A good writer and a great attitude can make even a professional reference seem personal and enthusiastic. Add a personal touch. Tell your professional reference something relevant about yourself that makes you a strong applicant. Recruit a lawyer for one of the four character references usually required. Ask the lawyer to keep it sincere and specific.
Attorneys are popular with co-op board members, many of whom are legal eagles themselves.
Have your employer tout your significant contributions and value to your firm or organization. This speaks not only to your popularity but to your job security and raise, bonus, or commission potential. Personal References Highly effective personal references communicate genuine warmth and include comments on the applicant's educational background, fiscal responsibility, ethics, integrity, and specific community involvement. Also, co-op boards vary in strictness. A particularly demanding co-op board might require your net worth to be two to three times the apartment's price.