HEC Paris MBA Recommendation Questions
HEC Paris is located 10 miles outside Paris in Jouy-en-Josas, offering students access to one of the world’s leading business hubs as well as the opportunity to be part of a close-knit community away from the bustle of the city.
HEC students can personalize their MBA curriculum by tailoring their courses to their specialized interests. The school also offers a range of experiential learning opportunities and a community-based, global learning approach where students are encouraged to collaborate on hands-on activities. The school’s mission is centered around three principles: to Think, Teach, and Act - these imply pushing the boundaries of knowledge and research, teaching and learning from each other, and impacting business and society through action.
How Many Letters of Recommendation Does HEC Paris Require?
HEC Paris requires two professional letters of recommendation, of which one must be from a current manager/supervisor. However, if you are unable to provide one from your current manager, you may select a recommender who can adequately speak to your professional/personal strengths, potential for leadership, and fit with the HEC Paris MBA program, like a previous manager or supervisor, or someone else who has supervised you in a professional/extracurricular setting.
HEC Paris uses the GMAC Common Letter of Recommendation format to frame its recommendation questions.
HEC Paris MBA Recommendation Questions 2024-2025
Recommender Information & Ratings
Relationship to candidate
How long and in what capacity have you known the candidate?
If this is a work related reference, in what position is/was the candidate employed and for how long?
Candidate’s abilities
Referees are asked to rate the applicant on a list of qualities using the following scale: Unobserved, Below average, Average, Good (top 40%), Very good (top 25%), Excellent (top 15%), Outstanding (top 5%).
Qualities:
Intellectual or academic ability
Oral communication skills
Analytical skills
Teamwork skills
Creativity / Innovative
Competence in current position
Written communication skills
Leadership skills
Initiative / problem solving skills
HEC Paris MBA Recommendation Questions
What do you consider to be the candidate’s principal strengths / talents?
What do you consider to be the candidate’s weaknesses or areas that need improvement?
Analysis
Ratings
The HEC Paris Recommendation form provides your recommender with a list of 9 broad qualities aimed at assessing their leadership potential.
While it would be ideal for an applicant to be rated “Outstanding (Top 2%)” in all qualities listed, this does not happen in reality. In fact, an all-perfect rating could harm your application, as AdCom may feel that your recommender has not honestly evaluated your profile. Discuss your strengths and weaknesses with your recommender and guide them to select the Outstanding choice in 6-7 of the characteristics listed, and the Excellent option in the remaining 2-3. Reserve the middle rating (Very good) for a maximum of 1 characteristic, only if it requires major improvement.
Recommendation Questions
What do you consider to be the candidate’s principal strengths / talents?
In this answer, your recommender will evaluate your work performance and strengths.
Typically, recommenders provide up to 2-3 examples of situations where you demonstrate a unique strength or quality. When writing about your strengths, ensure that they are aligned with HEC Paris’s values. HEC Paris looks for the following in their MBA candidates:
Curiosity and a critical spirit
Academic excellence
Diversity of talents, backgrounds, disciplines, and identities
Responsibility towards social and environmental sustainability
An entrepreneurial spirit
Suggest that they use the SCAR method (Situation, Challenge, Action, Results) to structure the examples they provide and connect them to the school’s values. The most impactful examples typically include figures, dollar amounts, and percentages to show the tangible difference you have made.
2. What do you consider to be the candidate’s weaknesses or areas that need improvement?
Guide your recommender to select a professional weakness that they have observed. Again, they should provide an example in the SCAR format where you displayed this weakness, how it impacted your work or team, any feedback they gave you, and how you constructively acted upon it to improve in this area.
Your weakness should clearly demonstrate that you are self-reflective, able to adapt your work ethic to feedback and new information, and able to leave your comfort zone to grow.
HEC Paris looks for diverse candidates who can show responsible leadership and the curiosity to engage with new people and knowledge. Guide your recommender to show your fit with these values.
Our complete Recommender Guide course on MBAConsultant.com has all the advice (and sample letters based on real applicants) you need to create a compelling letter of recommendation. Check it out here.
Want personalized support for your letters of recommendation? Book a chat with us today!
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