Reference Letter

[duckfoot]

I got a reference letter from my employer that reflects well on my work ethic and attitude. Unfortunately it is poorly written. Lots of punctuation errors, spelling mistakes, sentence fragments, that sort of thing. Should I give it to prospective employers as is or should I scrap it?

[Niteflyer]

If it reflects well on you, send it.
As we know on this site, the punctuation/spelling police will lay blame squarely on the writer!

[flyinthebug]

I agree. Send it.. Along with a note about it in your cover letter. If you point out that you recognize the errors.. but are happy with the content, im sure the letter will be well received by any potential employer.

Good luck on your job search!
Fly safe all.

[. .]

I wouldn't make a note of it in your cover letter. Just make sure that your cover letter and resume stand out as being different. If it's brought up in an interview I'd even avoid directly making light of it. Perhaps just deflect the situation. "They sure could fly a plane though", or something along those lines.

[duckfoot]

I think I will take it to my interview and just mention how there are mistakes but the content reflects well on me

[ahramin]

I would rewrite the letter, fix all the mistakes, and then ask the person who wrote it to check it and sign it. I would not include a poorly written letter of recommendation with my resume. When I look at recommendations, be it on the phone or in a letter, I try to get a feel for the person who is doing the recommending. If they don't sound sharp, I tend to discount the recommendation.

Often when I ask someone for a letter of recommendation, I ask them what they want to put in it and then I write it for them. One chief pilot I had made a generic form letter recommending everyone in the company as being a "great asset to your company" when he left. If I ever need that letter , I will re-write it tailoring it to the company I am applying for and have him sign it.

A note on people who cannot write but "sure can fly the plane good (well)". While hands and feet are an important, I would even say necessary part of being a good pilot, there are other things which are definitely necessary and even more important. Knowledge of the aircraft and its systems, the procedures used to operate it, and the system it operates in are of paramount importance to being a good pilot. Poor writing goes hand in hand with poor reading, and poor reading creates a huge barrier to learning, especially in the case of modern avionics systems, sops, etc.

[flyinthebug]

ahramin.. although I cannot argue with your logic, im not sure I agree with you. I have met several people in my life that are truly intelligent people.. and yet somehow couldnt put a letter together to save their lives. Look at professions like police officers. They are kidded constantly about their inability to put together a decent sentence and their spelling is stereotypically poor. Does that mean we should discount their opinions or recommendations?

By this young man going back to his past employer and asking for a rewrite.. could be considered "disrespectful" by his past employer and then he had no reference at all.

IMHO..I would respect this pilot for coming forth to me and pointing out the errors in his perhaps (only) letter of reference. It would make me aware that he had taken the time to actually read it.. and then be wise enough to see and point out the errors to me (a potential employer).

This is really just a matter of personal opinion I would think.. I find your point of view interesting ahramin and certainly not dismissed. I just think a little tongue in cheek humour by this pilot in an interview saying "Btw sir, I just wanted to point out that the only letter of reference that I have presently is from my only employer in the industry.. and although I believe his intentions to shed a good light on me were at the forefront of his letter, I did want to point out that Mr or Mrs xxxxxx are not overly punctual in their writings nor in their lives.. Then go on to tell a story how they were late for whatever.. blah blah blah. I would never discount a letter of reference based on poor speeling (lol)

I wont even proof this before I click send and ill bet you`ll find an error or two.. But I still feel my statement would be valid.. either way.

Just food for thought.
Fly safe all, Cheers.

[scopiton]

Poor writing goes hand in hand with poor reading, and poor reading creates a huge barrier to learning, especially in the case of modern avionics systems, sops, etc.

I second that

Look at professions like police officers. They are kidded constantly about their inability to put together a decent sentence and their spelling is stereotypically poor.

i don't know why but I hate that comparison : I've never seen a police officer think, they just react or apply rules... which is bad when you're polish and in a BC airport...

I would even say necessary part of being a good pilot, there are other things which are definitely necessary and even more important. Knowledge of the aircraft and its systems, the procedures used to operate it, and the system it operates in are of paramount importance to being a good pilot.

some excellent bush pilot could not do it in a IFR environment in a 737NG...

[Cat Driver]

some excellent bush pilot could not do it in a IFR environment in a 737NG...

Could they be trained to perform this super human task?

[Cat Driver]

Found this video where someone is flying a 737NG at my favorite airport in the whole world.

http://www.google.ca/search?q=737ng&ie= ... =firefox-a

I used to fly out of there...but not in a 737NG.

