1. MBA & EMBA Recommendation Book Overview.
2. Book Excerpt – Examples of MBA & EMBA Recommendations and Talking Points.
MBA Recommendation Example from section 4.5
MBA Recommendation Example from section 4.6
Recommender Talking Points Example from section 2.10
3. Book Review Offer.
4. Download Recommendation Brainstorming Grid.
5. Updated List of MBA & EMBA Recommendation Questions.
1. MBA & EMBA Recommendation Book Overview
Thanks for stopping by. I assume you stumbled upon this page while googling something like “MBA or EMBA Examples”. You’re probably in the midst of applying to a few programs. Maybe you’ve approached a recommender who has either asked you to write the recommendation yourself (he’ll look it over and submit it) or to provide him with some material (notes, ideas, an outline…what I call “talking points”).
If that’s the case, you might be interested in my book, MBA & EMBA APPLICATION GUIDE: Recommendations – Write Your Own Professional Letter of Recommendation with 25+ Examples It’s available for purchase on this website as a downloadable PDF or you buy a printed version from Barnes & Noble or Amazon or get the ePUB version from Kobo Books. If you’re located outside North America, you can purchase the downloadable PDF here or check your country’s Amazon or Kobo website for the book.
MBA & EMBA APPLICATION GUIDE: Recommendations – Write Your Own Professional Letter of Recommendation with 25+ Examples is a carefully-crafted, 100+ page book written by Leah Derus, a seasoned admissions consultant and MIT Sloan MBA. It contains 25+ real recommendation examples that you can draw on PLUS guidance on the entire recommendation creation process.
This book was written for the many MBA and EMBA applicants (and more generally graduate school applicants, scholarship or fellowship applicants, young and mid-career professionals, etc.) whose recommenders ask them to either write their own recommendation or create a recommendation outline (a.k.a. talking points).
This guide will help you identify and manage your recommenders and give you a simple method for structuring and generating content for your recommendation. It also contains over 25 professional recommendations from successful applicants to elite MBA and EMBA programs as well as examples of recommendation outlines (a.k.a. talking points).
Recommendation questions from the following programs are also included: Berkeley Haas MBA, Chicago Booth MBA, Columbia MBA, Cornell Johnson MBA, University of Virginia Darden MBA, Dartmouth Tuck MBA, Duke Fuqua MBA, Harvard Business School MBA, INSEAD MBA, Kellogg MBA, London Business School MBA, Michigan Ross MBA, MIT Sloan MBA, NYU Stern MBA, Stanford MBA, UCLA Anderson MBA, Wharton MBA, Yale MBA, Chicago Booth EMBA, INSEAD EMBA, Kellogg EMBA, MIT Sloan EMBA & Sloan Fellows, Stanford MSx, and Wharton EMBA.
From the author, Leah Derus
After earning my MBA at MIT Sloan, I joined a well-known MBA admissions consulting firm but soon took issue with their business model: lots of ‘advice’ but none of the practical, time-intensive help clients really needed. I decided to chart my own course, and over the next decade worked intensively and successfully with a smaller client base doing high-touch-point MBA and EMBA admissions consulting through resumeSTORY.builders. The result has been a 98% admit rate, year after year at business schools such as Harvard, Stanford, MIT Sloan, and Wharton.
My approach gave me the latitude to hone my storytelling craft. Today I apply it to the entire MBA or EMBA application process – from recommendation writing (in this book) and essay and resume writing (in other books in the MBA & EMBA APPLICATION GUIDE Series).
Thank you for your interest in my work! Let’s connect on LinkedIn or at resumeSTORY.builders/books where you’ll find free resources.
2. Book Excerpt. Examples of MBA & EMBA Recommendations and Talking Points.
MBA Recommendation Example from section 4.5
JOANNA – MBA, Product Manager at Amazon – STRENGTHS: takes initiative, product strategist, self-confident; WEAKNESS: frustrates easily
SHORT ANSWER: Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, their role in your organization
Since September YEAR, I’ve been the Senior Vice President of Product for Amazon’s Education Division. Joanna Melo Almeida is one of three product managers on my team. I’ve worked closely with her on our hardware product line, the division’s product development strategy, and the business side of the education data center (a product she is spearheading).
1. How does the applicant’s performance compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (E.g., what are the applicant’s principal strengths?)
As an organization that produces a preponderance of virtual products (i.e., web- and cloud-based services), Joanna’s role as a product manager is central. Product manager roles are very competitive at Amazon, with numerous internal and external candidates often vying for the same position. Only the best of the best become product managers; within that cohort, I rank Joanna in the top 10%.
