A recommendation letter plays a very crucial role in your selection for any post. whether you’re a student, professional, or just a candidate who is applying for a job, occasionally you will surely need to provide a recommendation letter. In your life journey, multiple times you will need to give a recommendation letter. With that, you must have so many recommendation letters with you. Are you applying for a new post? And I am wondering whether you can use the old recommendation letters or not. Don’t feel stuck. This article will answer this query.
If you’re wondering whether you can use the old recommendation letters or not, then the answer to this question is yes, you can. You can use the old recommendation letters, but it is always advisable that you should not do so. This can create a negative impact on the minds of the admissions committee. But if you’re using that old recommendation letter, then you must get permission from the recommender or revise it.
Recommendation letter:
A letter of recommendation is a letter that is written by a person who owns a kind of authority over the person in any way. That recommender is a verified and trustworthy person who can comment on your qualification and skills. A recommendation letter consists of qualifications, skills, capabilities, etc. which are written by a recommender after seeing your work. This gives a glimpse to the employer about your eligibility for that post. With the help of this letter, the decision for admitting you or selecting you is made.
How old is so old for a recommendation letter
To comply with the facts and answer the question of how old is too old for a letter of recommendation is a tough part. Mostly, a letter of recommendation seems to be valid for up to 12 months. But in some cases, when your degree is still in the continuance or your job is in continuance, then the time may increase. Till the time you’re in touch with the recommender or under his guidance, you can treat that letter as fresh. Once you lose the connection, there is a possibility that the recommender may forget you. In that case, the letter can only be used for 12 months.
Is it ok to use an old letter of recommendation:
The answer to the question, “Is it okay to use an old letter of recommendation?” can be tricky. But in the first instance, the answer is yes. Yes, you can use it. But we don’t advise you to do it because of various factors. But if you must use the old letter of recommendation, there can be some positive aspects to that also. Some of the reasons why using a letter of recommendation are OK are listed below:
- Nothing to present: Using an old letter is OK in cases when you have nothing to present to the recommender. It is always better to present something for the post rather than nothing.
- Changing the date: You can use the old letter of recommendation after changing the date with the recommender’s permission. It is always advisable to use the old recommendation letter, only after changing the date. Take prior permission from the recommender.
- Connection with recommender: If you’re in touch with the recommender, then it is a-ok condition to use the old letter of recommendation. If you’re in constant touch with the recommender, that means he is aware of your skills and capabilities and can ascertain that fact.
- Ignorance by hiring authority: It is not always the case that the hiring authority checks the date. They mostly check the skills written there and affirm them only. So, in that case, using an old letter of recommendation is also OK.
Conclusion
When you wish to use an old recommendation letter, it creates and leaves a mark on the accessor that these skills were inherited by you previously, and now they can’t rely on you for that. But if you have no recommendations for the present time, then you can surely use the old ones. It is always better to have something than to have nothing. Recommendation letters are a make-or-break situation in which you can either be selected or rejected if you are unable to provide them.
FAQ
- For how long do we consider a letter of recommendation valid?
We can consider a letter of recommendation valid for a maximum of up to 12 months. After 12 months, it may seem that all your achievements and skills are not present because the recommender may have forgotten about those skills of yours.
- It is necessary to write a date on the letter of recommendation.
Yes, writing a date on the letter of recommendation is a must, which can’t be compromised at any point in time. The recommender should always mention the date in the recommendation letter in the first line only.
