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They got my transcripts, they got my diploma, they got my fingerprints, they have my employment history, and they have my credit score......Now, they want three letters of recommendation. And I actually worked for them 11 years ago. I am applying to be a Substitute Teacher in a School District in Phoenix. There are 200 School Districts in AZ, and every one of them has a lengthy application process. You can say it is to protect the students, but the DOE has already thoroughly checked my academic worthiness as a Teacher, and the Department of Public Safety has already cleared my fingerprints. I am seriously considering fabricating these letters. I am tired of owing people favors for writing letters. Does anyone have any guidance or thoughts on this? Consider that occasionally these applications do not even get a "Thanks for applying" letter.
I wouldn't do it. Something like the DOE and the AZ dept of education is a huge network. You screw any of them and you're on a blacklist or something. It isn't a mom and pop that you'll never see again.
Maybe get three real references and ask them to produce a general letter which you can distribute to multiple consumers, "To Whom it May concern....."
With all due respect, I find it a little discomforting that a teacher whose responsibility it is to guide young minds and lead by example would even consider falsifying references.
Agreed, people should give you positive references without reward. What's up with that. And definitely do not create false references, even with fictional names.
To make it easier on your referrers, you may want to take a stab at drafting the letters yourself (after you've talked to them on the phone say, or in person and gotten their agreement to act as references for you), and just having them check it over for accuracy and agreement.
Agreed, people should give you positive references without reward. What's up with that. And definitely do not create false references, even with fictional names.
To make it easier on your referrers, you may want to take a stab at drafting the letters yourself (after you've talked to them on the phone say, or in person and gotten their agreement to act as references for you), and just having them check it over for accuracy and agreement.
I completely agree. It is a bad idea to write false reference letters. Also, I disagree with the idea about owing someone a favor because they wrote you a reference letter. Reference letters are just statements from people saying, "Hey, I trust this person." I mean, you could write a reference letter or thank you note in return, but you shouldn't feel as though you "owe" anyone for it. It's not like you're borrowing money.
Nick99 has a good idea about drafting the letters and having them sign off on them if they are too busy. It would be better if they wrote it themselves, but if necessary you could offer to write a general letter for them and have them check it.
Owing people favors is just a small part of the whole picture. Other pieces are that these people have helped me in the past, and I hate to bug them. I have also been in the workforce 30 years+, so what's relevant and not becomes an issue. First I have to determine, who to ask, then make sure I have all their personal info. (that they may not want me to give out), then submit their names to the school district, then hope that they come through with the letter. Lots of people don't have printers or stamps.......It seems that they are putting a lot of wait on a letter from someone who only knows me as a drinking buddy, and my old, close friends live on the East Coast and really don't know me as a teacher. I think writing the letter for someone is the answer, which is about the same as fabricating.
Owing people favors is just a small part of the whole picture. Other pieces are that these people have helped me in the past, and I hate to bug them. I have also been in the workforce 30 years+, so what's relevant and not becomes an issue. First I have to determine, who to ask, then make sure I have all their personal info. (that they may not want me to give out), then submit their names to the school district, then hope that they come through with the letter. Lots of people don't have printers or stamps.......It seems that they are putting a lot of wait on a letter from someone who only knows me as a drinking buddy, and my old, close friends live on the East Coast and really don't know me as a teacher. I think writing the letter for someone is the answer, which is about the same as fabricating.
No no no no, don't misquote me. It is not the same thing AT ALL. I suggested you take a stab at writing the letter and have them look it over, in the interest of saving them the trouble of writing the letter themselves. Your original post indicated you wanted to go ahead and create fake letters altogether. Totally different.
The info is not that personal and I doubt they would mind. We're talking a phone number and addresses here, not SSN and dates of birth. Unless you're concealing something from us, and these potential references dislike you, in which case bad, bad idea to think of using them.
Also, they are not asking for personal references only (ie. your drinking buddy comment) you need to provide professional refs too. Sorry, but that's a reality. And if you don't know of anybody you worked with (peer, superior, or subordinate) who would put in a good word for you, you have bigger problems.
Owing people favors is just a small part of the whole picture. Other pieces are that these people have helped me in the past, and I hate to bug them. I have also been in the workforce 30 years+, so what's relevant and not becomes an issue. First I have to determine, who to ask, then make sure I have all their personal info. (that they may not want me to give out), then submit their names to the school district, then hope that they come through with the letter. Lots of people don't have printers or stamps.......It seems that they are putting a lot of wait on a letter from someone who only knows me as a drinking buddy, and my old, close friends live on the East Coast and really don't know me as a teacher. I think writing the letter for someone is the answer, which is about the same as fabricating.
NOT what you posited on your thread-starter. Owing favors to those who give you a good reference is simply not in the ballpark employment field. Methinks you have something rather major to hide.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick99
No no no no, don't misquote me. It is not the same thing AT ALL. .
Worry not. Your point is well taken and understood.
Does she sound like she understood anything? Anyway, sometimes it seems we're trying to advise the unadvisable. This person seems to have their mind made up, already. And you're right, something is being hidden, my bet is none of her past coworkers care for her to give a positive reference.
Letters of recommendation to most people are a piece of cake and one of the happy parts of the job hunt.
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