Career Development Office - Credentials
Credential Services
One of the services the Career Development Office offers students and alumnae/i is
maintaining a file of letters of reference used in applying for a job or to a
graduate school. At your written request, Career Development will forward copies
of these letters to graduate schools or employers.
OPEN A FILE
- Credentials files are opened and serviced only through your degree
granting institution.
- Print and sign a Credential Release Form
(BMC,
HC)
and leave it with Career Development. This opens your file.
OBTAIN REFERENCES
-
Career Development will provide a Letter of Reference Form
(BMC,
HC)
for you to offer to each potential reference writer. Each form should indicate whether or not the
specific letter of reference is to be confidential and be signed by you before being given to
the writer. You may choose to have some letters that are confidential and some that are not.
-
A reference writer may write directly on the form or attach the form to a letter written
on stationery from his/her Department. All completed letters of reference should be sent
directly to Career Development.
-
Several (3 - 5) letters of reference should be part of your file. Ask people who know you
well (professors, employers, or others) to write on your behalf.
-
Personally seek letters of reference and discuss the purpose of the letter with the
writer (e.g. graduate school, employment). It may be helpful to provide a resume/vitae for the writer.
-
You are responsible for contacting reference writers, following up on their compliance with
your request and checking to see that the letters have been received in our office. Wait
approximately three weeks before checking to see if we have received them.
SEND REFERENCES TO AN EMPLOYER OR ACADEMIC INSTITUTION
-
Letters of reference from your file will be copied and sent out only with your written permission.
Phone and e-mail requests will not be accepted. You can print the
request form , pick a copy up from our office,
or hand write a legible request on your own.
-
The first seven packets of materials mailed at your request are free. After the first seven mailings,
a fee of $3.00 per packet of mailed credentials is charged.
Completed letters of recommendation should be sent directly to Career Development.
Upon written request by a student or alumna/us, letters of recommendation will be mailed
to graduate schools or potential employers as indicated. For purposes of confidentiality,
we cannot fax letters of recommendations. Please plan accordingly.
For registration and recommendation forms, students should stop by Career Development and
alumni/ae should call/e-mail to request packets to be sent. At Haverford contact Emmy Robinson
and at Bryn Mawr contact Dolores Burdo.
