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To Whom It May Concern: Demographic Differences in Letters of Recommendation

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Abstract

Letters of recommendation from faculty advisors play a critical role in the job market for Ph.D. economists. At their best, they can convey important qualitative information about a candidate, including the candidate’s potential to generate impactful research. But at their worst, these letters offer a subjective view of the candidate that can be susceptible to conscious or unconscious bias. There may also be similarity or affinity bias, a particularly difficult issue for the economics profession, where most faculty members are white men. In this post, we draw on our recent working paper to describe how recommendation letters differ by the gender, race, or ethnicity of the job candidate and how these differences are related to early career outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Beverly Hirtle & Anna Kovner, 2024. "To Whom It May Concern: Demographic Differences in Letters of Recommendation," Liberty Street Economics 20241115, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fednls:99099
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    Keywords

    recommendation letters; gender in economics; race and ethnicity in economics; research institutions; professional labor markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A11 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Role of Economics; Role of Economists
    • A23 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Graduate
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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