I highly recommend...

I should become a professional recommendation writer.

Although, I suppose, if people were to pay me for it, my recommendations might become suspect.

Yesterday, I wrote a recommendation for one of my connections on LinkedIn (I'm on LinkedIn- check out my profile!).

Within minutes, I received this reply:
Lisa, this is a very strong recommendation. It is greatly appreciated in this current era of diminished funding opportunities and budgets for many of the folk who hire us. Thank you!

Hey hey! It's nice to be appreciated.

In fact, I have written dozens of letters of recommendation, and almost always with excellent results for those I recommend.

I've written letters that were instrumental in achieving college admissions, scholarships, grants, jobs, internships.

I am always honest and positive. Most of the time, this is not difficult- I hang out with talented, intelligent people of integrity. Once in a while, though, I am asked to write a letter that requires some deliberation to accomplish a positive recommendation that is also honest.

Only once have I not written the letter requested. The request was made when I was so busy- with legitimate, consuming medical issues for my mom- that it was weeks before I was able to respond. When I explained the circumstances, she wrote, oh! I would not have asked if I had known you were so busy!

So I allowed that to take me off the hook.

I still don't know how I will graciously decline to write letters in future.

Meanwhile, I have another letter of rec to write today!