If you look beyond the grading via weird reference letter language, these letters contain usually one important thing: what you actually did. Not what your job description said, but your actual daily doings and responsibilities.<p>That is the part I like about them, especially if you answer a job ad that requests prior experience with FOO.<p>And while it is true that you can sometimes get your grade bumped up as part of some deal (and everybody knows it); I have never heard of a company that signs off on this list containing stuff you did in fact not do.