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- How to Write a Letter of...
How to Write a Letter of Recommendation
11 min read · Updated on August 25, 2022
Writing a letter of recommendation is an honor, but also a big responsibility. Take the guesswork out of creating something that can make or break a colleague or student's candidacy.
As a trusted colleague, boss, or friend, you may be asked to write a letter of recommendation. That says a lot about the esteem in which others hold you and you should take it as an honor. Because you want to do a good job to ensure the person you are writing about has the best shot at the position they want, you need to understand how to write a letter of recommendation.
But what exactly is a letter of recommendation and how should you go about writing one? There's no mystery. Once you understand what goes into a great recommendation letter and how you can compile one, you'll be equipped to help that star student or employee make their next life move.
In this blog we will detail the steps to take and the following:
What is a letter of recommendation?
Recommendation letter examples
Types of recommendation letters
Recommendation letter format
Tips for writing a letter of recommendation
Mistakes to avoid
A letter of recommendation is a formal introduction and reference for a person seeking a new job or academic role. Letters of recommendation are typically written by a former employer, professor, client, or colleague whose attestation to your skills and qualities will impress the reader.
If you are asked to write a letter of recommendation, you can be sure that the requester believes you will have good things to say about their professional qualities and why you believe they are an excellent candidate for this new role.
A great recommendation letter, like a great resume or cover letter, entices the reader to want to learn more about the candidate and to offer them an interview to discuss the opportunity further.
Not everyone who requests a recommendation letter is asking because they have entered the job market. An employee may be returning to school to get an advanced degree, or applying for a certification program or fellowship.
Each different purpose requires a slightly different letter-writing approach. There are two main types of letters of recommendation you as a supervisor, client, manager, teacher or other superior may be asked to write:
Academic
Academic letter of recommendation
Colleges, universities, and other post-graduate programs often seek letters of recommendation as part of the application process. These letters may also play a role in whether a candidate receives a scholarship or other financial assistance.
Academic letters of recommendation should focus on who the applicant is as a person and what insight and dedication they will bring to the academic department or program. Your job as an academic letter of recommendation writer is to offer an unbiased perspective on the applicant's personality, but also on their ability to grasp new concepts and any other skills and attributes that will make them an excellent student.
Employment letter of recommendation
Typically written by supervisors, managers, or clients, employment recommendation letters are focused on the attributes that will make the letter's subject an excellent employee. If you are asked by a person you supervise to write a letter of recommendation and it is not against company policy, make sure you honestly believe the person is a quality candidate. Your name will be on the letter, too.Teachers, academic advisors, and university professors may also be asked to write employment recommendations, especially if their students are searching for their first job or first job in a new field.
Exercise caution
Be aware that many employers will not allow you to write a recommendation letter for a colleague. They will, instead, suggest that you refer the person to the Human Resources Department, which will merely confirm a person's tenure with the company.
Before you begin to write, it will help to understand what goes into a reference letter. Any letter of recommendation should follow a standard format. Here are the components you need to include:
Introduction
Closing statement and signature
You may also consider including a personal anecdote if you feel comfortable doing so and it illustrates a positive quality about the letter's subject.
You may be asking yourself, “How do I write a letter of recommendation?” Take it one section at a time. Below, we offer detailed information on what each section should contain and recommendation letter example text for each.
Since this is a formal letter, your greeting should also be formal, unless the person for whom you are writing the letter asks you to keep it casual. You can't go wrong with Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. [Last name] since you are relying on the information given to you by the letter's subject.
If you do not know who the recipient of the letter is, kindly suggest that a letter with a personalized greeting goes a lot farther than one with a generic greeting. Above all, avoid the stilted “To Whom It May Concern” if at all possible.
The beginning of a recommendation letter serves an important purpose: It tells the reader who you are writing about and why. Although it may seem less than creative, one of the best ways to start is simply by adapting the following letter of recommendation examples intro:
“I am pleased to recommend Sarah Peterman for the financial analyst manager position at Holdfield Century Inc. I have supervised Sarah for four years at Rosano Industries and feel she would be outstanding in this role.”
This format works for a candidate applying for a university program by simply changing the job and prospective employer's name to the academic program and university's name.
The overview comprises the bulk of your letter of reference; it is the middle two or three body paragraphs. This may be the most difficult section to write because it is here that you explain why you believe the candidate is worthy. To help guide you, try answering the following questions:
What words best describe the candidate's work style?
What qualities help them excel and make them right for the new role?
What project or achievement stands out from their tenure?
What story or personal anecdote can you tell that will illustrate the best of the candidate?
Peg each piece of the information you share with a skill or attribute necessary for the new role. Make sure you connect the dots and explain exactly how each quality builds a case for the candidate.
