Be about your Global Talent application - you cannot use a letter that was written for another reason
Explain how the author knows the applicant; and
Knows the applicant’s achievements in the relevant field; and
How the author considers the applicant shows exceptional talent or promise; and
the contribution the applicant would make to the UK digital economy.
I have also seen a number of videos on what to include and what not to include. The advice is all pretty generic.
When you were writing your letters, or writing the points to send to the recommender did you think of anything that was different or missing something that you thought or think would be a good addition to a recommendation letter apart from the key points from Tech Nation.
One the most important thing: they should describe your work in different organizations. There were some rejections because all 3 letters described the work had done in one organization.
Do you remember if the rejections you saw were recent?
I don’t see how someone who is applying for Exceptional Promise, someone who has less than 5 years of experience in technology can get letters from 3 different companies.
This would imply that the person switched jobs every 1.5 years and I don’t think a lot of people switch jobs that often.
I am going to get a letter from a Director and a Lead Developer from the same company and a my Module Leader from my Masters degree, I finished with a Distinction and he taught a couple of modules during the degree.
Also I have read the checklist several times and I did not see any restriction about the recommendation letters being from different organization. It just says they should be from three different individuals.
Hi, @Ivan_Murashko is right. Try to see if you can get some strong letters from 3 different recognized global Tech leaders. The reason is if you give letters from the same company, it simply means your impact is internal and not really global. And yes, even though you are promise and it’s less than 5yrs, it doesn’t matter to Tech Nation. Your profile must be exceptional, and it must show in your evidence, contributions and impact. Tech nation is going to gauge your profile alongside others in promise who may have worked in 3 companies in 5yrs and have earned high and contributed well. So, your letters have to be top notch.
As for some advice i will give.
Make sure the letters you give aren’t light on details. Make sure without reasonable doubt, it is clear the recommenders know you, your work, and your impact. Plus, the contributions you intend to make to the UK.
Make sure your recommenders give a strong profile about themselves. I.e Let them brag about their accomplishments. If they have raised 1 Billion and sold 5 companies. Let them say it. The moment they feel they might be showing off too much is actually when it is appropriate.
Make sure whatever date they said they worked with you tallies with your CV and LinkedIn. Make sure all dates tally.
Hope this helps. I initially got rejected twice and these and more are some of the things I fixed that made the difference.
But the Tech Nation guide says the person should know you over a period of 12 months.
I finished my Masters degree in September and worked for a company for 1 year starting September 2022 my first job working as a Software Developer.
Now I have started working for a second company. I can’t use a letter from them until I have worked for them for another 11 months.
with detailed knowledge of your work over a period of 12 months or more, supporting your Global Talent application, which include all of the following:
Each person who writes a letter for you must:
Be a senior member of their organisation
Know your work
Are you saying that I can ignore the guide where it says the person should have worked with me or known me an my work for 12 months?
Because mostly I made some open source WordPress plugins and a few premium plugins starting around 2020.
I could look into getting some sort of letter from CEO of the marketplace where I am selling these plugins. Or look into someone from the WordPress public repository team to give me some form of letter.
But obviously these people have not worked with like someone who would have worked with me in an office job or know my work like people do in an office job or people who work with you regularly.
For context
2017 completed Bachelors Degree
2017-2021 worked in a Customer Support role for a company in the US remotely
2021-2022 Masters Degree from UK with Distinction
2022-2023 Job as a PHP Developer in the UK
2023-Present Job as PHP Developer in UK new company
Now the plugins I mentioned I worked on them and built them part time. I always had a full time job or was in university while I was working on them and still do work on them in my spare time.
I feel you. I’m definitely not advising you to ignore the guide. You could do a swoop around your circle for anyone that can speak on your contribution & impact. CEOs of the marketplaces are great, as long as they are recognized Tech global leaders with strong public profiles. Even a satisfied customer that fits the bill can work.
For the marketplace CEOs, I’ll suggest their company shouldn’t be termed as just a marketplace, that might lose the power of what they truly are.
Imagine Envato founder calling his platform just a marketplace. Yikes!
But all in all, for the letters of leaders who haven’t worked with you in a day to day sense, they’ll have to do a great job in the letter cos it should not feel like it’s just them stating your achievements. It has to be clear they have some stake and participation in your work.
You could come up with a draft for your recommenders which will make the work easier for them, as it’ll also help them see the detailing the letter requires
Thank you for the suggestion. It is definitely not a simple marketplace. They have thousands of users and millions in sales but not as big as Envato.
It has to be clear they have some stake and participation in your work.
Could you just tell me what is the first thing comes to your mind that I could/should have in my recommendation letter when you say the above. Just collecting ideas.
You could come up with a draft for your recommenders which will make the work easier for them, as it’ll also help them see the detailing the letter requires
Yes, that is what I am doing right now. Just collecting points that I can add to my recommendation letter draft which I will send to people who are going to write me a letter.
Hello. Are you saying that 3 recommendations should describe the work of the applicant in different companies, or if he/she worked for only one company, describe his/her work outside of the company?
You have asked questions and got some responses based on people 's personal experience but it sounds like what you don’t want to hear.
You need to get letters from three different organisations. As for using your module lecturer, does this person know you for up to 12 months? You don’t have to work in three different companies but it is expected that people with leadership potential have a wide network of people who know them in the sector.
well-established organisations individuals acknowledged as experts in the digital technology field, with detailed knowledge of the applicant’s work over a period of 12 months or more, supporting the Global Talent application
They specifically removed word organisations and changed it to individual.
Also I am sorry if I said module lecturer earlier, I meant course leader who was also the lecturer and he knew me over 12 months, the entire masters degree, and taught multiple modules.
What I wanted was to share information about myself and the questions that I had and get opinion and thoughts of others. I apologize if in some messages I sound unreasonable that was not my intention. Sometimes when I read an answer I get more questions which I try to ask and get opinion and if it sounds like I am trying to prove that the other person is wrong it is just by accident and mistake.
Hey @promisingtalent , I have a suggestion that might be helpful. Before posting your message, you could consider taking some time to edit it and ensure it conveys your intended meaning in the best possible way. By doing this, you can avoid any potential misunderstandings or the need to apologize for how it may come across. I say this cos I noticed your posts on here are kinda sharp.
You already write well, so a quick edit or even using chatgpt to refine your wording could make a positive difference.
My information is not outdated, an individual writes/signs the letter but it still has to be in an organisation’s letterhead. Did the change log remove the requirement for a company logo?
Sorry for not being clear I was talking about this part.
You said that letters from three different organisations are needed.
But in the changelog they have changed it to well-established individuals. The letters should be on a letter head but now more than 1 person can write a recommendation letter for you from the same organisation as far as I understand.
I don’t see any requirements now on the visa guide saying that the letters need to be from three different organisations.
You are trying to prove beyond reasonable doubt that you are exceptional and you are a promising or talented individual. Which means you should be recognised nationally/ internationally. If all your recommendation letters are from the same organisation, even if signed by different people, it only goes to show that you are only known within the walls of that organisation. I think that’s her point and it won’t be an unfair assumption.