How to write letter of recommendation

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BushBaby

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I am filling out a scholarship application and they want a letter of recommendation from employer/professor.
I asked my supervisor to write on for me(since I graduated eons ago and my profs will not remember me) but he is a sort of shy guy and he wants me to write the letter myself and he will just read/sign it. Now i am left with this crazy task of writing my own recommendation letter for a scholarship. I am not too creative, where can I find help?

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Being asked to write your own LOR is quite common -- recommenders are so busy that I've done many for my clients. Here are the basic questions I ask clients when I start a LOR:

1) Who are you asking to recommend you (name and title)? What are his/her qualifications? How is he/she qualified to evaluate you compared to other candidates?

2) How long have you worked with/known this person? In what capacity? Did he/she hire you? Was he/she your teacher? How often did you have contact? How well does he/she know you?

3) What are your top 3 positive qualities? Provide a specific example, of which the recommender is aware, that demonstrates each quality.

4) Have you received any awards or outstanding commendations of which your recommender is aware? Are you involved in any non-work or professional activities of which the recommender is aware?

5) Are there any mild criticisms that should be mentioned? (These are usually the flip-side of your strengths.) NOTE: Some people don't want to include criticisms, because these will stand out against other LORs with no criticism. I think if done well, it can be effective, even adding a realistic touch to the letter -- use your own discretion, and only include criticisms that you know about and have demonstrated improvement in.

The answers to these questions should give you a jumping-off point to write the letter. Best of luck!
 
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