system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Should I ask my professor for a letter of recommendation if I don’t have a job or grad school lined up?

I took a class last quarter, and I really enjoyed it. I went to office hours once and had a good talk with the professor and asked him for some career advice. At the end of the quarter, he emailed me and asked me if he can use my final project as an example project to show to future students. It’s been around a month since he emailed me, but should I ask him for a letter of recommendation? I will be applying to jobs soon, and I’m assuming the letter will help me. Also, I might want to go to grad school in a year or two. I have never asked for a letter before, but should I only ask if a job or grad school application is asking for it? Or can I proceed to do so without having anything lined up?
gpt
No.  Wait until you are asked for a letter of recommendation by a potential employer or academic institution.  They will instruct you as to where the letter should be sent, or whether they want other contact information, like your professor's phone number.

You should not have letters of recommendation in your possession, because letters of recommendation are confidential, and are sent directly to the employer or university.  In most cases, applicants never see them.