So you’ve accepted the invitation to write an external letter - maybe because you know the person, maybe because you feel honored, or maybe because you feel an obligation. I’ve posted about picking #externalletter writers (https://lnkd.in/eYnFgxWu) & accepting invitations (https://lnkd.in/eHdSbiPU) to write them. But what can you do to prepare to write the external letter? First, you must write a short sketch about yourself, explaining why you are a credible evaluator for your field. Things I like to cite - editorial experience - conference experience - advising experience - field-based service to my association - awards tied to field-based norms for research Note these are easily digestible cues of #quality that anyone would go - ok - this person knows the field. Second, you need to include a little on your #researchrecord. I usually cite how my record compares to the field or the places I typically publish. This provides a reader context for your opinion. Third, you need to think about how you know candidates. I have text prepared that lets me say that I’m close to someone or that I have arms-length knowledge of their work. I don’t fudge it. Typically, readers will know if you know the candidate, so your candor impacts the letter’s credibility here. Fourth, you need to have a few resources that you can use to benchmark the candidate's productivity tangibly. I am attentive to the various conferences across my field that different niches value & mainstream conferences. I am also attentive to journals. I use published papers on #researchproductivity with lists (I hate lists, but they serve a purpose here). You can use this information to benchmark a person against a niche or discipline. Usually, a niche lets someone shine; however, saying someone is a top person in their cohort rocks. Fifth, you need to think about how you will anchor your letter vis a vis your home institution. Virtually all requests ask you to write about whether the person would #tenure at your school. You need to be careful how you answer this - bc often, the record may not be a good fit for your place - but is a good fit for their place. You don’t want absolute statements to haunt you by either popping up in your process or harming the candidate for #promotion. Sixth, think through how you want to finish the letter. You want it to build to your assessment - for better or worse logically. The #finalrecommendation should not be a surprise for a reader. Finally, you need to take the invitation to review & break it out into the specific questions posed by the school. You need to take care to address them. This is highly customized & will vary from letter to letter. Most important, you the letter to be #quotable - so as you think about comparisons, quality, and relationships - think about what a reader can use from your letter to discuss a candidate. Best of luck!
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