So I'm looking at applying to PhD programs. I've got a BS in Management, 10 years of experience in IT (currently an associate director of it/network engineer), and I'd like to move into research and consulting in the IT/MIS areas.

All that said, schools seem to want letters "submitted by instructors in a discipline related to your proposed field of study who are in a position to analyze your abilities and academic promise".

I know a few people with PhD's in IS/MIS and other related areas that I could potentially get LoRs from. I don't know them well, but I've worked with a lot of people over the years. Is that going to be sufficient? I've only worked with these people professionally, not academically. There's really no way for letters from my college to be relevant at all to this.

How do people not coming straight from school deal with this?

Thanks.