I am preparing an application for joining a programme which requires me to gather some references including work references.
I asked my manager whom I worked with 10 years ago as he is the only one I still keep contact with. We contact with each other every few months.
I had a call with him few days before asking can he help me to write the reference. He said he can. I asked does he want me to write it and he can just sign, or he wants to write it. He said he can write it because he helped other people write similar reference before, he can use the same template and just change the words a bit which should be easy. He ask me to provide him some basic info if I decided to go ahead with the programme, and I can go to his office to get it after he write it.
After a few days I sent him a message giving him the info for preparing the reference. He read the message (showing 2 blue ticks) and didn’t rely further.
Today is Monday and he still didn’t reply and I had been waiting for 6 days. I would like to know when it can be ready but I afraid he may think I’m rude to chase him…Also he verbally said he can help me but I’m anxious that maybe he is too busy?
Can anyone please advise:
1. How long should I wait before chasing him?
2. How should I politely chase him for update and give me an exact date on when it can be ready?
Wonder what should I do in this situation…Thanks a lot for your input
1 comment
Today is Monday; when did you send the message with your more detailed info? I would give at least a whole week, but usually 2 weeks, for someone to prepare a personalized reference.
Check back in with him at the 10-14 day mark from the subsequent message you sent, and as for how to ask when it will be done, propose the timeline in the way of saying that you’ll be compiling your documents for the official portfolio by September 10th, so it would be appreciated if he can send his reference letter any time prior to that date.