Joanna manages products in the integrated solutions category. These are generally integrations between outside hardware companies and Amazon’s Education Division. Products include school building doors with facial recognition and a tablet message board that dynamically displays content outside classroom doors.
TAKES INITIATIVE
Joanna often takes initiative in the workplace without prompting from other managers or me. For instance, she is currently spearheading a new product: the Education Data Center. Initially, an education data center product wasn’t on our radar, but Joanna’s extensive user outreach and feedback gathering work identified a need. She then rallied stakeholders around her idea and has brought it to market. Young product managers typically oversee existing products, leaving new product rollout to more senior colleagues. Joanna’s achievement is notable because of her relative inexperience and the fact that she pinpointed a greenfield opportunity at a company like Amazon, where the product offering is already robust. Next year the Education Data Center will create an estimated 2% or $4.7M increase in our division’s gross revenue.
PRODUCT STRATEGIST
On multiple occasions, I have seen Joanna step outside her product management role and successfully work on a range of issues including product development strategy. Last year Joanna collaborated with me on the strategic direction of future product development. As part of that process, Joanna created a unique matrix to categorize hypothetical future product mixes. Some of the factors she integrated into her model included revenue estimations, the level of complexity in producing a given product, and the availability of outside service providers. Her final analysis identified two products as likely to succeed: Smart School Surveillance and Smart Classroom Tablet. In fact, both products have since launched are exceeding early sales estimates.
Joanna’s work was on par with that of a post-MBA associate with prior experience in business development or strategy. Her contributions are especially impressive considering that her background is in computer science (not product management or business).
SELF-CONFIDENT
Persuading colleagues and stakeholders to voluntarily collaborate is at the heart of good product management. That can’t be achieved by a product manager intimidated by others or who backs down at the slightest challenge. The reality is that many early-career professionals lack the self-confidence and assertiveness to be competent product managers (which is why it is typically a role held by post-MBA associates at Amazon). I mention this to highlight the significance of Joanna being promoted to product manager immediately after completing the OFRP rotational program. Joanna’s self-confidence comes through in her day-to-day work and public speaking.
I accompanied Joanna as she pitched the Education Data Center to some of the largest school districts in the U.S. I had assumed that Joanna would discuss the technical aspects of the Education Data Center and leave the business presentation to me. I was wrong. Joanna surprised me during our first pitch to the New York City Department of Education. She expertly covered both technical and business topics during the presentation and afterward during in-depth Q&A sessions, successfully persuading two of the country’s largest school districts – Fulton County School System in Atlanta and Los Angeles Unified School District – to become first mover clients.
2. Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
Last April, we needed to develop a proposal for revenue and cost-sharing between the Education Division and our partner hardware companies. Joanna is someone who holds herself to a very high standard. She spent time drafting a pricing strategy, carefully considering what would appeal to our customers and partners while maximizing the Education Division’s profit margins. Her solution was a percentage-based split between the two parties.
Because some of the products, such as the school door, would likely be bundled with products from outside the Education Division, I suggested that the percentage-based split model might prove problematic. Joanna agreed to work with me to create a pricing solution. We settled on one with a flat-rate profit share for third-party companies.
Joanna agreed to the new model but still preferred her original proposal. She felt she had invested a lot of time trying to get it right. I agreed with this but reminded her that nobody gets everything right on the first go-around, and that experience is a great teacher.
My feedback to Joanna was that sometimes it seemed like she got frustrated more easily than other colleagues might under similar circumstances. I suggested that if she applied the same iterative approach she used in her team-based product management work to individual analytical work (such as creating a pricing model), she might be less anxiety when things didn’t go quite to plan. Joanna thanked me for the analogy, which she said resonated with her. Since then, Joanna has been more relaxed and actively seeks constructive feedback on her work in an effort to iterate before finalizing.
MBA Recommendation Example from section
Like what you’re reading? Purchase a PDF copy of the book, MBA & EMBA APPLICATION GUIDE: Recommendations – Write Your Own Professional Letter of Recommendation with 25+ Examples
EMBA Recommendation Example from section 4.6
OLIVIA – EMBA, Quality Manager Crane Aerospace & Electronics – STRENGTHS: innovative, insightful, good listener, inclusive leadership style; WEAKNESS: rigid definition of success
Please describe your relationship to the applicant.
My name is Steven Muller, and I’m currently a Senior IT Manager at Crane Aerospace & Electronics. I’ve been with the company for 14 years and oversee software development for two core product lines: the Anti-skid Runway System and the Bird Strike Collision Detection System. I hired Olivia Ayers in June 20XX as a Project Manager. She has since been promoted to Quality Manager. Olivia has been my direct report since YEAR.