Here is a recommendation letter example for the overview:
“I remember when Sarah began working in my department. She was eager to learn and, in fact, quickly developed an understanding of business modeling and our proprietary accounting system. Sarah is not afraid to ask clarifying questions and is always ready to lend a hand to get the job done.
“In the course of our four years of working together, Sarah has taken every opportunity to stretch and grow as a financial analyst. In fact, I believe she is ready to move into the role of financial analyst.
“Just last week, I entrusted Sarah with completing and presenting our five-year business forecast at the company's quarterly meeting. I offered her this opportunity because I knew not only that she would do a fabulous job, but also that she was outgrowing her role as my subordinate. She did not disappoint. Her presentation was flawless and her analysis spot-on.”
Closing statement
You've written a recommendation letter that makes a great case for the candidate. Now you need a few sentences that remind the reader that you believe they are ready for their next move and you believe they have chosen wisely.
Here is a letter of recommendation example for a closing statement:
“After having managed Sarah for four years, I can attest to her dedication, determination and knowledge of business processes and strategies. Holdfield Century Inc. would be lucky to have Sarah in the position of finance manager.”
Finally, sign off with Sincerely or Regards, your full name, your title, and the company for which you work.
“Sincerely,
Anna Chavez
Financial analyst manager
Rosana Industries”
Tips for writing a good letter of recommendation
When writing a letter of recommendation, there are some hints to keep in mind that will make the process easier and more fruitful for the candidate. After all, you wouldn't have agreed to write the rec letter unless you believed in the candidate and wanted to help them.
Here are some tips for writing a great letter of recommendation.
Make sure you don't waste a word. You have only a few paragraphs to convince a hiring manager or admissions officer that the person you have chosen to endorse is an excellent candidate. Unless it's relevant, don't take space mentioning that they love soccer or knitted you a beautiful sweater for your birthday.
If you link each sentence to a quality necessary for the position, you won't have any trouble with this.
Use descriptive words to make a strong case. If possible, ask the candidate for the job listing or requirements for the academic program. Incorporate necessary attributes into your sentences. If creativity falls high on the list of requirements and you can honestly say it's true, write a phrase such as “creative thinker” or “able to develop creative solutions to thorny business problems.”
Get specific. The best letters of recommendation offer pointed examples, not platitudes. They offer data, details, and reasons for your high praise. “Kenton is a great employee” pales in comparison to “Kenton has never missed a deadline and often turns in his high-quality work early.” If you're in a data-driven industry, cement the case with relevant figures.
Check the facts with the letter's subject. It's not your career you're writing about. Do a little research to make sure you don't miss a key fact or accomplishment. Don't be shy about double-checking the details or even asking the candidate to refresh your memory.
Now that you know what you should do, here are a few things you should not .
Don't say yes to writing the letter if you can't make an honest recommendation. A tepid letter of recommendation may be worse than none at all. Perhaps your underling has learned from the mistakes she made during her tenure as your employee and just needs a fresh start. That doesn't mean you have to write a recommendation letter. It's OK to say no.
Damning with faint praise. This is definitely a case where a less than ringing endorsement will have the recipient reading between the lines. That old saw, “if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all” applies here. Certainly do not write an anti-recommendation letter. Instead, let the candidate's resume, cover letter, and interview stand on their own.
The flipside: Hyperbole. While you don't want to get negative, you also don't want to go over the top with your language. The statement, “Kayla's art is among the best in the world” may have the reader thinking, “Really? Compared to Frida Kahlo, Picasso, and Rembrandt?” Keep it real. “Kayla's graphic designs have helped our customers increase traffic to their websites by 20%” is much more realistic and offers a better idea of what Kayla can do.
To be asked to write a letter of reference is an honor. It says that the person trusts you and believes you know their best qualities.
Follow the structure above, using a professional tone. Make it clear that you highly recommend the candidate for that position.
Choose a personal, but professionally related, anecdote to illustrate the candidate's outstanding qualifications for the job or academic program.
It is better to say no than to write a letter of recommendation that doesn't praise the candidate.
Make sure you have all the details right by doing some research and double-checking your facts
Find more resume-writing advice in our related articles below or upload your resume for a free review from our resume experts! Recommended reading
How to Keep a Bad Reference from Ruining Your Career
The 5 Best Questions to Ask in An Interview
Our TopResume Career Expert Answers Your Burning Job-Search Questions
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How to Write a Letter of Recommendation
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- What is a letter of recommendation?
- How to write a letter of recommendation
Recommendation letter example
If you need to write a recommendation letter for someone you know relatively soon, or maybe you merely want to be prepared for future requests that require you to compose them. In cases like these, this how-to piece will help you write recommendation letters with confidence. This article will define what a recommendation letter is and show you how to write a letter of recommendation.
