Question

Write a friendly letter of request to your uncle in London , asking whether you can stay with him briefly next year while you are travelling overseas

Answer 1

Answer: Many countries and companies have rules against nepotism- favors from relatives. We all know it happens, but it would not be a good idea to leave a paper trail of evidence.

I would hope you have a good enough relationship with your uncle so he really could and would help you. If so, you should have a good enough relationship to talk to him on the phone.

Call him on the phone, ask him about the best way to get a job where he currently works—- don’t just tell him you need a job there. This way you are not putting him on the spot in an uncomfortable and possibly illegal situation or one that at least violates company policy. Let him come up with his own ideas on helping you. If he is well enough connected, he might in fact be able to get you a job behind the scenes. At minimum he can probably tell you the inside scoop on the best way to apply and have a decent chance of hire for that particular company, saving you lots of wasted time.

I would not write a letter telling him you “need” employment there. You are putting him in a very uncomfortable situation, where he is being pressured to make a choice: put his own reputation and position on the line professionally or choose not to help extended family and it is being done in writing. A more informal approach would be to request his help- he can then choose the best way to use his knowledge and influence to help a relative in a way that will reflect his true confidence in your abilities and worthiness. If I personally had a niece or nephew go the letter route, I would likely see it as an attempt at coercion coming from a sense of entitlement, almost blackmail, and likely that relative would not have any chance of getting my support

Explanation: good luck!