How has the applicant’s career progressed during the time you have known or worked with him/her? Please be as specific as possible.
In 20XX, Olivia joined Crane Aerospace & Electronics in a newly created Project Manager role focused exclusively on day-to-day project management for our Anti-skid Runway System. Olivia’s role quickly expanded beyond its initial scope. Today she is a Quality Manager who a) manages all software development for two core products, b) oversees all third-party suppliers of programming services on a company-wide basis (budget of $25M, managing negotiations and contract execution, and liaising with legal on enforcement), and c) is the point person within the Aviation Electronics Division responsible for initiating and maintaining compliance with ISSEO. ISSEO is a standard way of operating in the aviation industry with defined ways to improve a company’s software development processes and for it to assess its suppliers.
Olivia has become an indispensable member of my team and the broader Crane family. Within our division, she’s also an unofficial process expert whose advice is regularly sought out by engineers several years her senior. She’s received offers from Crane’s Finance Division to take over cost-tracking across the company and from Crane’s Radar Division to manage its project managers. Fortunately, Olivia has enough irons in the fire in the Aviation Electronics Division that she has opted to remain with us.
Please assess the applicant’s intellectual strength, judgment, and creativity.
Olivia has brought fresh eyes to business as usual in the Aviation Electronics Division and has spearheaded a series of innovative suggestions and initiatives, all successful thanks to her ambition to do things well (rather than well enough).
INNOVATIVE
Olivia used her technical and project management skills to create an innovative dashboard that allows us to track and analyze software development projects. In the past, we’d tracked project progress using a big picture approach focused on one final deliverable at project conclusion. Olivia’s dashboard uses an internal logic that breaks a project into modules and creates multiple deliverables. This has been a game-changer, allowing us to attribute issues to specific points in the development process, improve overall code quality, and negotiate better terms with clients like Boeing and Airbus. The dashboard has saved an estimated $650k in 20XX alone.
Please assess the applicant’s ability to work effectively in groups.
Olivia has brought many great ideas and energy to Crane Aerospace & Electronics and the Aviation Electronics Division. During the dashboard rollout (described above) the Systems Team was not eager to change their workflow, as Olivia requested. On the surface, both Olivia and I assumed it was a case of team members rejecting change out of hand. Rather than trying to make her point by re-highlighting the virtues of the new workflow, Olivia asked probing questions: What are your top two concerns about the new workflow? Which aspect of the workflow might negatively impact your deliverables? etc. Budget issues soon emerged as the real issue. Olivia worked out a compromise with the group. They plan to implement the new workflow on our next generation of products.
Please assess the applicant’s potential for assuming major management responsibilities.
INSIGHTFUL
Good managers and leaders distinguish themselves through by ‘seeing’ a future state of affairs and acting on that vision. These qualities are key to improving the status quo and perfectly describe Olivia’s management style.
Shortly after joining my team, Olivia approached me with concerns about the product line’s growing costs and quality and delivery issues. To my surprise, she spontaneously raised the need to elevate our internal standards to industry standards (such as ISSEO). I was thrilled to have someone on board, eager to create improvements and change. Today, due to our new ISSEO certification, quality is at an all-time high, and costs are down by 12%.
GOOD LISTENER
Good managers listen to what team members are saying and hear what they’re not saying. Olivia is a careful listener who seems to conect with a range of personality types, from the introverted to the outspoken. She’s worked with employees and our internal training team to address questions they were previously afraid to ask, like what should be the criteria for accepting or rejecting code delivered by third-party suppliers? Out of habit, employees used to approve and release payment for 99% of all third-party deliverables despite some of this code being unusable. Olivia worked to implement standards and benchmarks that employees now use to guide their decision making. This seemingly small change has translated into a higher quality product. For example, improved algorithms have allowed us to reduce in-air bird strikes by 19%.
Please discuss the applicant’s weaknesses and the efforts, if any, the applicant has made to improve in these areas.
Olivia is very action-orientated, and the upside is obvious: she gets things done. The downside is that she can be overly focused on achieving an outcome she defined as ‘success’ at the project’s outset. In doing so, she fails to see that value can likewise be found in other, ‘less optimal’ outcomes.
An example: Olivia took over third-party supplier management for all Crane Aerospace & Electronics in 20XX. Previously we’d approved and released payment for 99% of the deliverables from these suppliers. Olivia instituted higher standards for evaluating code. She began flagging issues and asking suppliers to remedy them before payment was released.
