Hi everyone, I have two questions about recommendation letters for the Global Talent visa (Digital Technology).
1. Future plans. One of my referees writes in her closing paragraph that, while continuing to work on my startup, I’ll also contribute my skills, knowledge and expertise to the different stakeholders, companies and potentially startups I’ll have a chance to work with. My plans aren’t fully defined yet. I’m considering freelance or consulting work alongside the company, and if the startup doesn’t do well, I’d look for a job in the UK digital tech sector. So I’ve kept the wording deliberately open. Has anyone used similarly general wording about future plans? Did it work, or would you recommend being more specific? Could mentioning work outside the startup raise questions about commitment to the company?
2. Talent vs Promise. I’m still weighing whether to apply under Exceptional Talent or Exceptional Promise. How much does the wording in the letters matter? For example, if my referees write “Exceptional Promise” and I then apply for Talent, or the other way round, is that a problem? Or is it safer for the letters not to name a route at all and just recommend me for endorsement?
Thanks in advance, any experience is really helpful!
@natalia_pazzaglia
Trust you are good.
On the future plans, I think it would be stronger if the referee goes beyond describing contributions at startup or company level and instead highlights the broader impact you are expected to make across the UK technology sector and the wider community. From my experience, the assessors want to see that your influence is not limited to just starting or working in a company, the purpose of the application is to get talents that can advance the nation’s sector they are endorsed through, so they recommender should talk more in terms of sector contribution and impact. Like based on their knowledge of your expertise, leadership and passion for the community they believe that the Tech ecosystem will benefit through your contribution to tech community, volunteering your time to mentor, teach, train, and support aspiring professionals and founders in your area of expertise. innovation and employment opportunities from your startup company. This demonstrates sector wide contribution and a commitment to developing talent beyond your own organisation. It would also be beneficial for the referee to articulate how your startups and future work are intended to address real world challenges, creating meaningful social, economic, or technological impact. The focus should be on the value you are expected to bring to the UK digital technology sector and society more broadly, rather than your own company or gaining employment
Regarding the Exceptional Talent versus Exceptional Promise pathway, consistency and coherence across the entire application are very important. The pathway you choose should be supported by your years of experience, career achievements, level of recognition within the sector, and the evidence being presented.The recommendation letters should accurately reflect the context of your evidence and the basis on which you are applying and the pathway. The assessor should be able to clearly understand from the letters not only what you have done, but also why your contributions, achievements, and influence are considered exceptional within the digital technology ecosystem.
All the best.