How to Choose and Brief Your SKEMA EMBA Referees
- 3 days ago
- 9 min read
Selecting and preparing your referees is one of the most strategic elements of your SKEMA Executive MBA application. It is far more than a simple request for a letter; it is a critical opportunity to provide the admissions committee with a multi-dimensional view of your leadership potential, achievements, and character. A well-chosen, well-briefed referee can corroborate your story and provide concrete evidence of the skills you claim in your essays and CV. Think of it as providing essential "social proof" for your candidacy. The admissions committee is making a significant investment in you, and strong recommendations from credible sources help to de-risk that decision. They transform your claims from mere assertions into validated facts.
As I advise my clients, there is a science to the recommendation process. It requires careful thought, strategic planning, and clear communication to ensure your chosen advocates can represent you powerfully and authentically. Your application essays, CV, and interview tell your story from your perspective; the recommendations are the only part of the application where the admissions committee hears about you from an objective, external viewpoint. This makes them disproportionately important. A lukewarm or generic letter can raise doubts, while a glowing, detailed, and enthusiastic one can be the deciding factor that pushes your application into the "admit" pile. This guide, part of our canonical SKEMA Executive MBA: A Complete Guide for Applicants series, will walk you through the process step-by-step, ensuring you leverage this opportunity to its fullest potential.
Who is the ideal referee for a SKEMA Executive MBA application?
The ideal referee is someone who has had significant, direct experience working with you and can provide specific, evidence-based anecdotes about your performance, leadership, and potential. The SKEMA admissions committee wants to see proof of the qualities that make a successful EMBA candidate: leadership, teamwork, strategic thinking, and resilience. They are looking for stories, not just adjectives.
Contrary to what many applicants believe, a referee's seniority is less important than the depth of their insight into your capabilities. I often see candidates fixate on securing a recommendation from a C-suite executive or a high-profile industry figure. However, a generic letter from a CEO who barely knows you is far less valuable than a detailed, enthusiastic letter from a direct manager, a close collaborator, or even a peer who can speak with authority about your contributions. A vague letter from a big name signals that you couldn't find someone who knows you well enough to vouch for you, which can be a significant red flag.
As one successful applicant, Matthieu shared, he chose a professor and a former colleague who had worked for him. His peer reference did the job perfectly because it was grounded in authentic, first-hand experience and painted a vivid picture of his collaborative style and leadership within a team setting.
To help you select the right mix, consider these potential referee types:
Current Direct Supervisor: This is often the most valuable referee. They can speak to your most recent performance, your growth trajectory, and your potential within the organization. They have seen you in action day-to-day and can provide the most current and relevant examples. If you cannot ask your current boss (e.g., for confidentiality reasons), you must explain this in your optional essay.
Former Supervisor: An excellent alternative if you cannot ask your current manager. A manager from a previous role can speak to your performance and skills in a different context, which can add another dimension to your profile. Choose a manager who oversaw a period of significant growth or a key project for you.
Senior Colleague or Mentor: This could be someone from another department or a senior leader who has mentored you. They can provide a broader perspective on your impact on the organization, your cross-functional collaboration skills, and your strategic thinking.
Client: For those in consulting, sales, or client-facing roles, a recommendation from a key client can be incredibly powerful. It provides an external validation of your professionalism, problem-solving abilities, and ability to build strong relationships.
Peer Collaborator: A peer you have worked with closely on a significant project can offer a unique perspective on your teamwork, influence, and leadership style among equals. This can be particularly effective if you are in a flat organizational structure.
Who to Avoid:
It's just as important to know who not to ask. Avoid family members, friends in a non-professional context, or anyone who has not directly supervised or worked with you. Also, be wary of asking a subordinate. While they can speak to your management style, it can be perceived as you putting them in an awkward position, and the admissions committee may discount the objectivity of their praise.
How many recommendation letters does the SKEMA EMBA require?
The SKEMA Executive MBA online application requires you to submit two letters of recommendation. These can be from either academic or professional sources, although for an EMBA, professional references are typically more impactful.
For an Executive MBA program, the admissions committee is primarily interested in your professional track record and your potential for senior leadership. Therefore, your recommendations should almost always come from a professional context. An academic reference from many years ago holds little weight compared to a current manager who can attest to your leadership on a multi-million dollar project. The only exception might be if you have recently completed a relevant professional certification or course where the instructor can speak to your intellectual curiosity and academic readiness. The letters can be written in English or French, reflecting the bilingual and international nature of the SKEMA community.
What specific information does SKEMA ask referees to provide?
While the exact questions can vary from year to year, business schools generally ask referees to comment on a candidate's strengths, weaknesses, leadership potential, and teamwork skills. Your referees should be prepared to provide detailed, narrative answers supported by concrete examples. Based on common practice and information for similar SKEMA programmes, your referees should be prepared to answer questions such as:
In what capacity and for how long have you known the candidate? This sets the context and establishes the referee's credibility.
What do you consider to be the candidate's principal strengths and talents? The referee should go beyond simple adjectives like "hardworking" or "intelligent." A great answer would be: "One of [Applicant's Name]'s greatest strengths is their ability to lead through influence, even without formal authority. For example, on the 'Project Phoenix' integration, they had to align stakeholders from three different departments who had conflicting priorities. They achieved this by..."
What do you consider to be the candidate's weaknesses or areas for improvement? This is a test of both you and your referee. A strong referee will frame a developmental area constructively, often highlighting your self-awareness and coachability—qualities that I find are the true differentiators for the strongest applicants. A good answer avoids clichés ("they're a perfectionist") and instead offers a genuine area for growth that the EMBA can help address. For example: "While [Applicant's Name] is an exceptional strategic thinker, they sometimes get so focused on the big picture that they can overlook the finer operational details. They are aware of this and have started implementing new project management systems to mitigate it, but the formal management training in the SKEMA EMBA would be invaluable in helping them build a more balanced skillset."
