Only academics?

[JArather]

Hello! 

I know this has probably been posted before, but I was wondering if asking for letters of recommendation from employers was an okay go? I currently am getting one from a professor, one from a professor I work under as a lab manager, but I wanted another from my old employer where I did educational outreach but worked very close with researchers in my area of focus? I was wondering if this is recommended of it LoR should only be from professors/academics?

Thank you! 

[RyanS]

It kind of depends on your work.  Basically, letters of rec should be from people who can attest to your ability of performing well in graduate school.  Having letters from employers can add professionalism to your application, especially if they talk about how well you work on a team, respond to demands, and meet expectations.  We look for these things in our applicants because your success in grad school is more than just doing well academically.