As a university faculty member, and former department chair, I’ve read far more letters of recommendation than I’ve written. Letters in support of job applicants as well as graduate students are very important in the vast majority of cases. They speak to the applicant’s work habits, collegiality (how well do they work with others), initiative, and punctuality (do they get their work done in time). They may help us to interpret odd or unexplained things in the transcripts. They provide a judgment of the student’s creativity and commitment.