Being very straight forward?

[jc14]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone has tried asking for a rec letter in a very straight forward manner. For example, rather than working at a lab or something for a year, and then asking, contacting a professor and just saying "Hi Professor ____, I took ___ and ___ with you, and I'm really interested in your research - I was wondering if you would be willing to write me a letter of recommendation and get to know me a little bit better."

Almost everyone says being direct about rec letters isn't a good idea - but I'm wondering if anyone has tried something along these lines and have gotten a favorable response. 

[gellert]

Edit because I think I misread your post the first time.  The below commenters are quite right.  You should consider your motivations for going to grad school, which will be a very research-intense experience.  You're going to be "working at a lab or something" for 5-7 years in grad school, anyway.  Go ahead and do it now to make sure that's what you actually want to be doing for the next big chunk of your life before you start worrying about letters you may decide you don't actually need.

Edited June 13, 2014 by gellert

[victorydance]

I don't quite understand the logic.

 

People develop relationships beforehand (through taking courses, being involved in their research, ect.) so they can get a favourable LOR because that person will know you better and be able to vouch better for you.

 

I don't get why anyone would want to do that process backwards. That seems a lot more disingenuous to me than the other way around. 

 

I have never met or talked to anyone who said being direct about asking for LORs is not a good idea. It's more of a matter of knowing when to ask. 

 

Think about it this way:

 

You just got a job at X company. You then go to one of the managers and say "I would like you to be a recommendation for when I inevitably leave this company, can we get to know each other better?" Sound pretty lame? It does to me.

 

The vast majority of profs don't give a crap about getting to know you. They will develop a relationship with you on their terms. It's up to you to cultivate that relationship into a positive and constructive LOR. 

Edited June 11, 2014 by victorydance

[bsharpe269]

If I were a professor, I dont think I would take this well. Most students don't do research to get a good LOR, they do research because they love it and want the experience. This is also true for developing relationships with professors. I don't go to office hours or talk to them about research because I want a good LOR. I do these things because the professors are brilliant and I want to learn from them. If you are developing relationships with them just for the sake of an LOR then I sort of wonder why you are going to grad school. Most people go because they love learning and research and honestly, if you are passionate about those things then, in my experience, relationships with professors just sort of form themselves.

 

Anyway, it is hard to guess how individual professors would react to this. I think that you should work in a lab or talk to them because you genuinely want to though.

[Dedi]

If I were a professor, I dont think I would take this well. Most students don't do research to get a good LOR, they do research because they love it and want the experience. This is also true for developing relationships with professors. I don't go to office hours or talk to them about research because I want a good LOR. I do these things because the professors are brilliant and I want to learn from them. If you are developing relationships with them just for the sake of an LOR then I sort of wonder why you are going to grad school. Most people go because they love learning and research and honestly, if you are passionate about those things then, in my experience, relationships with professors just sort of form themselves.

 

Anyway, it is hard to guess how individual professors would react to this. I think that you should work in a lab or talk to them because you genuinely want to though.

 

This. Being straightfoward is fine if you and the professor have a mutual relationship, but it sounds like you're picking and choosing LORs. That might give a sour first impression.