Every year singers ask their instructors to write letters of recommendation for graduate school or Young Artist Program applications. Writing such letters has become so time consuming for the recommender that, in many cases, the answer has simply become “Sorry but, no, I can’t.” This puts the young singer in a bit of a quandary. How does one obtain the required letters of recommendation if no one is willing to take the time to write them anymore?
There are steps that you can follow to make this an easier, less time-consuming process for the recommender. While the letter still has to be written, the singer should take care of the accompanying logistics, and this should help the recommender at least to consider saying yes to taking the time to write. Before asking for a letter of recommendation, you can be prepared and increase your chances of getting a “yes” response by using the following guidelines.
Timing Is Important
You should account for at least two months of lead time when asking for letters. The people you ask are undoubtedly professionals in the field and they are busy. It is considered thoughtless and unprofessional to ask someone to write you a recommendation and tell them you need it “now.”
If you just found out about an opportunity, you would need to explain that thoroughly and do something in return for them to show your appreciation for the immediate use of their time. Writing the letter of recommendation, filling out online forms, and uploading the letter take no less than an hour, and that’s being generous. If your coach charges $85/hour, and you are asking for an hour of her time . . . well, you get the picture.
This is not to say that you need to pay $85 for a letter of recommendation, but you can see why some form of thanks would be appropriate regardless of how much lead time is given. Here are some suggestions:
•Offer to compensate the recommender for his/her time. Ask them what they would charge.
•Get your recommender a gift card to some place local to them or online (like Amazon).
•Offer to do some “barter” work (office filing, research online, etc.).
•Write them a handwritten thank you on a nice card/stationary.
Oftentimes if singers ask if they can pay me, I say no and tell them they can bring me a gluten-free cupcake. I know that most singers do not have a budget to pay for letters of recommendation and I personally don’t expect payment, but I can tell you that I do appreciate being asked. It tells me that the singer recognizes the value of my time.
The Initial Ask
If the recommender is someone you see on a regular basis (your own teacher, opera theatre director, coach, etc.), it is not necessary to reference your connection. But if it is someone you have not seen in a while and do not connect with frequently, you should reference where you know him from and when that was (“I was a Young Artist in the OperaWorks Advanced Artist program last year”). Chances are the recommender can immediately put your face with your name, but don’t assume as much. Keep in mind that between courses, masterclasses, performances, and Young Artist Programs, we often come across somewhere between 50 to 100 singers a year.
Provide a time frame for when the letters are due. This way the recommender has an idea of how much time is available before responding.
Tell the recommender which schools or programs you intend to apply to. Sometimes a recommender will be hesitant to write a “general” letter—they may think you would be excellent for one program but not ready for another. It puts the recommender in a potentially uncomfortable position if she doesn’t know which schools or programs they are recommending you for and how to tailor their letter specific to the opportunity.
Acknowledge that you understand that the recommender is very busy (we are always very busy) but you hope they will be willing to take the time and you will follow up in a week if you don’t hear from them. I have a horrible habit of reading e-mails and thinking I’ve responded. If I don’t reply, it’s because I think I already did or I’ve received a hundred e-mails since then and I’ve simply forgotten—not because I’m ignoring the e-mail. Always include a call to action—this avoids the awkward feeling of not knowing whether you should write again if you haven’t received a response.
After the Response
If you do not get a response, follow up with another e-mail inquiring as to whether your original e-mail was received. Acknowledge that you completely understand if the recommender does not have time and kindly ask for a response so that you may either send further information or ask another recommender. Be sure to include a deadline for response.
If you do get a response and the answer is “no,” reply by thanking them and telling them you understand. Some people have a “no recommendation policy,” meaning they don’t write them for anyone. You can understand why a professional who knows thousands of singers may not have the time to do this.
If you get a response and the answer is “yes,” write back immediately and thank the recommender. Tell them you will be in touch with further information ASAP. I consider it rude if I agree to write the letter and then I don’t hear anything more. It makes me wonder if further information was sent to me and I didn’t get it or if maybe the letter isn’t needed anymore. I shouldn’t have to think about it—and I definitely shouldn’t have to contact you and ask you to send me information about your recommendation.
Give Thorough Information to Your Recommender
You need to do all of the research necessary for the recommender to write the letter without having to look anything up for you. It is inconsiderate to ask people to draft a letter on your behalf and then also expect them to look up the contact information for each place that you are applying to.
For each place, find out whether the recommendation is to be done online or on a hard copy form to be mailed.
For Online Recommendations
Tell the recommender to expect an e-mail from the organization. Once you have a time frame as to when that will happen, let the recommender know (“X university should be sending you an e-mail this week” or “Y university has informed me that they have sent you an e-mail about the online recommendation—please let me know if you did not receive it”).
Give them the exact contact information, including whom it should be addressed to (committee chair, chair of the voice department, director of graduate admissions, artistic administrator, program coordinator, etc.). If you don’t know, go online and find out or call the organization yourself. Include the person’s title. If you have applied to an organization in the past and recall the contact person, don’t assume that it is still the same person—check for current information.
Get the correct address. Letters, even if attached as files, still include the full contact information.
Send this information all together for each online recommendation, with a heading for each place. Format the information into a Word document or into the body of the e-mail. Do not cut and paste the information from a website and leave it unformatted. Again, the recommender should not have to do additional work for you.
For Hard Copy, Snail-Mailed Recommendations
Tell the recommender that there is a form (if there is) and that it must be mailed.
If the form is located online, offer to print out the form and mail it or give it to the recommender. Anything you send or give to the recommender should be in some sort of folder or mailer so the forms are not bent or crushed and should include necessary information attached (“Rec letter for Suzy Singer, postmark due by December 5”).
Fill out any parts of the form that do not need to be filled out by the recommender—your name, address, etc. Many times you have to waive or not waive your right to read the letter and sign it yourself.
Enclose a stamped and addressed envelope for each letter that must be mailed.
Include any specific instructions (“envelope must be signed across the flap, etc.”) in an e-mail and/or attached to the form.
Follow Up before the Due Date
It is not unusual for recommenders to agree to write a letter and then wait until it is almost due to do it. Be sure you check to see if the recommendation has been sent (if possible); if it hasn’t or if you are unsure, write to your recommender and send a friendly reminder and mention the due date again. Ask that the recommender let you know when the letter is sent so that you don’t bother them unnecessarily.
Don’t Forget the Thank You
Once you know the recommendation was uploaded or mailed, send a thank you via e-mail and then do something in addition that is more personal. If the recommender does not live near you and you do not have his mailing address, ask for it. I gave suggestions earlier about how to show your appreciation, and there is something for everyone regardless of budget.
Once I received a note card in the mail where the singer had made me a lovely chalk drawing of a rabbit (my favorite animal) with a handwritten thank you on the back. That was years ago. I still have that card and I still remember her (thanks, Sarah!). That didn’t cost more than a piece of cardstock, an envelope, and a stamp—plus some great, personalized creativity.
Quite frankly, if you don’t have the time or money to send a thank you card, you’re probably in the wrong business. Those who have taken the time to be thoughtful stay in my mind. Many of us are frequently asked by colleagues to recommend a good singer, so that connection could go a long way!