What is a recommendation letter?
A recommendation letter is a letter someone writes for a person applying for a role like a job, internship or volunteer position. Someone could ask you to write one if they are applying to a college or for a scholarship.
Writing a recommendation letter starts with assessing how well you know the person and how to describe them using adequate, positive examples. The recommendation letter should contain your honest opinion, including character traits they display in a professional setting.
If someone asks you to write a recommendation letter, find out when you need to submit the letter to make sure you will be able to meet the deadline.
How to write a recommendation letter
Follow these steps to write a recommendation letter:
1. Firstly, format the page
Begin by typing your full name and address in the upper left corner of the page. Next, put the month, day and year in the upper right. Move the cursor down a couple of lines and type the recipient’s name and address on the left side of the page, if you know that information.
Using a consistent format for your recommendation letter conveys professionalism and attention to detail, which could show that you are credible to the reader.
2. Secondly, choose a formal greeting
Use a formal business greeting to address the recipient. Doing this shows them that you acknowledge the serious nature of the letter. If you know their full name, include it in the greeting. If you’re not sure of the person’s name, write: ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ or ‘To Whom It May Concern.’
3. Thirdly, describe the purpose of the letter and your relation to the person you are recommending
After greeting the recipient, build the body of the letter by explaining the purpose of the letter. For example, you could say: ‘I am extremely happy to recommend Bailey for the Customer Service Manager role at Smith Robotics.’ Then, say something straightforward and positive about the person, like, ‘Bailey is a diligent worker, and any company would be lucky to have them.’
Finally, state how you know the person, and how long you have known them and how long you have worked with them. You can explain your role and relationship to the subject of the letter. For example, ‘I’ve been the Camp Director at Chesterfield Summer Camp for three decades, and I had the pleasure of supervising Jules for the last four summers.’
4. Next, add specific examples of the recommended person and their work
You can use several relevant, real-life examples to help the reader better understand the subject’s traits and abilities. Think of situations where the person stayed calm under pressure, showed their ability to be a team player or otherwise went beyond expectations.
For example, ‘Alex’s willingness to show leadership is especially impressive, especially considering they’re relatively new to the workforce and recently graduated college.’ Using that technique highlights how you noticed outstanding qualities, enabling the reader to create a richer mental picture of them.
The best examples will relate to the role that this person is applying for. Also, discuss character traits that you believe makes this person a good choice for a position or a workplace in general. You might mention how punctual the person is, how they were never late for a shift and were reliable.
5. Moreover, keep a balanced perspective
Keep your perspective as balanced as possible. You’ll show you can view the person’s characteristics by appreciating their strengths and not overlooking areas for future growth. You might say, ‘Carter’s strong work ethic meant that he sometimes took on too many tasks. He worked hard to set boundaries, and I noticed progress in that regard, especially within the last six months that I worked with them.’
6. Finally, complete the letter with a positive affirmation and an invitation to contact you
In the last section of the recommendation letter, repeat your confidence that the person is the right person for the opportunity. You can summarize why you feel that way. For example, you could say ‘Due to the reasons mentioned above and others not listed here, I have no hesitation about giving Riley my highest recommendation for this position.’
End your letter of recommendation by inviting the recipient to contact you using the details at the top of the letter. Use a formal closing phrase like ‘Sincerely’ or ‘Best Regards.’ If you’re sending a physical letter, don’t forget to sign your name by hand above the typed signature.
To Whom it May Concern:
I am pleased to strongly recommend Jordan Smith for the Head Copywriter position at Morrison Marketing.
I am Avery Jones, a Copy Manager at Words Unlimited, and I have more than four years of experience in the copywriting industry. Due to my leadership position, I have supervised many young professionals. Jordan stands out for numerous reasons, including her outstanding work ethic and determination.
During her time at our organization, Jordan displayed an excellent understanding of how to write in the client’s voice and meet the audience’s needs. I was also impressed with how her understanding of search engine optimization updates grew over time, and how skillfully she applied that new knowledge to their copywriting work. It was in these areas that Jordan especially surpassed her peers. Although Jordan lacks the industry experience of some other team members at my company, she made up for it with consistent dedication.
Besides her excellent copywriting prowess, Jordan demonstrated a positive attitude, willingness to take on new challenges and attentiveness. Those things made them an asset to the company and its team members, as well as to me.
Due to these reasons and the many other positive traits she possesses, I have no hesitation in saying that Jordan would be a great addition to the Morrison Marketing team. She has the background and skills the position requires, plus the soft skills that make her able to excel and thrive in this role.
If you need more information or examples to assist with your decision making, please get in touch with me using the contact details provided in the header of this letter.
Sincerely, Avery Jones
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