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Updating recommendation letters?

In our July "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

I have a very basic question. Should I be asking references for updated letters? I keep most of my letters on hand in interfolio, but they will all be dated 2022.

I was thinking to email references and simply ask them to update the date to 2023 and offer my new materials should they choose to tweak the letter, without requesting that they do.

Is this acceptable or too much?

I don't know how much the date matters if it's just one year, but when, why, and how often one should try to update recommendation letters are all good questions. I suspect that if a letter is a few years out of date, it might begin to be a problem–and, if one has accomplished significant things that letter writers might use to improve their letter, I suspect it probably makes sense to ask them if they are willing to do an update.

What do you all think?

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5 responses to “Updating recommendation letters?”

  1. Writing of letters

    My humble opinion:
    -you should have letters updated every year when you are actively searching for your first permanent position. I certainly expect those who I support to contact me each year and give a clear update of what they have accomplished that I mention in a letter. I am bit surprised when they do not contact me.
    -also you should expect to change your letter writers as your career develops. Even during the early career, you may take on new topics, and meet new people. Often these are the people who be the most useful letter writers – a letter from someone not connected with your PhD institute and maybe not even connected with your dissertation research. This looks like you are going somewhere.

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  2. David Hilbert

    This is a great question. I think it depends in part on the type of letter. Letters that are about teaching are often based on evidence from a particular time period and I don’t think it’s necessary to update or put a new date on them since the letter writer often doesn’t have any relevant new evidence about teaching. Research letters should be updated and most letter writers are happy to modify their letters to take into account what the applicant has accomplished in the past year.
    I also want to endorse the advice from Writing of letters about changing your letter writers. Many people when they are first on the job market will have letters from multiple people at their PhD institution. If you develop new connections and are able to get letters from new people who are experts in the areas of your research it’s a good idea to add new letter writers and think about dropping some of the existing ones. Letters from people outside your PhD institution typically carry more weight and having letters that represent the full range of your research interests is also important.

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  3. Bill Vanderburgh

    It is easy for requester and letter writer, so yes, update your letters annually until you get a permanent job. Send a copy of your current cv, research statement, teaching portfolio, and other useful docs, with a note highlighting what is new since the original letter was written.
    If you have been in a temporary position for the last year, it is important to get a letter from that place into your file, too. The chair of the department, for example, can attest to how you have done teaching for them, what they hear about your interactions in the department, etc. This is very useful info for a hiring institution.

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  4. follow up question if poss

    I have a question for Bill above, or others: how important is it to have a letter from one’s current institution if that institution isn’t your Ph.D. granting institution? Would lack of such a letter be a deal breaker for an applicant?

    Reply
  5. Bill Vanderburgh

    To “follow up”: If you have only been in the new role a few months, a letter from the new institution won’t be missed. If it has been a semester or two, it would be useful for the hiring committee to see the letter (to see how you are doing as a teacher and colleague, how you are adapting to a new environment, etc.). But the lack of such a letter wouldn’t be a deal-breaker. It is very unusual for one thing to be a deal-breaker in a search; it is more a cumulative gestalt that gets built from the totality of the file. (Except for not meeting the requirements in the ad–that’s always a deal-breaker.) If you are a finalist, it is likely the hiring department will do a reference call with your current institution whether you have a letter from there or not.

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