| Reference Files | How can Career Services help? |
Reference Files can be established, for a non-refundable $30 fee (check or money order ONLY made payable to the University at Albany ), to house Reference Letters only for University at Albany students or alumni for the following reasons:
- application requests for K-12 or university administrative and teaching positions
- candidates seeking entrance into graduate or professional school programs.
| To establish a credential file you must complete and return the following to the Career Services office; These materials are available at the Career Services office. The reference form is also available online as a .pdf file. | Frequently Asked Questions
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This is for internal office use to establish your File. Please provide ALL requested information and return the Permanent Record Card to Career Services. If you change your permanent address, please notify us of the change in writing. This information will be used for the five-year mailing.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, (P.L. 93-380) specifies that you have the right to see anything in any file an educational institution has maintained on you unless you choose to waive that right in writing in regard to that particular material. Whatever choice you make, both the reference writer and reader must know whether or not you have waived your right to access. When requesting letters of reference, it is necessary for you to first sign each form and indicate your choice on it. Letters in your File must be all confidential or all non-confidential; you may not have a mixed File. To establish a Reference File, Career Services must have a completed Waiver Form indicating your choice.
Candidates are fully responsible for requesting all references and for assuring that these references are sent to Career Services. Three to five letters of reference are suggested for your Reference File. There is a limit of 8 letters. Letters may be added to your active File at any time. Sign and date each Reference Letter Form and indicate whether or not you waive your right to read the reference. The reference letter must be written on the form provided by Career Services or on the writer's letterhead with the Reference Letter Form attached. By law, all reference letters must have our form attached with your authorization for confidentiality or non-confidentiality, and the writer's signature. The Reference Letter Form can be downloaded here. (This is a PDF file and requires the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader which can be downloaded for free if not already installed on your computer). Reference writers must mail letters directly to Career Services.
WHEN: Send a copy only when you are sure it is required. Do not
request that your Reference File be sent to a graduate school
until after you have submitted your application - only then
will that school have established a file for you.
HOW: Requests
will be accepted by mail, fax, or in person (please note we
cannot accept requests via e-mail as we must have your
signature), and must indicate exactly which letters of reference you want mailed
in each instance. If you request your "entire file," only
the information contained in the File at the time of the request
will be sent. It is your responsibility to know which
letters have and have not been received by Career Services. When making a request, provide the name and/or title of the person to whom the File must be directed and
the precise full address.
HOW MUCH:
An initial non-refundable fee of
$30.00 will
be charged to establish your file. You will then receive your
first five mailings free. After that, a fee of $6.00 will be charged each time your Reference File is sent --
this includes copies sent to another department on the UAlbany
campus. We accept only checks or money orders made payable
to the University at Albany.
MAILING TIMELINE/POLICY: From the date your request is received in
Career Services, please allow two to five business
days to complete your request. To maintain the confidentiality
of your references, we will not provide you with sealed copies
of your File to hand deliver. Please plan accordingly.
This
office does NOT retain reference letters indefinitely. Reference
Files will be retained for five years after you open the File. At that time, a mailing will be sent to alumni for whom we have a Reference File, asking that we be advised in writing within 60 days whether we should continue to retain the File. Consequently, all information in your File will be destroyed unless you specifically request, in writing, that your File be retained for an additional five years. The address used for the mailing is taken from information we have on file supplied by you at the time the Reference File is established. Therefore, it is your responsibility to notify our office concerning any change of address.
Make sure your File is complete and up-to-date (outdated letters
may not be regarded as highly as current letters). Check periodically
on the status of your File. After references have been added
to your File, you may wish to have outdated material held
from future mailings. Keep us informed of your most
recent address and phone number.
Guidelines for Reference Writers
To assist those writing letters of recommendation for you, we have published guidelines developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). For a copy of those guidelines, please refer your reference writers to this website.
Guidelines for Students & Alumni
Prospective employers and admission committees review reference letters to gain insight into your academic performance, work related skills and personal character. These letters should support your resume and objective and "fill out the picture" of who you are. It is not surprising, then, that you need to choose your reference letter writers carefully. Faculty members and former employers who can attest to your academic and professional competence are most appropriate, while character references, such as your priest or minister or family doctor, are not.
- Complete the top portion of the reference form by typing or neatly printing your name. Also, indicate whether or not you waive your right to review the reference letter, then sign your name. This should be done before you give the reference form to the person writing your reference. Please note: Confidential references will not be shown to candidates.
- Request reference letters from people who can discuss your work ethic, accomplishments, leadership, communication, and teamwork abilities.
- Arrange a meeting with your reference writer to share your goals, employment objectives, or educational plans. Always provide the reference letter writer with a copy of your resume. For those reference letter writers who are not on campus or with whom a meeting is impossible, put your request in writing, even if you have already spoken with them. Provide the reference letter writer with a stamped envelope addressed to Career Services
- Give reference letter writers ample time to compose the letters. If they are not completed within a reasonable amount of time, feel free to call to remind the reference writer of your request. Send a brief letter of thanks to the writer when the letter is completed.
- Should you desire a personal copy of your reference letter, request it from the writer before it is submitted to the CDC. Once a letter is received by our office, it is considered college property and may not be released without the written permission of the writer.
- It is advisable to request faculty recommendations immediately upon completion of a course or a research project. At a later time, the faculty member may not be available or may not recall the quality or extent of your contribution to the class.
- Check with Career Services to ensure that all of your references have arrived. We recommend that you obtain three to five letters of recommendation. You may schedule an appointment with a member of the CDC staff to review your file.
- Do not wait until graduation to obtain appropriate letters of reference. A decision to hire or accept you may be delayed if your references are not readily available for employer review or graduate admissions committees.
View our presentation on Graduate School
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| Fax: 518-437-4906 | Email: career@uamail.albany.edu |