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[seniorscholar]

I've just had an e-mail from a UK English department requesting a reference letter for someone for whose PhD dissertation at a Commonwealth university I was outside examiner (by written report). The e-mail included a link to the job description (so I know the desired & essential particulars); the updated c.v. sent by the applicant during the summer when asking if I would serve as reference reports a nice list of forthcoming publications, some of which are clearly new work beyond the dissertation; and I can plagiarize a paragraph or two from my examiner's report, so the letter will be easy to write. However, the e-mailed request also asks for "some reference to the personal qualities of the applicant." I've never seen such a request in writing before (though sometimes a US department chair making a phone call will ask a leading question or two about how the candidate gets along with students, etc.).

What is being asked for? I have met this person once at a conference -- will a vague statement about "pleasant, personable, well-spoken" do, or is something further expected?

[science_expat]

Other folks may have a better answer but common criteria on job specs are interpersonal and presentation skills.

The former tend to be along the lines of ability to work in a group and independently, the latter about oral and written communication

So maybe something in these areas?

[scotia]

I would stick to what you know of the candidate. I would hope that the sum of the references will provide a good picture of the candidate, but the committees I have served on recognise that not all referees can comment on every aspect. In a recent set of interviews we had a couple of PhD external examiners (who had met the candidate only at the viva) amongst our candidate referees. Both letters commented on the candidates'  PhDs and their contribution to the field, and did not say anything about character. This was not a problem because other referees who knew the candidates well covered the other bits.

[seniorscholar]

Thanks to both of you. Letter will go out this afternoon so it can be in the correct in-box at the beginning of the UK day tomorrow.