On several occasions, Olivia and I discussed her frustration with suppliers not meeting the clear standards she’d set for them. She considered terminating suppliers who had worked with LRX for years with new ones. It was true that suppliers sometimes missed their mark. Still, as I pointed out, there is a strategic value in using the same suppliers year after year because, in a crisis, they will be familiar enough with your product to help you. Olivia began to reevaluate her position when she realized that even when a supplier failed on the surface to deliver near-perfect code, they had succeeded in advancing other priorities (serving as a future resource).
Olivia is working on moving beyond a black-and-white assessment of outcomes and is redefining success in broader terms to find a silver lining in any situation.
Please discuss your observations concerning the applicant’s leadership skills. Please cite specific situations that demonstrate the applicant’s leadership abilities.
INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP STYLE
Olivia constantly looks to make work easier and more harmonious for others. Her initiative to create special bi-weekly project meetings is an example of that. Clients like Boeing regularly request product updates and modifications. Previously our approach to managing all these requests varied from one team to the next. Some groups would correspond by email or shared dashboards, while others used Slack or regular phone calls. Often key people were inadvertently left out of the loop, creating miscommunication and confusion.
Olivia convinced all the major product contributors (across three teams and 50+ team members) to add another meeting to their already busy schedules. She pitched these meetings would be a new forum for the prioritization of changes, the monitoring of progress, and the airing of any concerns. I’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from team leads who say these meetings have helped identify gaps they weren’t even aware of. We now have a single approach to client product updates, and according to our latest survey, a 42% increase in client satisfaction.
How does the applicant defend his or her ideas; can you provide an example?
Olivia is a skilled communicator who seeks, first and foremost, to understand the point of view of her interlocutor. Rather than ‘defending’ her idea in the traditional sense of the term (i.e., one-upping her opponent with a better argument), Olivia focuses on asking questions to understand why and how a person has developed a position or perspective.
An example: Olivia, I, and several other people were in a control board meeting when one of the team leads complained that the protocol for managing the shared database seemed to change week to week and that she was frustrated by never knowing exactly how data should be input.
Olivia’s response was to point to three different pieces of documentation with instructions on data input procedures. Olivia could have ended the discussion there (Olivia was in the right, there was not a lack of documentation), but she kept questioning the team lead. She discovered that the team lead’s gripe wasn’t about data input procedures but the database’s lackluster user interface. Olivia is now in the process of revamping the user interface.
Like what you’re reading? Purchase a PDF copy of the book, MBA & EMBA APPLICATION GUIDE: Recommendations – Write Your Own Professional Letter of Recommendation with 25+ Examples
Recommender Talking Points Example from section 2.10
Recommendation Outline (a.k.a. Talking Points) – Engineer at Glencore Mining
Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, their role in your organization.
From 20XX-XX, I was a General Manager at Glencore and Axel Sandberg’s direct supervisor in Asia. At the time, Axel was an entry-level Mining Engineer. I’ve stayed in contact with Axel since his promotion and move to the U.S. and would describe our current relationship as mentor-mentee.
1. How do the applicant’s performance, potential, background, or personal qualities compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples.
EXCEPTIONAL MATURITY AND ADAPTABILITY
You’ve known me since my early days at Glencore. I was fresh out of a rigorous engineering master’s program at Harbin Institute of Technology when we first collaborated at Glencore’s Baar, Switzerland headquarters. At the time, I was completing a year-long internship with Glencore in the U.S.
You said that what surprised you was my maturity and interpersonal skills, especially for someone who was only 23 years old at the time. You were a General Manager based in Shanghai and needed someone trustworthy to take charge of our remote Shengli, China plant. I think you knew I had a great technical skill set, but you had previously encountered issues staffing young graduates to distant (rural) sites. Often these applicants lacked the emotional maturity to cope in a non-urban setting and failed to develop a strong relationship with local staff.
I appreciate your willingness to take a chance and offer me the job. When you visited the plant for the first time, I think your concerns were put to rest, and more than that, I hope your expectations were surpassed. The plant’s management and staff had excellent things to say about me, and I think that was the first time locals in Shengli had given you compliments instead of complaints about an outsider. So that made me feel good.
The plant had been experiencing issues. The local staff resisted increasing the maintenance routine (not wanting to reallocate person-hours to maintenance). I understood the locals because I had made a real effort to live like a local. That helped me communicate how one issue mapped onto another. Machine breakdowns (due to a lack of maintenance) resulted in sub-optimal production, eventually leading to future layoffs. My approach resonated with local staff who relented and came to the table to discuss prioritizing resources to improve machine maintenance. I think you were impressed by how my approach improved productivity by 12%.