[flyinthebug]

Cat.. I love your wit! That was good

Im anxious to hear his answer? .. But i`ll give ya a nod on the Polish/BC thing scopiton!

Fly safe all.

[duckfoot]

I never thought about how it would reflect on the person's credibility as a reference. I think i'm going to call my old boss and ask if I can edit it and get him to re-print it on company letter head. Although, it does give you something to talk about in an interview.

[trey kule]

Perhaps I am a little jaded, but my advice is dont touch a thing.

Unsolicited letters included in resumes, at our company, are viewed with a little skepticism. We understand that too many employers want to be nice folks and always write good things..Particularily if they are giving the letter directly to a former employee.
After all, when the person is leaving , do want to get in a pissing match with them?

A thorough prospective employer will call a previous employer, make sure they are connected to the proper person, and ask specific questions that avoid, as much as possible, the good guy syndrome. I have been surprised more than once in the last few years to have a reference letter in my hand that the previous employer knew nothing about, or find out it was written by a fellow pilot who just happened to be the guy's roommate.

So, intead of bringing it up with your past employer which might cause some hard feelings, just leave it as it is. The folks doing the interview know who wrote it. Much better, in my opinion than the possibility of someone thinking you "edited" a letter.

It is much better, in my opinion , to ask your previous employers if they will give you a reference, if requested, and if they agree, include that information on your resume with contact numbers.

[mattedfred]

every time i submitted my resignation and before my last day of work i asked each CP i ever worked for if they would write a letter of recommendation for me and if they would be a reference for me. each one agreed. i always included a copy of each letter with my cover letter and resume and advised each prospective employer that i could produce the originals during an interview. i have flown for 5 airlines over the years and not one of them has ever contacted a single reference to my knowledge. i would be more impressed with a letter of recommendation and a reference from the last CP then any other type of reference. i also couldn't care less if the last CP couldn't spell or form a sentence. i remember lee cole of chapleau asking me to help him figure out how much carpet to order for his air service office as he didn't know how to calculate area. i thought he was testing me but he seriously had no idea.

[Cat Driver]

Did he know how and when to capitalize letters when typing?

[mattedfred]

oh i just do that to bug you

[Cat Driver]

oh i just do that to bug you

Truly? Why would you do such a thing, what gives you the idea it would bug me other than the passing thought that it looks like someone who can't be bothered with details.

Of course if I were judging it from the perspective of hiring a pilot I might round file it due to first impressions.

However this is the internet and no one but you really knows or cares who you are.

[mattedfred]

i'm just a lazy typer

i always capitalize when i write a CV or anything similar

i consider this type of communication just one up from text messaging which would probably drive you crazy

[ahramin]

Flyinthebug, you make a very valid point that there is still lots of flying in Canada where hands and feet are the most important thing. I am just a little far removed from it for it to be at the top of my head . However, I never said anything about intelligence. I am talking about the ability to read and write. One of the smartest people I know dropped out in grade 8, cannot read, write, or organize worth a damn. He has been very successful in business and flies an airplane very well. But when he learned IFR flying and later, fancy avionics, it was pablum time.

As for cops, they work in a very complex regulatory environment which often has no sense to it but is important to understand. I would suggest that the ones who are successful at negotiating these complexities are either very capable of reading and writing, or are very experienced and have absorbed the system over a long period of time. I suspect the semi-literate ones had a great deal of trouble with certain aspects of the job in their formative years. In addition, the rules are only half the game for cops, as the social interactions with the people they deal with are equally of paramount importance.

Lastly, I agree completely that re-writing the letter may not be a good idea. It depends.

[Meatservo]

Cat Driver has every right to be annoyed by your flagrant and deliberate failure to use capitals, Matted Fred. It reflects a sloppy mind.

I say don't rewrite the letter. It'll seem more authentic the way it is. You're going for authenticity here. Just make sure your own correspondence is free of errors.

[Cat Driver]

Meatservo it does not annoy me in the least, there are so many posters on Avcanada who use sloppy communications skills that I have become used to seeing it.

What does concern me though is wondering if these people who can not be bothered to use proper writing and communication skills what other skills are they satisfied with that are sloppy.

True it is possible they actually do not have the education to be able to use proper punctuation so one should be willing to give them some slack on a internet forum.

Even though my formal education is limited I try and not show it by being a sloppy communicator in the written word.

When I fly airplanes I also strive to be the best I can be, which might account for me still being here.