How does the candidate respond to feedback? This question assesses maturity and coachability. The ideal answer includes a specific instance where you received constructive criticism and acted upon it to improve your performance.
Can you provide a specific example of a time the candidate demonstrated leadership? This is a core question. The referee should provide a detailed story, ideally using a STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) framework to structure their response.
Can you describe a challenging situation the candidate faced and how they handled it? This question probes for resilience, problem-solving skills, and grace under pressure.
How would you rate the candidate in comparison to their peers? Referees are often presented with a grid of competencies (e.g., Leadership, Teamwork, Analytical Skills, Integrity) and asked to rate the applicant against a peer group. It is vital they rate you in the top percentiles and can justify these ratings in their written answers.
How should I brief my referees for a strong recommendation?
This is the most critical stage. Do not simply send a request and hope for the best; you must equip your referees to be your best advocates. As I tell my clients, the goal is to provide them with a "cheat sheet" that saves them time and helps them write a powerful, specific, and aligned letter that reinforces the narrative you're presenting in the rest of your application.
I recommend scheduling a 30-minute meeting with each referee and then following up with a comprehensive "Referee Briefing Pack" that includes the following:
Document/Information | Purpose |
Your Finalised CV | Provides a complete overview of your professional history and key achievements. This should be the strategic, rebuilt version of your CV, not a first draft. It reminds them of your entire career arc, not just the time you worked together. |
Your Application Essays | Shares your story, your motivations for the SKEMA EMBA, and your short- and long-term career goals. This gives them the context for why you are applying and allows them to connect their praise to your future ambitions. |
Key Themes & Strengths | A bulleted list of 3-4 key strengths or themes you want them to emphasise (e.g., "leading cross-functional teams," "resilience in a crisis," "data-driven decision making," "global mindset"). This helps focus their letter on the qualities most relevant to the EMBA. |
Specific Project Examples | Remind them of specific projects, achievements, or situations where you demonstrated these strengths. Provide details to jog their memory. For each example, list the project, your role, the challenge, your specific actions, and the quantifiable outcome. This is the most important part of the pack. |
Your "Weakness" | Proactively suggest the constructive weakness you are presenting in your application. Frame it as an area for development that the SKEMA EMBA will help you address. This ensures consistency and shows self-awareness. |
Logistical Details | Clearly state the submission deadline, the online portal link, and the specific questions they will be asked (as best you know them). Make the process as easy as possible for them. Offer to help if they encounter any technical issues. |
This preparation is not about telling them what to write. It is about providing the raw materials and strategic direction so they can build a compelling case on your behalf, grounded in their own observations and voice. By doing the heavy lifting for them, you not only make their job easier (which they will appreciate), but you also ensure the final product is specific, detailed, and perfectly aligned with your overall application narrative.
How can my referees help address potential weaknesses in my application?
Strategic referee selection can help you turn perceived weaknesses into strengths. The key is self-awareness—a trait that the most successful applicants have in abundance. You must first identify the potential red flags in your profile before you can address them through your essays and, crucially, through your recommenders.
For example, I worked with a highly talented applicant who was concerned about a non-linear career path that included a break and a role that wasn't a clear progression. On paper, these could be red flags for an admissions committee looking for a clear upward trajectory. However, we worked to frame this journey as a source of resilience and diverse experience. Her referees were critical to this strategy. Her former manager from before the break wrote about her immense potential and the difficult personal circumstances that necessitated the pause, while her manager from the "less prestigious" role wrote glowingly about the unique skills she acquired and how she completely transformed her function, proving her ambition and talent. She is now starting at a top business school.
Consider these other common scenarios:
Concern about Quantitative Ability: If you don't have a quantitative background or your undergraduate grades in math were average, a referee can counteract this. A manager can provide a powerful example of how you successfully managed a complex budget, built a financial model for a new business case, or used data analytics to drive a key strategic decision. This real-world evidence is often more compelling than old academic transcripts.
Lack of Direct Reports: For an EMBA, leadership is key. If you haven't had many direct reports, you might worry this looks like a lack of management experience. A referee can address this by focusing on your skills in leading by influence. They can tell a story about how you led a cross-functional project team, mentored junior colleagues, or persuaded senior stakeholders to adopt your proposal.
Limited International Experience: SKEMA prides itself on its global focus. If your work has been primarily domestic, a referee can highlight instances where you worked with international clients, collaborated with global teams virtually, or showed a deep cultural sensitivity and curiosity that indicates your potential to thrive in a global business environment.
Younger Applicant: If you're on the younger side for an EMBA, the admissions committee might question your maturity and experience level. A senior referee can explicitly address this by comparing you favorably to your older peers, highlighting your unusual maturity, rapid progression, and readiness for the challenges of an EMBA.
As I guided one client, managing a family across two different countries wasn't a liability to hide; it was a powerful story of her ability to navigate complexity, manage logistics on a global scale, and demonstrate incredible resilience—a huge asset from the school's perspective. Your referees can tell those stories from an observer's point of view, giving them a credibility you simply cannot achieve on your own.
Choosing and briefing your referees is a crucial part of a successful application strategy. It requires introspection to understand your own narrative, strategic thinking to identify the right advocates, and careful planning to empower them. By following a structured approach, you move beyond simply asking for a favor and instead partner with your recommenders to build a cohesive, compelling application. You can ensure their letters provide the specific, authentic, and powerful evidence the SKEMA admissions committee needs to see your true potential and offer you a place in their next class. For more in-depth guidance on your overall application, please refer to our SKEMA Executive MBA: A Complete Guide for Applicants.
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