INVESTING IN RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH LOCALS
I’ve always made it a priority to build relationships with locals wherever I go. I think that has paid dividends on multiple projects. When you asked me to go to Malaysia for a year to work on the $6M FirmConnect project, my close bond with the local operations team there helped us predict machine breakdowns before they even happened. That was thanks to the staff being so forthcoming with information (a rarity in some countries). The operations team was much older than me (35-50 years old on average), but I didn’t let that intimidate me. They nicknamed me the orchestra conductor, which I took as an honor! I brought the entire project in ahead of schedule, resulting in our sales team capturing a majority share in the manganese market in Asia. That was a big win for Glencore Asia that year, and I know you and the people at corporate headquarters were pleased about it.
SOLUTIONS DRIVEN – IDENTIFIES ISSUES AND DRIVES TOWARDS A RESOLUTION
Here’s an example of identifying an issue and then taking the initiative to drive to a solution. We were in a meeting to determine where to establish a new plant. There was a lot of vested interest in that meeting, with every sales manager and market segment manager claiming that his territory would grow the most in the coming months and, therefore, his territory should be the site of the new plant. But their claims were based on unsubstantiated projections, and I didn’t feel confident in the idea of spending several million dollars on a hunch. We didn’t have the data we needed internally, so I looked for ways to find information to help support our decision-making.
I reached out to a market research firm, and for a few thousand dollars, the team purchased data on all the locations we were looking at (Malaysia, Indonesia, India, etc.). While the group initially leaned towards Indonesia, the data I presented supported India as the ideal location for our investment.
I think this example demonstrates my commitment to our team’s success in Asia and my willingness to go the extra mile to ensure a successful outcome.
CONCLUSION Here’s a sample conclusion for your review.
Axel has consistently demonstrated exceptional maturity and adaptability, which are the cornerstones of success in the mining industry, where a project leader must work across multiple locations and cultures, often in remote areas. I feel that an MBA from Harvard Business School will help Axel push his leadership skills to the next level and fully support his candidacy at Harvard Business School.
2. Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
I remember once leading a meeting with Glencore staff from both engineering and other departments, including accounting, legal, and sales. You approached me afterward with some concerns you had about my communication style. You said that some of the people in the meeting from the non-engineering departments were having difficulty following my presentation. I was surprised and disappointed because I had put a lot of effort into my presentation. I’d hoped to make a great impression and get my points across to the entire team.
You suggested that I adjust the presentation’s content and my delivery to match the skill set of everyone involved. You said that the points I was trying to make were all good ones, but some of them were presented from a far too technical perspective. Non-engineering colleagues got lost in the technical jargon and details. You told me in those types of meetings (with a mixed audience) that I needed to prioritize my goals when presenting. You said that the goal wasn’t to get everyone to understand the technical minutiae of an issue but to frame the problem from a strategic and financial perspective so that people could agree on the next steps from a managerial perspective (not a technical perspective).
I took your advice and asked you to review the material for my next presentation to ensure that it would be understandable to all. Once I adjusted my presentation style, I noticed more participation in the Q&A section from people across departments, not just those in engineering.
Like what you’re reading? Purchase a PDF copy of the book, MBA & EMBA APPLICATION GUIDE: Recommendations – Write Your Own Professional Letter of Recommendation with 25+ Examples
3. Online Review Offer.
Thank you for purchasing this book! I hope it will prove helpful to you in your MBA or EMBA application journey. To encourage reviews of this book on platforms like Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo, readers who post an online review can request a complimentary 40-minute consultation with the author and resumeSTORY.builders founder, Leah Derus OR a free copy of a book (forthcoming in August 2022)f rom resumeSTORY.builders: MBA & EMBA Application Guide: Story-based Resumes or MBA & EMBA Application Guide: Goals? Why MBA? Statement of Purpose Essays
Schedule a complimentary 40-minute consultation: Email books@resumeSTORY.builders with 1) a screenshot of your review, 2) your phone number and availability, 3) your resume or any relevant document you would like to discuss with Leah
Request a free copy of a book: Email books@resumeSTORY.builders with 1) a screenshot of your review and 2) the book title you are requesting (either MBA & EMBA Application Guide: Story-based Resumes or MBA & EMBA Application Guide: Goals? Why MBA? Statement of Purpose Essays)
4. Download. Recommendation Brainstorming Grid.
5. MBA & EMBA Recommendation Questions 2022-23.
5.1 MBA – Berkeley Haas, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Haas’ latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Berkeley Haas asks recommenders to enter their response to the recommendation questions 1-5 in fields in the online recommendation form. Word limits are not indicated or enforced.
