I always think of this line when asked for a reference. Today Crikey carried a whole bunch of similarly ambiguous one liners for references from LIAR The Lexicon of Intentionally Ambiguous Recommendations.
They’re over the fold.
- I cannot recommend this person too highly.
- I recommend this candidate with no qualification whatsoever.
- He has made immeasurable contributions to our firm.
- In all the discussions she and I have had over the years, her salary never came up.
- I simply can’t say enough good things about him.
- I am sure that whatever task she undertakes — no matter how small — she will be fired with enthusiasm.
- I am pleased to say that this candidate is a former colleague of mine.
- She is always trying.
- He is a difficult man to replace.
- She is one of the most discriminating people you’ll ever meet.
- He will take full advantage of his staff.
- She takes a lot of enjoyment out of her work.
- His input was always critical.
- I found myself frequently raving about her work.
- I would place this student in a class by himself.
- She is now ready to strike out in a career.
- He is resigning a position that he has held with our firm for years. I truly wish there were more people like him.
- We were teetering on the threshold of bankruptcy last year, but her efforts pulled us through.
- For the services he has rendered to our firm over the years, we find ourselves deeply indebted.
- She works without direction.
- He works effortlessly.
- To get the job done, we need ten employees like her.
- Attacking a difficult challenge, she doesn’t think twice.
- You should seriously consider initiating an offer since she probably won’t apply herself.
- When he worked for us, he never did anything halfway.
- We were forever asking her for new ideas.
- You can’t offer this man too high a salary.
- How did she manage those who worked for her? Quite fairly.
- There is nothing you can teach a man like this.
- She was never way from the job too long.
- He is only 30, but he has the mental faculties of a man three times his age.
- I would place her research on the cutting edge.
- His potential clients always wind up giving him the business.
This is by no means ambiguous, but it’s a personal favourite – allegedly from a British Army Officer’s performance appraisal: