MBA Letters of Recommendation: How to Get a Strong One

Letters of recommendation are an important part of the MBA application. A strong recommendation can give the admissions committee a better understanding of your leadership, teamwork, technical skills, professional impact and potential as an MBA student.

But getting a strong recommendation is not simply about finding the most senior person you know. The best recommender is usually someone who knows your work well and can provide specific examples of your strengths, accomplishments and potential.

In this guide, we explain how to choose MBA recommenders, how to approach them, how to prepare them for the application and what to keep in mind when submitting your letters.

MBA Letters of Recommendation: How to Get a Strong One

In this video, Jenifer Turtschanow from ARINGO explains how MBA applicants can choose the right recommenders and prepare them to write meaningful letters of recommendation.

Letter of Recommendations

MBA recommendation forms typically ask recommenders to evaluate different aspects of an applicant’s professional profile.

These can include areas such as:

  • Leadership skills
  • Technical expertise
  • Teamwork
  • Overall professional performance
  • Performance compared with peers

This is why your recommender needs to know you well enough to provide specific and credible answers.

It can be tempting to choose the CEO of your company, a senior executive or another highly recognizable person because of their title.

However, seniority alone does not make someone a strong recommender.

If a senior executive has barely worked with you, they may not be able to provide meaningful examples of your leadership, teamwork or professional achievements.

A direct supervisor or manager who knows your work closely may be able to provide a much stronger recommendation.

MBA admissions committees are interested in what the recommender can say about you, not simply the title attached to their name.

A recommendation from a senior executive who provides only a few generic sentences may add very little to your application.

On the other hand, a detailed recommendation from someone who has worked closely with you can provide specific evidence of your strengths and potential.

Choose the person who can tell the admissions committee something meaningful about you.

A strong recommender is usually someone who has directly observed your professional performance and can discuss your development over time.

Depending on your circumstances, this could be:

  • Your immediate supervisor
  • A manager one or two levels above you
  • A product or project manager
  • A professional mentor
  • A former supervisor from a previous company

The right choice depends on who can provide the strongest and most specific perspective on your work.

Wharton wants to understand what you actually want to do after the MBA.

A goal such as “I want to work in consulting” or “I want to go into marketing” is usually too broad to tell the admissions committee much about your plans.

Instead, think about the type of company, role, industry, function or problem you want to work on.

You can also mention more than one potential company or role if your career plans genuinely allow for several paths. A realistic backup plan can also be discussed when it makes sense.

Yes. A former supervisor can be a useful recommender, particularly if they know your work significantly better than your current manager.

This can be especially relevant for applicants who have changed companies or who have worked at their current organization for only a short period.

The important consideration is whether the recommender can provide detailed examples that demonstrate your professional strengths and development.

The exact requirement varies by MBA program, but schools typically ask for one or two recommendations.

Check the requirements of each school carefully before deciding who to approach.

If you are applying to several MBA programs, think about your recommenders early so that you can give them enough time to complete the different application forms and questions.

Some MBA applications may ask why you are not submitting a recommendation from your current supervisor or employer.

If this applies to you, explain the situation honestly and briefly.

You do not need to create unnecessary detail. The goal is simply to give the admissions committee enough context to understand why a different recommender was selected.

Your recommender should ideally have seen you perform in a professional environment.

They should be able to discuss specific situations where you demonstrated leadership, solved problems, worked with others or delivered meaningful results.

The more direct their experience with your work, the easier it will be for them to provide detailed examples instead of generic praise.

Once you have selected your recommender, approach them thoughtfully rather than simply sending a request through the application portal.

If possible, ask for a short meeting over coffee, tea or a video call.

Use the conversation to explain why you are pursuing an MBA, what you have accomplished and what you hope to do next.

This gives your recommender additional context that they may not have from your day-to-day work together.

  • Choose someone who knows your work well.
  • Do not choose a recommender simply because of their senior title.
  • Consider a current or former supervisor, manager, project leader or mentor.
  • Think about who can provide specific examples of your performance.
  • Explain your MBA goals to your recommender.
  • Share your resume and relevant background information.
  • Discuss important accomplishments and projects.
  • Give your recommender enough time to complete the recommendation.
  • Do not write the recommendation yourself.
  • Provide a useful recommender cheat sheet if appropriate.
  • Make sure the recommender submits the recommendation through the required process.
  • Consider whether you should waive your right to review the recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions About MBA Letters of Recommendation

Ideally, choose someone who knows your professional work well and can provide specific examples of your leadership, teamwork, expertise and accomplishments. This could be a direct supervisor, manager, project leader, mentor or former boss.

Not necessarily. Seniority is less important than the quality of the recommendation. Someone who has worked closely with you may be able to provide much more detailed and credible examples than a senior executive who barely knows your work.

Yes. A former supervisor can be a strong recommender if they know your work well. This can be particularly useful when your current employer does not know about your MBA plans or asking for a recommendation could put your job at risk.

You can provide useful background information, your resume, career goals and examples of projects or accomplishments. However, the recommendation should genuinely come from the recommender rather than being written entirely by the applicant.

The transcript recommends waiving the right to review the recommendation because it can help maintain confidentiality and make the recommender more comfortable providing an honest assessment.

A strong recommendation provides specific and credible evidence about your performance, leadership, teamwork, expertise and potential. It should add a perspective to your application that the admissions committee cannot get simply by reading your resume.

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Need Help Choosing Your MBA Recommenders?

Choosing the right recommenders can be difficult, especially if you are unsure whether to approach your current manager, a former supervisor or another senior colleague.

ARINGO can help you assess your recommender options, identify the strongest people to approach and prepare for the recommendation process as part of your broader MBA application strategy.

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You can also contact ARINGO to discuss your MBA application.

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