Writing References
General Advice
Employers usually expect academic departments to provide references for their students. If a department believes there to be a problem with providing references for a student, the student should be informed at the time they make the request to the department so they can choose another referee. Academic staff are often asked to act as referees by students applying for graduate employment, placement, vacation work or further study. The Academic Registry will give guidance about any concerns a member of staff may have over providing a reference if the student has been subject to a major disciplinary proceeding. If a disciplinary panel has been considering a major offence, and is of the opinion that this should be mentioned in any reference written on behalf of the University, then academic staff may be made aware of this fact by their Head of Department and a marker flag should also appear on that student’s record.
Collecting Information from Students
It is helpful to ask students to provide a copy of their CV or other general information, together with any ideas they have on their future career plans. Some departments use a questionnaire completed by the students to provide useful information to help in writing a reference. This might cover the student’s interests and activities, any work experience and other skills or qualifications, the key parts of a CV in fact.
Students should be encouraged to keep academic staff up to date with any changes in their future planning. This request from academic staff also encourages students to ensure their CVs are ready in good time.
Application Deadlines
Students may have to apply for work experience or internships very early in the academic year. Both investment banking and advertising often close their recruitment in November for the following autumn. References for primary postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) courses have to be submitted by a closing date in early December but the advice is to apply well before that deadline. Secondary PGCE courses have no deadline but again students are encouraged to apply early, particularly for courses that may be over-subscribed.
Responding to Requests for References
References may be provided by telephone, fax or email as well as by letter. If you need to write a number of references for the same employer for students on one of your programmes try to vary the content wherever possible, and ensure that references are similar in length and thoroughness for every student.
Guidelines and key points to include in a reference:
- Verification of the fact that you have known the student for a certain length of time.
- Confirmation that the student is on a specific course.
- Comments on both the academic and personal attributes of the candidate.
- Specific points highlighting the suitability of the student for the position.
- How closely the student’s own qualities match those required to do the job. For further information, Skills employers seek lists the main attributes employers look for and how these may be demonstrated.
- An indication of the student’s potential for development, backed up by evidence of any such growth already demonstrated at University.
Avoid giving a personal view on the student’s choice of career path – especially where it involves a move to a different occupational area, e.g. an engineering student entering management consultancy.
Under the Data Protection Act, students can ask the organisation for whom the reference has been written to see references that have been submitted for them. Some general advice is available on the University website.
In summary ensure that:
- The information contained in the reference is factually correct.
- Where possible, disclosure is kept to a minimum (e.g. dates of study and/or employment, marks and/or degree class, positions held). Sensitive data (e.g. details of health to explain absences from the University) must not be disclosed without the explicit consent of the member of staff or student (if this is not possible, please contact the University Data Protection Officer for advice) .
- Where opinions about a person's suitability are disclosed, your comments are defensible and justifiable on reasonable grounds.
- If you are asked to express an opinion on an issue about which you have limited knowledge, e.g. honesty and integrity, you respond appropriately response (for example, “I know of nothing that would lead me to question X's honesty”).
- If you are unable or unwilling to give a reference, such a refusal should be communicated carefully, without implying a negative reference.
- You do not disclose any information, if asked to give an unsolicited reference (i.e. for a student or member of staff who has not, to your knowledge, cited your name as a referee), without the individual’s consent.
Open References/Letters of Recommendation
Students may ask academics to write an open reference or general letter of recommendation for them, for example if they are going to be out of the country and difficult to contact. However most employers will always ask for a specific reference when a student is applying for a job but it can sometimes be useful for the student to have such an open reference for general information. The student should be aware that a tutor can be approached for a specific reference even if that person has already supplied an open letter of recommendation. Such a letter would provide some of the following information :
- How long the referee has known the applicant and in what capacity.
- What has been the general impression gained by the referee of the student’s approach to assignments and his/her overall performance.
- An overview of the main strengths of the student, especially focussing on the general skills sought by employers including time management and communication skills.
- Any positive impressions the student has made upon the referee, including any additional information about extra curricular activities .