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization.
- How does the applicant’s performance compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?)
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
- In the Berkeley MBA program, we develop leaders who embody our distinctive culture’s four key principles one of which is “confidence without attitude” or “confidence with humility”. Please comment on how the applicant reflects this Berkeley Haas value.
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
5.2 MBA – Chicago Booth, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Booth’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Chicago Booth asks recommenders to upload a file to the online recommendation form with questions 1-2 and their response. Chicago Booth does not specify or enforce a word limit.
- How do the applicant’s performance, potential, background, or personal qualities compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples.
- Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
5.3 MBA – Columbia, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Columbia’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Columbia asks recommenders to upload a file to the online recommendation form. The file should contain questions 1-2 and the recommender’s response to each. Word limits are not enforced.
- How do the candidate’s performance, potential, background, or personal qualities compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples.
- Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
5.4 MBA – Cornell Johnson, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Johnson’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Cornell Johnson gives recommenders the option to either upload a file to the online recommendation form (with the recommendation questions and their response) OR to enter their response to the recommendation questions 1-3 in fields in the online recommendation form. Cornell provides a recommended word limit for each question but does not enforce the word limit.
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization. (Recommended word count: 50 words)
- How does the applicant’s performance compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) (Recommended word count: 500 words)
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (Recommended word count: 500 words)
5.5 MBA – Darden, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Darden’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Darden asks recommenders to enter their response to the recommendation questions 1-4 in fields in the online recommendation form. Word limits are enforced but are much more generous than the indicated word limit.
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization. (Word limit: 50 words) Actual word limit is 70
- How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) (Recommended word count: 500 words) Actual word limit is 1,000
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (Recommended word count: 500 words) Actual word limit 1,000
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
5.6 MBA – Dartmouth Tuck, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Tuck’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Tuck asks recommenders to enter their response to the recommendation questions 1-4 in a field in the online recommendation form. Word limits are not indicated or enforced.
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization.
- How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?)
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
- Is there anything else we should know?
5.7 MBA – Duke Fuqua, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Fuqua’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Duke Fuqua asks recommenders to enter their response to the recommendation questions 1-4 in fields in the online recommendation form. Word limits are not enforced.
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization. Up to 50 words
- How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) Up to 500 words
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. Up to 500 words
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
5.8 MBA – Harvard Business School, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Harvard’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
HBS asks recommenders to enter their response to the following question(s) into a field in the online recommendation form. Character limit is enforced.
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, their role in your organization (300 characters)
HBS asks recommenders to upload a file to the online recommendation form. The file should contain questions 1-3 and the recommender’s response to each. Word limits are not enforced.
- How do the applicant’s performance, potential, background, or personal qualities compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (Recommended: 300 words)
- Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (Recommended: 250 words)
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know? Please be concise.
5.9 MBA – INSEAD, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as INSEAD’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
INSEAD asks recommenders to enter their response to the recommendation questions 1-5 in fields in the online recommendation form. No word limit is indicated or enforced.
- How long have you known the candidate? Define your relationship with the candidate and the circumstances whereby you met.
- Comment on the candidate’s career progress to date and his/her career focus.
- What do you consider to be the candidate’s major strengths? Comment on the factors that distinguish the candidate from other individuals at his/her level.
- What do you consider to be the candidate’s major areas for development/improvement?
- Comment on the candidate’s potential for senior management. Do you see him/her as a future leader?
- Describe the candidate as a person. Comment on his/her ability to establish and maintain relationships, sensitivity to others, self-confidence, attitude, etc. Specifically comment on the candidate’s behaviour or skills in a group setting/team environment.
5.10 MBA – Kellogg, 2021-22
This section will be updated each year as Kellogg’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Kellogg asks recommenders to enter their response to the following question(s) into fields in the online recommendation form. There is no word limit.
- Please comment briefly on the context of your interaction with the applicant and his/her role in your organization.
- What has been the candidate’s most significant contribution to your organization? Provide measurable impact if applicable.
Kellogg asks recommenders to upload a file to the online recommendation form. The file should contain questions 1-4 and the recommender’s response to each. Word limits are not enforced. Alternatively, recommenders can enter their response to questions 1-4 in fields in the online recommendation form.
