Nephew kicked around for a few years after graduation trying to decide what to do with his life but now has decided to pursue a masters degree program. (And my sister thinks I know everything about admissions, so please help preserve my reputation!) He doubts his old profs even remember him (he did well, but wasn’t a superstar and never did research for any of them), and fears that even if they do remember him, they will only be inclined to write recommendations for current students. This can’t be a totally unusual situation. Do grad schools still expect professor recs when a student has been out of school for several years? Can employer recommendations ever substitute if the requirements of the job are relevant to the proposed academic pursuit (e.g, if someone wanting to get a masters in communications had a few years at a PR firm–not his situation, but analogous to it)?
I applied for my first grad program a few years out of UG and was in similar situation. I made appointments with the profs I wanted LORs from and brought copies of all of my tests and papers from their classes I took (with their positive comments written on them) to give them. I thanked them for being inspirations to me, asked their advice about the depts. and programs I was considering, and asked them for LORs. With these conversations and the memory jog of my old papers, I was able to get good letters from them.
Former students can email a professor and ask for a letter. The email can contain information about the student and his or her grade in the class and maybe some other info about a particular term paper topic, etc. Also included should be some information about what the student has been doing since college and what their graduate school interests are. Obviously the letter won’t be exceptional if the professor doesn’t remember the student, but professors expect to get these requests and do manage to put together some kind of letter. Unless the grad application specifically asks for LORs from professors only, a letter could be written by the prospective student’s supervisor at work. I have seen LORs written by co-workers at a restaurant or coffee shop, and that comes across as strange.
If the degree is a professional one and relevant to his work, then a letter from the supervisor is appropriate and will actually be helpful. I agree with the previous comments and an email to former professors followed up by a phone call and details about what he has been doing after graduation should help him get the other letters.