I am applying to several internship/junior positions, and a professor has offered to write reference letters in my behalf. I am wondering who I should address in those letters. Should I find out who the head of HR is? or office managers? what is typically done in this case?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
randomised
Mar 8, 19 1:00 pm
Maybe it's just me but wouldn't you like to be able to use those reference letters later on in your career as well? I had all my reference letters made out to 'whom it may concern' so could use them in multiple applications. I actually had to use one old reference letter recently.
xuwei93
Mar 8, 19 1:14 pm
My professor is of the school of thought of addressing each person/firm individually is the way to go. I can always grab it and change the addressee to make it neutral, no?
randomised
Mar 9, 19 5:50 am
You want to change the addressee of a letter you ask your professor to write? A professor who values addressing people in person? Good luck with that...
citizen
Mar 11, 19 6:59 pm
Randomised is right that TWIMC is standard and common-- not personal, but not off-putting either.
I agree with your professor, and if you can find the name, great. But sometimes you won't be able to learn the name of the actual person. And innocent efforts to quiz and dig (by asking too insistently) for the name risks unintentionally alienating or annoying potential employer staff. So be careful.
I've occasionally used "To the Hiring Manager" for employment and "To the Applications [or Admissions] Committee" for academic stuff.
Hello,
I am applying to several internship/junior positions, and a professor has offered to write reference letters in my behalf. I am wondering who I should address in those letters. Should I find out who the head of HR is? or office managers? what is typically done in this case?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
Maybe it's just me but wouldn't you like to be able to use those reference letters later on in your career as well? I had all my reference letters made out to 'whom it may concern' so could use them in multiple applications. I actually had to use one old reference letter recently.
My professor is of the school of thought of addressing each person/firm individually is the way to go. I can always grab it and change the addressee to make it neutral, no?
You want to change the addressee of a letter you ask your professor to write? A professor who values addressing people in person? Good luck with that...
Randomised is right that TWIMC is standard and common-- not personal, but not off-putting either.
I agree with your professor, and if you can find the name, great. But sometimes you won't be able to learn the name of the actual person. And innocent efforts to quiz and dig (by asking too insistently) for the name risks unintentionally alienating or annoying potential employer staff. So be careful.
I've occasionally used "To the Hiring Manager" for employment and "To the Applications [or Admissions] Committee" for academic stuff.