our services for years?

Yes, I think that would be a great idea. FYI, I've never owned my own business, but I did work in the business world for 20 years. This is what I would do in your situation.

I would sit down and make a list of anyone I work with, clients/vendors/etc that can give a good report on accountability, work ethics, ability to meet deadlines, etc. I think a good idea would be to use any of your clients as LOR writers, b/c in the end when you own your own business, it is truly your clients that are your boss.

Yes, completely agree (see above).

Since it's less common to write LORs in these fields, make sure to pick someone who feels comfortable writing and offer to give them information to make it a great LOR.

I agree with this also. I asked my last boss for an LOR, which he was happy to provide. Since I knew him very well, I gave him a few tips on the kinds of things med schools like to see in an LOR (responsibility, work ethic, integrity, people skills, etc.). According to my postbacc program, a non-faculty LOR writer would not be expected to comment on your scientific or academic ability, because your relationship to them did not involve these areas, but med schools do want their input on your work history and personal qualities.

 

[Winkie]

Thank you all:elly, sindadel and student1799! Great advice from beginning to end.