留学推荐信如何写
每年,有多少青年才俊想出国,因为没有好的推荐信而拿不到好大学的offer?每年,又有多少留学生毕业出去找工作,因为没有好的推荐信而临门一脚射空了?哪样的推荐信写得好,哪样的推荐信没有写好,诸位写推荐信的学生和老师都知道吗?以前曾经也有些不认识的学生冒失地往我信箱里发来推荐信和自我陈述,拜托我看看。我看了以后发现大多数没有写好。我读了一些关于写推荐信的资料,总结出一些东西和体会。
学生请老师写推荐信,首先要试探老师愿意不愿意写,通过老师的态度来判断他能不能写好推荐信。比如有的老师非常热情地答应,非常愿意帮忙;而有的老师态度冷淡,话中带有保留,那么学生应该不必勉强这种带有保留的老师。但是有一点必须强调的是:自己的直接导师必须出示推荐信,否则在用人单位眼里看来就是"redflag",看到这种情况(没有导师推荐信)就枪毙。
老师只要答应了请求,一般不会写坏话。在KathyBaker的Atthe Helm: A Laboratory Navigator一书里,作者从用人者的角度介绍到:
"Youwill seldom receive an overtly bad recommendation. Candidates will usuallyrequest recommendations only from people who think they will give a goodreport. In addition, most people who would write a bad recommendation willinform the candidate."
但是不写坏话就够了吗?
Kathy Baker说:"AP.I. may write a less-than-honest recommendation to make sure that thecandidate finds a job, i.e., to be sure that the candidate leave the P.I.'slab...But usually, even the most desperate person will not be totally dishonestand will couch their problems in telltale phrases hidden among the compliments."也就是说,有的导师虽然看似在说好话,但其实锦里藏针,把一些话潜伏在句子里面!也就是说,话中有话!
让我们阅读书上举出的例子:
Reading Comprehension: Success in 20 Minutes a Day里面举出一个例子:
"NicoleBryan usually completes her work on time and checks it carefully. She is acompetent lab technician and is familiar with several ways to evaluate testresults. She has some knowledge of the latest medical research, which has beenhelpful".这个虽然没有说一句坏话,但是绝对不是好的推荐信!用人单位看到这样的推荐信保证当场枪毙了。
那么,哪样写才是好的'推荐信呢?
ReadingComprehension: Success in 20 Minutes a Day里面举出另外一个例子:
"NicoleBryan always submits her work promptly and checks it judiciously. She is anexcellent lab technician and has mastered several ways to evaluate testresults. She has an extensive knowledge of the latest medical research, whichhas been invaluable."
两段话的字面意思几乎一样,但是为什么差别这么明显?读者们,你们体会到了吗?
再比如Atthe Helm: A Laboratory Navigator一书里,作者举例:
"I am writing in supportof XX for his application to graduate school. XX was in my lab for 3 years andwas a
conscientious worker, always doing what was suggested. Although his workresulted in only one senior author paper, he is an author on two other papersin the lab and was always willing to help the more junior lab members."这看上去是一封好的推荐信,也许很多想出国的学生得到的推荐信也是这样的,但是事实是这恰恰是一封坏的推荐信!
好的推荐信除了没有“话中有话”以外,还表现在“吹捧”的程度上,
网上资料Howto Write a Good Recommendation (The Chronicle of Higher Education, Januray 31,2008)说:"Asone associate professor of English noted, 'The level of praise is so high thatany assessment short of 'brilliant' can look tepid. That means that anyconsideration of a candidate's weakness is probably a kiss of death."也就是说,美国人就是喜欢“吹”的,推荐信里面不写高度赞扬的话,被推荐人就很难得到职位。中国人喜欢用"good"来形容一个人,但是在美国看推荐信的人那里,good就是一般,outstanding,excellent, brilliant, extraordinary, superb才是好!
推荐人写信的语气语调(tone)也非常重要。坏的推荐信采用一种不瘟不火、有气无力、带有保留、有种不大认识被推荐人的感觉的语调,这种语调叫做cool,lukewarm, tepid。有这种语调,保证被推荐人会吃大亏。而写得好的推荐信正面、富有激情(passion),如燃烧的火焰。这正如收到推荐信后,用人单位打电话给你老板。虽然你的老板没有说你坏话,但是有气无力,没有富有激情地力荐你说你是百年不遇的千里马缺你不行,你就是拿不到工作。
写推荐信要注意:不要只是吹捧而忘了举出实例、给出细节!
比如说,推荐人说该生科研能力强,那么请给出个例子并举出具体的数字!
网上资料Howto Write a Good Recommendation (The Chronicle of Higher Education, Januray 31,2008)说:"Thedean of academic affairs we talked with said that details help to give 'arationale for the superlatives--not just that 'Dr. Smith is the greatestacademic of her generation' but why she is special."该资料还说:"Detailscan help those reading the letters get and idea of the quality of therelationship, and how the referee regards the applicant beyond the effusivepraise that is often standard."知道这个道理后,需要写推荐信的人可以主动给推荐人提供自己最新的背景材料,如简历、情况总结、发表文章等,并和推荐人多沟通,商量你要强调自己什么。
最后,看推荐信的人不但看推荐人写了什么,而且看推荐人没有写什么!
在KathyBaker的Atthe Helm: A Laboratory Navigator一书里,作者从用人者的角度介绍到:"Lookfor things not said. Look for the qualities you do require."比如,很多准备出国的人在自己起草的推荐信里面都漏掉“积极参加系里的学术报告和国内学术会议”这一句话,还有的人缺乏对于人相处、合作的描述。再比如,出国读研究生主要需要科研能力,但是如果推荐信上写该生花了大量时间在下象棋上或者唱卡拉OK上,或者助人为乐上,却只字不提该生的科研能力、科研成果和成果的意义,这有用吗?
英国留学推荐信范例
letter of recommendation
october xx， xxxx
to whom it may concern，
as vice dean of college of foreign languages， shanghai maritime university， i'm pleased to recommend miss xxxx as a qualified candidate for the admission to your graduate programme in law.
miss xxxx is an exceptional student with outstanding organizational capability and excellent skills in leadership. during her final year in the university， i was the tutor of her class. being the organizing officer of the class， miss xxxx provided me with great assistance in dealing with the graduating affairs. in addition， in order to leave everybody good memory of the college life， she successfully organized several parties before graduation， which impressed erveryone a lot. even today， she still plays the role of making close connection with class members.
miss xxxx has great enthusiasm in doing voluntary work， she went to the public hospital every weekend during her second and third year in the university and had been a conductor in shanghai science and technology museum for many times.
moreover， i’d like to mention that miss xxxx is truly a versatile student with great musical talents. her performance of playing the chinese traditional string instrument， zither， is moving and touching. she had learnt latin dance when she was a sophomore， and she plans to learn to play the piano in the coming months of this year.
on the whole， miss xxxx is of great expectations， i hold the idea that after studying abroad in uk， she could make even greater progress and will certainly come out to be a brilliant lady. i sincerely hope that you favorably consider her application. should i be of any further assistance， please feel free to contact me.
yours faithfully，
xxxx
vice dean， associate-professor of linguistics
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx shanghai xxxx
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