American recommendation letters: “This candidate is the most brilliant person alive. I will never in my entire life have a student as smart as this one again.”
European recommendation letters: “This person completed the requirements for my class. They are currently alive.”
@grumpasaurus @tiffanycli Even McDonald's requires at least two letters of recommendation from a non-relative in order to secure a job interview.
I would be very angry if my professor didn't give me one after graduating. That is basically a death sentence in the US - hope you like your former students to be homeless and die on the streets.
@AxeAkane The US is a strange place, there is a lot of pressure for things that should be spontaneous.
“You have to write an effusive recommendation, or I can’t get even a low paying job”, “you have to tip generously or I won’t make rent”, “you must give a 5-star review or I’ll be fired”.
And then it probably ranges between emotional blackmail (how could you do that to me?) to a tool for revenge or extorting favors (I could do that to you).
Feels really weird to outsiders...
Tiffany Li
Allan Chow
Axe Akane
Patricia Cordeiro
Matěj Koubík