The third letter of recommendation. Which one could strengthen my PhD application?

Question

I will apply for the PhD GRA in the USA. It is focused on politics of my native country. Since graduating the university, I've been working in journalism and dealing with the same isssues. Does it make sense to get recommendation from my employer to prove my deep understanding of local specialities, if the first two answers are from academic community? As a third one I could also provide a strong recommendation letter from the foreign professor, whom I had met at the graduate conference. Then I assisted him for a short-term evaluation project (not academic one) in my own country (arranged interviews, organized travels etc) and did an interview with him as a journalist. Could this letter be better evaluated by admission committee?

Answer 1

I think both options are good. Personally, I'd slightly prefer the recommendation from your current employer, as they should be in a position to comment on a few things relevant to academia: that you write well, work independently, have initiative in solving problems, and good interpersonal skills.