Robert Pitkethly's References Page
References
My policy on references is that if I have taught you in a tutorial or
supervised you or your work I am prepared to write
references for you and you may mention me as a potential referee in application
forms without having to seek my specific permission. Ideally you should inform
me before I am asked to provide a reference as this will mean I can reply
immediately to any such requests.
Any academic reference I write for you will be based on your attendance at and
performance in tutorials and on your essays, written work, collection papers
and exam results.
Some companies/institutions ask you to list potential referees and then only
contact the referees to obtain references if they are about to interview you or
offer you a post. In such cases I will write any reference when the
company/institution asks me to do so and in accordance with the instructions
they send me. If it is some time since you left Oxford, though not essential,
it would be helpful to be sent a current CV if I am to write a reference.
Some companies may want to ring me and ask me to give a verbal reference.
Please note that I will not give any such reference without your prior
permission and advance notice of the request. If I do receive an unannounced
telephone request for a reference, whether written or verbal, my reply with
just be that I will seek your permission before complying with the request. I
will also always seek your permission before replying to any written requests
for references which you have not told me of in advance.
Some companies/institutions may ask for references to be included with
applications or sent by the referee at the same time as you apply. If this is
the case you will need to ask me to write the reference and give me specific
instructions regarding what it must refer to and where it is to be sent and by
when.
In the latter case, please ensure that :
a) I know who the reference is for (or might be for eg
Industry sector, type of course)
b) I have an up to date CV
c) you tell me whether the reference is to be :
- mailed direct to someone at the company (please supply
name and address),
- given to you for forwarding to the company in a sealed
envelope (please confirm your current postal address),
- just given to you for inclusion in an application you
send to the company (please confirm your current postal address).
- completed via an on-line web based
system (please supply details).
d) you let me know of any deadlines by email (and make sure to let me know you need a reference well in advance).
NB Having asked me to submit a reference it is essential that you keep
reminding me to submit it. Until you have received email confirmation from
me that I have posted or otherwise submitted the reference you should not
assume that asking me to submit a reference is the same as my having submitted
it.
Even though I am retired now there is still a risk of the most immediately
urgent tasks inevitably tending to crowd out the less urgent, however urgent
the less urgent tasks are. This could result in deadlines being missed
especially if it is not clear that there is a deadline.
Of course the earlier you contact me, the easier this process gets but if you
contact me about a reference very early there is an equal risk that the request
is buried by the demands of subsequent work. I would therefore be very grateful
if you could send me reminders, even phone me (in advance of any deadlines)
until I have told you that I have filed/sent the reference.