- Kellogg has a diverse student body and values students who are inclusive and encouraging of others with differing perspectives and backgrounds. Please tell us about a time when you witnessed the candidate living these values. (300 words)
- How does the candidate’s performance compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (300 words)
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the candidate. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (250 words)
- (Optional) Is there anything else you would like us to know?
5.11 MBA – London Business School, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as LBS’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
LBS asks recommenders to enter their response to the recommendation questions 1-5 in fields in the online recommendation form. The word limit is not enforced.
- How do you know the applicant? How long have you known them for? (500 word limit)
- What would you say are the applicant’s key strengths and talents (500 word limit)
- What would you say are the applicant’s key weaknesses or areas for improvement? (500 word limit)
- How do the applicant’s performance, potential and personal qualities compare to those of other individuals in similar roles? (500 word limit)
- What do you think this person might be doing in ten years’ time? Why? (500 word limit)
5.12 MBA – Michigan Ross, 2021-22
This section will be updated each year as Ross’ latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization. (Maximum word count: 50 words)
- How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) (500 words)
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (500 words)
- Is there anything else we should know? (Optional)
5.13 MBA – MIT Sloan, 2021-22
This section will be updated each year as Sloan’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
MIT Sloan asks recommenders to enter their response to the recommendation questions 1-4 in fields in the online recommendation form. Word limits are not enforced.
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization. (Recommended word count: 50 words)
- How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) (Recommended word count: 500 words)
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. {Recommended word count: 500 words)
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
5.14 MBA – NYU Stern, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Stern’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Stern refers to its recommendations as ‘EQ Endorsements’. Stern asks recommenders to enter their response to the recommendation questions 1-5 in fields in the online recommendation form. No word limit is indicated or enforced.
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization.
- How does the applicant’s performance compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles (if applicable)? Please provide specific examples. (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?)
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
- IQ+EQ is a core value of NYU Stern, and we seek exceptional individuals who possess both intellectual and interpersonal strengths. Emotional intelligence (EQ) skills such as self-awareness, empathy, communication and self-management are at the core of our community of leaders. Please provide one specific and compelling example to demonstrate the applicant’s emotional intelligence.
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
5.15 MBA – Stanford, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Stanford’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Stanford asks recommenders to enter their response to the following question(s) into a field in the online recommendation form. Character limit is enforced.
- Please comment briefly on the context of your interaction with the applicant. If applicable, describe the applicant’s role in your organization. (Limit 320 characters.)
Stanford asks recommenders to upload a file to the online recommendation form. The file should contain questions 1-3 and the recommender’s response to each. Word limits are not enforced.
- How does the applicant’s performance compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (e.g., what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) – Up to 500
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. – Up to 500 words
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
5.16 MBA – UCLA Anderson, 2021-22
This section will be updated each year as Anderson’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization. (Recommended word count: 50 words)
- How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) (Recommended word count: 300 words)
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (Recommended word count: 300 words)
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
5.17 MBA – Wharton, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Wharton’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Wharton asks recommenders to enter their response to questions 1-3 into fields in the online recommendation form. The online form imposes a 7,500 character limit for each response (that’s around 1,100 words). For all practical purposes, word limits are not enforced.
- Please provide example(s) that illustrate why you believe this candidate will meaningfully contribute to the Wharton MBA community. (Word count: 300)
- Please provide example(s) that illustrate why you believe this candidate will find success throughout their career. (Word count: 300)
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
5.18 MBA – Yale, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Yale’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Yale asks recommenders to upload a file to the online recommendation form. The file should contain questions 1-5 and the recommender’s response to each. Word limits are not enforced.
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization. (Recommended word count: 50 words)
- How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) (Recommended word count: 500 words)
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (Recommended word count: 500 words)
- Are you in a position to know whether the applicant is sponsored for the MBA by his or her current employer? If so, please comment.
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
5.19 EMBA – Chicago Booth, 2021-22
This section will be updated each year as Booth’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
The same recommendation is used for Booth’s EMBA programs in Chicago, London, and Hong Kong.
Booth’s EMBA program asks recommenders to upload a file to the online recommendation form. This is the recommended approach by resumeSTORY.builders The file should contain questions 1-5 and the recommender’s response to each. Word limits are not enforced.
- Please assess the applicant’s intellectual strength, judgment and creativity
- Please assess the applicants ability to work effectively in groups
- Please assess applicants potential for assuming major management responsibilities
- Please assess any professional limitations or areas of weakness in the applicant
- Is there anything else you would like to share with us about the candidate in order to help us evaluate their candidacy?
