Editing User:Benjamin Mako Hill/Letters of recommendations (section)

== "What do you need from me?" ==

Full disclosure: It takes me 1-3 hours to produce a letter for a single program and 10-15 minutes to customize the letter for each additional program you apply to. I got where I am because many people wrote letters for me. I'm happy to do this to help you out too! Writing a strong letter is a joy. I ''love'' doing it. That said, there are several things you can do to make this process as fast and smooth as possible:

* '''The first deadline''' — this is the most important thing for me to know because it is the time I must write a letter.
* Provide me with a detailed list of the positions you are applying for. One helpful approach many students use is to create a spreadsheet using Google Sheets with a row for every program/job you are applying to. I need at least the following information:
** The program name/address to whom I should address my letter
** Information on how I will submit the letter (almost always online these days; sometimes a program will only request the letter themselves if you make it onto a shortlist)
** The deadline for each specific program
** A link to the website or program you are applying to so I can know what type of program you are applying to.
** Notes about anything you would like me to emphasize in my letter (e.g., skills or background you know they are looking for).
** Anything else I need to know (e.g., is there a page or word limit for letters?)
** A final quick note: if you ensure I have editing access to the sheet, I will create a column and mark things as done as I submit them.
* Please ensure that you only request letters from me for programs or places you are ''actually'' going to apply. For example, make sure that you satisfy any prerequisite requirements. It's OK to start with a broad list, but please narrow things down before the ''first'' deadline or let me know that you are still unsure about applying to a particular program (e.g., by marking things clearly in your sheet).
* Typically, application websites will create submission URLs once you start the application process and enter your recommenders' information. Please do this for all programs you apply to ''before'' the first deadline. This way, I can submit all my letters at the same time I produce the first one. This is more efficient for me and useful for you, as well, since it means that all my letters will be finalized as soon as the first one is.
* Please provide me with as much contextual information about yourself as possible. A draft of a statement of purpose, your current resumé or CV, your academic transcript, published papers, lists of your hopes and dreams, and so on are all helpful for me!