How many times to remind a recommender to complete a LOR?

[summer888]

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So I asked my old pharmacy manager for a LOR and he said yes he will write one. I put in his info. on PharmCAS a month ago, and he still didn't fill it out yet. I emailed him 2 times already reminding him, so I don't know if I should email him again, because I don't wanna bug him too much, but I need this letter pretty soon to submit my application. I was thinking about going to the pharmacy or calling him there to ask him, since he doesn't seem to check his email? What do you guys think? Would this be too much? I really want him to write me this LOR since I need a letter from a pharmacist for some of the schools I am applying to. Ahh I don't know what to do, so stressed!!

 

[SlowPepper]

So I asked my old pharmacy manager for a LOR and he said yes he will write one. I put in his info. on PharmCAS a month ago, and he still didn't fill it out yet. I emailed him 2 times already reminding him, so I don't know if I should email him again, because I don't wanna bug him too much, but I need this letter pretty soon to submit my application. I was thinking about going to the pharmacy or calling him there to ask him, since he doesn't seem to check his email? What do you guys think? Would this be too much? I really want him to write me this LOR since I need a letter from a pharmacist for some of the schools I am applying to. Ahh I don't know what to do, so stressed!!

I would suggest you call him or preferably to talk him in person.

I was in your step just a few days ago too. 😉

 

[Passion4Sci]

As many as it takes really. If they agreed to write you an LoR, then they really ought to do it!

I've never had to remind anyone more than 2x.

 

[summer888]

Yeah I was thinking to go there in person and ask him then if he started the letter yet. I wasn't sure if that seemed right or not.
SlowPepper, just wondering how did you remind him when you went? Did you just ask if he started the letter or not? Because I was thinking to ask him that and see what he says and let him know I need the letter pretty soon.

 

[SlowPepper]

Yeah I was thinking to go there in person and ask him then if he started the letter yet. I wasn't sure if that seemed right or not.
SlowPepper, just wondering how did you remind him when you went? Did you just ask if he started the letter or not? Because I was thinking to ask him that and see what he says and let him know I need the letter pretty soon.

Yeah, I asked my professor via email. I basically I asked him directly,

i.e how you have a chance to start on my letter of rec?

I actually reminded him TWICE!

This time, you should give him like a week after you'd talk to him. Tell him to have it done for you by like Sept. 5? or Sept. 10?

Give him an exact date to have it finish, and then tell him you will call or email to remind him 3 days before the date.

 

[SparkLy09]

Haha, I would just ask him again in person if possible, OR give him a call. I ended up having to call him and it turned out that he doesn't really use e-mail. That's what you get when you ask older pharmacists who aren't really into the whole internet thing 🙄

 

[samuricool]

Haha, I would just ask him again in person if possible, OR give him a call. I ended up having to call him and it turned out that he doesn't really use e-mail.

Maybe not call him/her, but make sure that you run into them. When you 'run into them' start up a casual conversation and then force it in somehow. If then they do not get your lor done, that is why you have in-case people already lined up.

 

[SparkLy09]

Maybe not call him/her, but make sure that you run into them. When you 'run into them' start up a casual conversation and then force it in somehow. If then they do not get your lor done, that is why you have in-case people already lined up.

I guess it was just me then.. but when I asked my pharmacist for a letter, he actually preferred calls as a method of reaching him. In fact, he called me twice just to talk about the LoR, asking me a few minor questions such as what I thought were my weaknesses etc. I still visited him a few times since I wasn't working at that CVS anymore but as long as you're close with your pharmacist, I don't see why not 😕

 

[samuricool]

I guess it was just me then.. but when I asked my pharmacist for a letter, he actually preferred calls as a method of reaching him. In fact, he called me twice just to talk about the LoR, asking me a few minor questions such as what I thought were my weaknesses etc. I still visited him a few times since I wasn't working at that CVS anymore but as long as you're close with your pharmacist, I don't see why not 😕

I agree with you. If you are on a more casual basis with the person (e.g. pharmacist you work with) and you feel comfortable calling them, then by all means do it. In my first post I was reflecting about my personal experience - which was hard to tell since I apparently edited that portion. In which case it was a professor. I did not feel comfortable calling him to ask about the letter and it was easier to catch him on campus or just write an email.

There is a fine line about how to approach it and how often you should do so. Hopefully the former you know how to address courteously and professionally. However, if you have to do it more than two or three times, I think youre about to cross that line. This is where having a back-up would be beneficial.