5.20 GEMBA – INSEAD, 2021-22
This section will be updated each year as INSEAD’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
INSEAD asks recommenders to enter their response to the short question and recommendation questions 1-5 in fields in the online recommendation form. Word limits are not indicated or enforced.
- How long have you known the candidate? Describe your relationship with the candidate and the circumstances whereby you met:
- Comment on the candidate’s career progress to date and his/her career focus orientation.
- What do you consider to be the candidate’s major strengths? Comment on the factors that distinguish the candidate from other individuals at his/her level.
- What do you consider to be the candidate’s major areas for development/improvement?
- Comment on the candidate’s potential for senior management. Do you see him/her as a future leader?
- Describe the personality of the candidate, including reference to the characteristics listed in the table of criteria you completed above.
5.21 EMBA – Kellogg, 2021-22
This section will be updated each year as Kellogg’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
The same recommendation is used for Kellogg’s EMBA program in Evanston, Illinois and in Miami.
Kellogg asks recommenders to enter their response to the following question(s) into a field in the online recommendation form. No word limit is indicated or enforced.
- Please comment briefly on the context of your interaction with the applicant and his/her role in your organization.
- What has been the candidate’s most significant contribution to your organization? Provide measurable impact if applicable.
Kellogg’s EMBA program asks recommenders to upload a file to the online recommendation form. The file should contain questions 1-4 and the recommender’s response to each. Word limits are not enforced.
- Kellogg has a diverse student body and values students who are inclusive and encouraging of others with differing perspectives and backgrounds. Please tell us about a time when you witnessed the candidate living these values. (300 words)
- How does the candidate’s performance compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (300 words)
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the candidate. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (250 words)
- (Optional) Is there anything else you would like us to know?
5.22 EMBA & Sloan Fellows – MIT Sloan, 2021-22
This section will be updated each year as Sloan’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
EMBA
Sloan’s EMBA program asks recommenders to upload a file to the online recommendation form. The file should contain questions 1-6 and the recommender’s response to each. Word limits are not enforced.
- How long and in what capacity you have known the applicant.
- How does he or she stand out from others who have shared a similar role?
- How does the applicant interact with others; can you provide examples of when he or she has had an impact on a person, group, or organization?
- How does the applicant defend his or her ideas; can you provide an example?
- Is there an area where the applicant has potential room for professional growth? How will the MIT Executive MBA contribute to that growth?
- For current employers, what is her/his likely next role?
SLOAN FELLOWS
MIT Sloan asks recommenders to enter their response to the recommendation questions 1-4 in fields in the online recommendation form. Word limits are not enforced.
- Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization. (Recommended word count: 50 words)
- How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) (Recommended word count: 500 words)
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. {Recommended word count: 500 words)
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
5.23 MSx – Stanford, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Stanford’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
Stanford MSx asks recommenders to enter their response to the following question(s) into a field in the online recommendation form. Character limit is enforced.
- Please comment briefly on the context of your interaction with the applicant. If applicable, describe the applicant’s role in your organization. (Limit 320 characters)
- Based on your current knowledge, assess the applicant’s future career potential, including any specific opportunities or risks you see for them, should they pursue a full-time course of study at Stanford next year. (Limit 1200 characters)
Stanford MSx asks recommenders to upload a file to the online recommendation form. The file should contain questions 1-3 and the recommender’s response to each. Word limits are not enforced.
- How does the applicant’s performance compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (e.g., what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) – Up to 500
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. – Up to 500 words
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know?
5.24 EMBA – Wharton, 2022-23
This section will be updated each year as Wharton’s latest application goes live. You can download an updated version of this chapter by visiting resumeSTORY.builders/books
The same recommendation is used for Wharton’s EMBA programs in Philadelphia and San Francisco.
INSEAD asks recommenders to enter their response to the recommendation questions 1-6 in fields in the online recommendation form. Word limits are not indicated or enforced. Note: recommenders can make additional comments (beyond answering questions 1-6) by uploading a document.
- What is your relationship to the applicant, and how long have you known him/her?
- How has the applicant’s career progressed during the time you have known or worked with him/her? Please be as specific as possible.
- In your opinion, what is the applicant’s most outstanding quality? What makes this applicant an exceptional colleague or employee? Please use specific examples to demonstrate these qualities.
- Please discuss the applicant’s weaknesses and the efforts, if any, the applicant has made to improve in these areas.
- Please discuss your observations concerning the applicant’s leadership skills. Please cite specific situations that demonstrate the applicant’s leadership abilities.
- What is your impression of the candidate’s ability to work closely with others? Please describe a specific situation that illustrates the candidate’s ability to work in group project environments.
