How To Write A Business Letter Of Recommendation – If someone—a current or former student, colleague, intern, employer, or mentee—asks you to write them a letter of recommendation, take a moment to be proud of yourself. You have influenced them, and they trust you enough to ask you to help them advance in their career, academically or otherwise.
After you give yourself a pat on the back, work on writing the kind of recommendation letter that will make them stand out as an ideal candidate for the position they’re seeking. This is the key to writing an effective letter of recommendation: It is not enough to state that they are a great person; You need to demonstrate that they will be an asset to the company, school, or program to which they are applying.
How To Write A Business Letter Of Recommendation
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How To Write A Letter Of Recommendation
A letter of recommendation is an honest testimonial about an individual that recommends them for acceptance into a particular role, grant, or program. Although the goal is to present the subject of the letter in the best light possible, you need to present the information in a realistic manner.
There are a few different, common reasons why an individual might ask for a letter of recommendation. The goal is the same for every letter of recommendation: to present the candidate as an ideal match for the position or program they are seeking. But the correct topics to cover in your letter vary between different categories.
If you have been asked to write a letter of recommendation for a student, your letter should talk specifically about their academic performance and character traits that make them a strong candidate for a place in the program or grant they offer. have been There may be different application scenarios where a student may ask for a letter of recommendation:
Whenever possible, tailor your letter of recommendation to the specific institution or program where the student is seeking acceptance.
How To Write A Letter Of Recommendation [with Tips & Template]
Professional letters of recommendation are another common type of letter of recommendation. Many candidates ask former employers and mentors to help them in their job search by recommending them for positions.
There is an important difference between an academic letter of recommendation and a professional one: In a professional letter of recommendation, the focus should be almost exclusively on the candidate’s professional performance and fitness for the specific role they are seeking.
Another type of letter of recommendation is for renting a house. Often, landlords ask prospective tenants for recommendations from previous landlords about their experience with tenants. If you are asked to write this type of recommendation letter, keep the new landlord’s concerns in mind and highlight positive experiences you have had with the tenant, such as their promptness in paying rent and their take care property
Your letter of recommendation should not exceed one page. Keep it roughly the same length as the cover letter: a few tight, focused paragraphs that make your point without being overwhelming.
Letter Of Recommendation: Template, Tips, And Examples
Tone-wise, the letter of recommendation should be professional. Write it in the same tone you would use to write an email to a professional contact or a reference letter. It doesn’t have to be in the same formal tone you’d use for a piece of academic writing, but it also shouldn’t assume familiarity with its recipient or read like a casual letter. Using an inappropriate header for your letter of recommendation can reflect poorly on your recommender, so make sure your header is correct.
In the first line of your letter, greet the recipient directly. Don’t try to get creative here; A simple “Dear Mr./Ms./Mrs./Max/Dr. _____” is the best choice. If you don’t know the recipient’s name, start your letter with “To whom it may concern.”
In the next line, clearly state the name of the candidate and the position for which you are recommending them. You can also introduce yourself in this section. Here are two examples of effective introductory lines:
“I am writing to recommend [candidate’s first and last name] for acceptance to [name of university]. I have enjoyed teaching [candidate] for the past three years at [name of high school].
Writing A Reference Letter (with Examples)
“It is my pleasure to recommend [candidate’s first and last name] for the position of copywriter at [name of agency]. [Candidate] and I have worked together at [Company] for the past six years.
In this section, clearly describe the characteristics that make the candidate ideal for the position they are seeking. Depending on the type of recommendation you make, it may be a combination of personality traits and skills, or it may be focused strictly on the candidate’s skills and accomplishments.
Illustrate the qualities you discussed in your review with personal stories that highlight the candidate’s qualities and skills. Be as specific as possible here – if there are specific projects where the candidate led or there are statistics you can share about their work, include them here.
Bring your letter to close with a statement that describes your recommendation. This statement may include a personal testimony, such as the following example:
Thank You Letter For Recommendation (free Sample)
“Having hired [Candidate] for the past two years, I can confidently recommend him as a responsible, professional employer.”
Much like a professional email signature, your recommendation letter signature should include more than just your name. Although you likely mention your relationship to the candidate in your letter, include your professional title below your name.
The recipient of the letter may want to contact you to discuss the candidate further, so make it easy for them to reach you by including your contact information in your signature. In general, the best choices are to include a phone number and email address, along with your hours of operation.
Maybe the candidate saved a family of lambs from a burning warehouse. That’s all well and good, but unless they’re applying for a job with the local livestock fire department, it’s probably irrelevant to your letter.
Business Reference Letter Examples
Just like a cover letter, your letter of recommendation should be concise. It should highlight the key reasons why the candidate is the ideal choice for the position they are seeking, and any details you choose to include should support those reasons. Discussing the candidate’s character can be helpful, but tie it to their fitness for the role they’re looking for—if they’re applying to nursing school, discussing their commitment to ethics is an important detail to include. for the. If the application is for a grant to conduct archaeological research, make sure you mention the research projects you led while working with them.
The more specific facts you have about the candidate’s work, the more compelling your letter of recommendation will be. For example, if you are writing a letter to a colleague who is looking for a digital marketing position, mention specific conversion rates that you achieved while working with them. Similarly, if you are recommending a high school student to a university, be sure to include anecdotes about their performance on specific assignments and/or extracurricular activities in your letter.
As we mentioned above, the correct tone for a letter of recommendation is one that is professional, yet approachable. Your relationship with the candidate and your relationship to them should be clear in the tone of your writing.
You may find yourself in a situation where you can’t write an honest, effective letter of recommendation for someone who asks for one. It could be because you just don’t know the person or their work very well, or it could be that you find their work inferior or unsatisfactory.
Three Reasons Why We Should Not Request Letters Of Recommendation For Job Applications
In any case, the professional way to decline an application is simply to tell them that you are not familiar enough with their work to discuss it effectively, or that you do not believe you can write them a letter of recommendation. Be the best person for. Depending on the situation, you may direct them to someone else in your organization who is more familiar with their work and thus able to write an effective letter of recommendation. If that’s not possible, just let them know that you can’t write them a letter of recommendation and leave it at that. This is not the time to discredit their work or tell them why you are not impressed with it.
“Louis was a great student. He is very smart and hardworking, and because of these qualities, I know he will be successful at Rutgers University.
“When he took my Chem I and Chem II classes, Louis consistently put in 100 percent on his assignments. He demonstrated his natural intelligence and dedication to his schoolwork, through his thoughtful and often creative responses to critical thinking questions and assignments. Because of his passion, drive, and ability to handle rigorous coursework, I know he will succeed at Rutgers University.
In the second example, the letter writer discusses specific courses Louis took and how he worked hard in those courses. There are a lot of great students (and they’re applying for an equally limited number of university places), so it’s important that your letter communicates exactly what makes the candidate an ideal choice.
Sample Letter Recommendation: Fill Out & Sign Online
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