Using Letter's of Recommendations

[CapeCodTenor]

Hello everyone,

Quick question for everyone: At what point do you stop using letters of recommendations? My old captain in the Navy wrote me a letter of recommendation just before I got out, about 20 years ago now. I haven't used it in a long time, but I'm thinking of applying for a job with the Coast Guard and was thinking of dusting it off and putting with my application. What do you think? Should I use it, or is there a time frame on things like that?

Thanks

 

[tvguy]

A previous employer banned employees from writing letters of recommendation on company letter head, and strongly suggested employees not do it at all due to potential legal liability issues. To be honest, I've never been asked to provide when when apply for a job. But I have only worked 3 place in the last 38 years, all competitors, where my work was known to the potential employer.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Hello everyone,

Quick question for everyone: At what point do you stop using letters of recommendations? My old captain in the Navy wrote me a letter of recommendation just before I got out, about 20 years ago now. I haven't used it in a long time, but I'm thinking of applying for a job with the Coast Guard and was thinking of dusting it off and putting with my application. What do you think? Should I use it, or is there a time frame on things like that?

Thanks

Too old and obsolete. Have you kept in touch with this person at all ? Is he/or she even still alive that you are aware of ? 20 years is a very long time ago. The Coast Guard can find out all about you without the personal letter. Best of luck to you !

 

[CapeCodTenor]

A previous employer banned employees from writing letters of recommendation on company letter head, and strongly suggested employees not do it at all due to potential legal liability issues. To be honest, I've never been asked to provide when when apply for a job. But I have only worked 3 place in the last 38 years, all competitors, where my work was known to the potential employer.

A lot has changed in the 20 years since I've was given that letter of recommendation. Honestly I've never been asked for them, but have just always included them.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

Too old and obsolete. Have you kept in touch with this person at all ? Is he/or she even still alive that you are aware of ? 20 years is a very long time ago. The Coast Guard can find out all about you without the personal letter. Best of luck to you !

Yeah, I was thinking it had been too long since that was written, but had to ask. I've been at my current job for just about 10 years now and haven't used it since before this job. Guess I'll leave it alone.

 

[Saimaeve]

Wayyyy too old. Depending on your field, most companies will take a peek at your LinkedIn profile before they would look at a letter of rec. (I've seen resumes with letters of rec attached, never even glance at them. But I will look at their LinkedIn profiles and check out what others have said)

What have you been up to since then? Build up your LinkedIn, build up your resume to be appropriate for your industry.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

Wayyyy too old. Depending on your field, most companies will take a peek at your LinkedIn profile before they would look at a letter of rec. (I've seen resumes with letters of rec attached, never even glance at them. But I will look at their LinkedIn profiles and check out what others have said)

What have you been up to since then? Build up your LinkedIn, build up your resume to be appropriate for your industry.

I have built up my LinkedIn page, that's how I was able to get a couple of head hunters to call me about some jobs that fell through. I've been at my current job for 10 years, so that should help me out. Also, my job is in the legal field, and while I may not have done some of the things that they are looking for, I have done, or currently do, a lot of the other things in their list. So I think I'm a well rounded candidate.

 

[Pigeon]

It is more typical to ask for references, usually for most recent employers. However, many companies don't provide references, they only confirm dates of employment as standard policy. It would be odd to get an extremely outdated letter of reference with an application.

 

[aprilchem]

I wouldn't include a letter of reference in an application that wasn't dated this calendar year.