Reply to: Academic References

[SueEllen]

New to contracting, only my 2nd real gig

If you got on with one of your old permie managers or more senior positioned colleagues then get them to be a reference.

The only thing you may have to do is help them with the informaton to write it as some institutions want a statement as well as some tick boxing.

This is because they can easily fill their courses with international students who pay a minimum of twice as much as you for the course.

[SimonMac]

I'll take that as a "no" then.

It would yes

[Churchill]

New to contracting, only my 2nd real gig

I'll take that as a "no" then.

[SimonMac]

Have you never had your contracts extended?

New to contracting, only my 2nd real gig

[BlasterBates]

Just get someone you know in a professional job a colleague would be fine. They just send a simple questionaire, which has questions like "do you think this guy could hack a Master degree". It´s a formality, no more, they want your dough. They know if you hand over several grand you aint going to bunk all the lectures, in fact it desn´t make much difference if you do, as long as they get the dough.

[Churchill]

I have been offered a place on a Master Course, as I have not done a bachelors degree and using "life experience" as my qualifications I am being asked for an employers reference, however I am a contractor so any clients I work with are usually only for 3-6 months at a time. Has anyone any experience of this sort of thing, as to what I should be asking?

(PS I have asked this same question to the admissions team but awaiting their reply)

Have you never had your contracts extended?

[Jaws]

I did the same a few years back. One of the references I had was just someone I used to work with and the other was a manager I had known for less than a year (I'd recently handed him my notice to go contracting).
They were also interested in seeing my certs, the person interviewing me said that these were required.

[Old Greg]

ftfy

Just threaten to key his Ford Cortina.

[Churchill]

Or an agent? Dodgy will do it for a fee.

ftfy

[Spacecadet]

I have been offered a place on a Master Course, as I have not done a bachelors degree and using "life experience" as my qualifications I am being asked for an employers reference, however I am a contractor so any clients I work with are usually only for 3-6 months at a time. Has anyone any experience of this sort of thing, as to what I should be asking?

(PS I have asked this same question to the admissions team but awaiting their reply)

What course are you going for?

From my experience they will need to see
Your CV
References from someone you know professionally, you must have gathered at least a couple of decent contacts you could ask nicely for a written reference.
Some proof that you have taken your professional development seriously and don't spend every night at the pub/sat in front of the TV
A good personal statement. They do not want people who are doing a masters for the sake of it, you need to have a personal and not just professional interest in the subject.

I did have the advantage of a bachelors degree but given that 12 years had passed, my passing mark wasn't exactly great (obviously more pub than lectures) and it was a completely different subject area I'm not sure how much weight it gave to my application.

[Old Greg]

Couldn't your company secretary write a reference from your company ?

Or an agent? Dodgy will do it.

[amcdonald]

Couldn't your company secretary write a reference from your company ?

[SimonMac]

Send me 100 GBP to my paypal and I will write you a reference.

Shirley you mean Western Union Transfer?!

[Mich the Tester]

Send me 100 GBP to my paypal and I will write you a reference.

Cheapskate.

[ThomasSoerensen]

Send me 100 GBP to my paypal and I will write you a reference.