So I work at Publix Supermarkets and asked my boss, the customer service manager, to write me a letter of recommendation for FSU’s Honors Scholars Medical Program. The problem is that it has been a fair bit of time since I asked her, and while the teachers I’ve asked have already sent their letters in, I found out today that she hasn’t even started hers. Now the application is due on the tenth, so I figure that if by the eighth she is in the same position I would have the Assistant Customer Service Manager write me one since he seems to really like me and actually has an M.B.A. If that doesn’t work out then I suppose I’ll just be boring and ask my guidance counselor to whip one up for me, which based on our relationship I’m pretty sure she will do. My main concern though is that I don’t think my boss has any experience writing letters of recommendation and am therefore worried that it will be sub par. What is your opinion of my situation and what I should do?
What does your Customer Service Manager boss know about your suitability for an “Honors Scholars Medical Program”?
Well she was the one who hired me, and who in a couple of months I would have known for two years now. Therefore, I figured that she could provide some valuable insight into my overall character with how I interact with customers, which could very well translate into how I might interact with patients. Even though my guidance counselor is very fond of me, she would most likely focus heavily on academia, which my teachers have already covered.
You make a good point. Commenting on your character might be worthwhile as long as your teachers have covered your academic suitability thoroughly. I assume the university has opened the door to that by mentioning it as one of the things they want to hear about from someone other than professors.
The only thing left to worry about is can he/she write a good one.
If he really does have an MBA from a real school, I might chance it, but only if your first choice agrees fully with the change.
Yeah thanks man. I obviously don’t want to be rude and tell her that I regret choosing her. However, I told her that by the eighth to let me know if she really can/want to do it, and the Assistant Customer Service manager has told me that he would be willing to do it. The problem though is time, because I would feel a little bad stressing out him or my guidance counselor. Do you think I should check in again tomorrow, or give her some faith and wait until the eighth?
You set the schedule, so stick by it. That’s not to say that there isn’t an opening to bring it up, such as; you just want to make sure she got the e-mail link, or that you made up the envelope and stamped it for her, etc., etc.
It wouldn’t hurt to check back with the second by explaining that Number 1 might not have time to do it and you hate putting a tight schedule on it, but you just want to make sure it’s still okay…
Okay thank you. I provided her as well as my teachers with a resume of my EC’s/rewards, address, phone and fax #, and an email, so I think she is good on that front. I guess your’re right and I’ll just have to work with what little time I have.