Using the  REFS  option
      The main REFS page

The "Refs" option will bring up a window similar to the one below as its first, main window.

Please note that all reference letters are confidential.

Let's take a look at the features offered on this page:

    1. The *Links* listed in the Mathjobs.Org header are all the actions/options available to you as a MathJobs reference letter writer. The first link is "Refs", which would just reload the Refs page you are on right now. The other links would take you out of Refs and into the option associated with the link selected.
    2. If you do not have any applicants to write letters for, the body of the page below the introductory text will be blank. Once you have applicants that have listed you as a reference, they will appear listed below the intro text. Mathjobs identifies reference writers by the email address entered for them by applicants. If a variety of addresses are used by the applicants you write for, multiple accounts will be generated for you in Mathjobs.org. To consolidate them, make sure all applicants use the same email address for you.

      If an applicant whom you are supposed to write a letter for is not listed here, please contact the applicant directly to see why; a different email address might be used in the applicant's cover sheet.

    3. If your staff will need to access Mathjobs and enter letters for you, please use the "proxy" option near the bottom of the screen. Once a proxy is established, it continues until you log in and change it.
    4. Clicking on the name of an applicant will allow you to create a reference letter for this applicant. After clicking on the applicant's name, you will get the reference letter form. Completing this form is documented in detail below.
    5. If you have already submitted any reference letters for an applicant, they will be listed here, under the applicant's name.
      • If you want to update a reference letter, click on the reference letter name, listed under the applicant's name. For example, in the window above, the reference writer has submitted one reference for Samuel Smith. To update this reference letter, click on Reference #1. You will get the reference letter form. Updating and completing this form is documented in detail below.
      • In the example window above, just to the right of the reference letter name, you'll see:
        [sscrefletter.docx (Word, PDF, x page, xx bytes, posted x)].
        1. "Word" indicates that the reference was submitted as a Word file. The file name listed before this, "sscrefletter.docx" is the name of the Word file that you uploaded into MathJobs as a reference letter (see below).
        2. Clicking on Word will bring up your reference letter as a Word document.
        3. Clicking on PDF will bring up your reference letter in PDF format, which is very suitable for printing. Here you will be able to print it out by selecting File | Print...
        4. The size, page count and expiration date of your reference letter file is also printed within the parentheses. Clicking on the name of the letter brings back the upload screen, and you can re-upload or change the expiration there (see below.)
      • To the far right of the reference letter name is viewable by.... Clicking on this link will list all institutions which can currently view your letters. You will see in the green box the list of Mathjobs employers to whom the applicant has already submitted an application. Updating access to your letter is documented in the section below.
 
      Adding, deleting, updating, and submitting your reference letters

 

If you click on either the name of the applicant in your applicant list OR if you click on a reference letter listed for an applicant, a window similar to the one below will come up.



Let's take a closer look at the reference letter form to clarify what actions are available to you:

    1. The header for this page will be Reference Letter for Name, where Name is the name of this applicant. If you click on Samuel Smith, the AMS cover sheet for the applicant will come up. Clicking on PDF on the AMS cover sheet will bring it up in PDF format, which is very suitable for printing. Here you will be able to print it out by selecting File | Print...
    2. The second item, Entry Name, is the name (or id) for this letter. By default, a name will be assigned and will appear here. The first reference letter would be Reference #1. If this was the second reference letter, it would by default be Reference #2, etc. You may change the name of this reference letter, if you wish. Please be aware that the name of the letter will be visible to the employers.
    3. At the next item, Your Letter, you can either upload the file with your reference letter or type it in at the text box provided.
      • Use the first item here, Select a file to upload, if your reference letter for this applicant is a file on your computer. Your file can be in any of the following formats: PDF, Word, Office, OpenOffice, PostScript, DVI, GIF, JPEG, PNG, LaTeX, TeX, RTF, HTML, or TEXT. If you want to upload a TeX file and this file has any dependencies (i.e., it "includes" other files), upload the .dvi file instead. Click on the Browse.. button to select a local file from your computer.
      • Using the green arrow next to type in text/url/html directly, you have another option for entering your reference letter. You can enter your reference letter here in one of three ways:
        1. You can simply type in your letter as plain text right here. Just click on the text box and start typing!
        2. If you have created a web page that contains your reference letter for this applicant, enter the URL for that web page here in the text box.
        3. If you would like to submit your reference letter for this applicant as HTML, enter the HTML here in the text box.
    4. Use the green arrow found in the next item, Who can read this letter?, only if you wish to restrict this reference letter to be readable only by certain institutions. Limiting access is optional; use it only if you are submitting a letter which should not be viewed by any mathjobs employer that your job applicant applies to.

       

      • At the first button, all schools except the following selected, you can make this reference letter available to all institutions except those selected. If this is what you want to do, make sure this radio button is selected, and then select the institution(s). If you make multiple selections, hold down the Ctrl key (if using Windows) or the Apple key (if using MacIntosh) while making your selections.
      • At the second button, only the following selected, you can make this reference letter available to only those selected. If this is what you want to do, make sure this radio button is selected, and then select the institution(s). If you make multiple selections, hold down the Ctrl key (if using Windows) or the Apple key (if using MacIntosh) while making your selections.

       

    5. The last item, Expire, specifies the last day this letter can be used to apply for jobs. By default, MathJobs will enter the date for September 1 of the next academic year. You can change this date if you wish. If you change this date, it must be entered in the format: YYYY-MM-DD, YYYY/MM/DD, YY-MM-DD, or YY/MM/DD.

       

    6. If you are creating this reference letter, you will have the buttons Submit and Reset. If you wish to "reset" (or clear out) this form, the Reset button will set this form back to its original state. Click on Submit to submit this reference letter for this applicant. The letter and this screen will not be saved unless you click on the submit button.
    7. If you are updating or deleting this reference letter, you will have the buttons Submit, Delete and Reset. If you wish to "reset" (or clear out) this form, the Reset button will set this form back to its original state. Click on Submit to submit the updates for this reference letter for this applicant. Click on Delete to delete this reference letter for this applicant.
    8. If you have uploaded a file and submitted this form, it is a good practice to then look at the PDF file that is automatically generated from your submission, to verify that your reference letter looks okay.
    9. To upload multiple letters (and specify limited access for each letter) upload and restrict the first letter, then, on your REFS page, click on the name of the applicant to get a new submission screen, upload the second letter, make sure it has a different title, and set access restrictions. This can be done for as many letters as you like.
    10. Once you have checked the PDF, your work is done and you can log out. There is no further communication to be expected; there are no emails sent to acknowledge submission of a letter (except that in some cases applicants will receive email listing a date of submission only.) To check on a letter at any time, log back into the system and view existing letters on the "Refs" screen.
    11. ALL REFERENCE LETTERS ARE CONFIDENTIAL. APPLICANTS HAVE NO ACCESS TO THEM.

 

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