Employers naturally want the right person for the job, and every bit of information that confirms the person is the right match is a good thing. This is where recommendation letters come in. Not only do they provide perspective on job candidates and their strengths, but they can lessen the chance of employers encountering situations where the employee turns out not to be as advertised. “I look for candidates who provide recommendations from a variety of sources,” says career coach and business consultant Linda Quast, “because it gives me a better overall picture of the candidate.”
What is a letter of recommendation?
A letter of recommendation provides details on an applicant’s career history and achievements, focusing on these points:
- Your connection: How you know the person you’re recommending (e.g., how you’ve worked together, where you worked, what you worked on).
- Why you’re recommending: What makes the person stand out to you? This can include specific work achievements, or skills or personal traits that particularly impress you.
- Why the person is a good fit: Explain why you think the person can make a positive impact on the job they are applying to.
How the letter is organized and what it focuses on can be different depending on if the letter is for a job or a college application, but the basic thrust is the same: Provide important insight on what makes the applicant special. Note that recommendation letters are slightly different than references: For the latter, you volunteer to be a person employers can contact with specific questions about the candidate.
Recommendation letter basics
- Introduction and statement of recommendation: Declare upfront the job candidate’s name and that they’re a good fit for the specific position they’re applying for. This avoids any confusion on hiring managers’ part about the candidate or the particular job.
- How the recommender is familiar with the job applicant: Explain your relationship with the job candidate and that they can perform the job in question at a high level. Highlight key skills or achievements from previous jobs that match what the job is looking for.
- Further details on specific skills or achievements: Remember, a letter isn’t a resume, so there’s no need to go over every applicant’s skills or experience. Focus on projects and abilities that show off the candidate’s best traits and knowledge.
- Closing statement, with contact information: Think of this section as a “summing up,” in which you re-emphasize why you think the candidate is the right person. Include your contact information so employers can contact you if they have more questions.
How to ask for a letter of recommendation
If you need to ask someone to provide a letter of recommendation for you, follow these steps:
- Find the right person to recommend you. You should use a professional connection who knows your work well and is happy to describe your strong points. Using someone who’s “lukewarm” on your talents or isn’t familiar with your career (e.g., a high-ranking executive who looks good on paper but hasn’t had much contact with you) will result in a watered-down recommendation.
- Be courteous when making your request. Tell the potential recommender why you think they are the right person, and be positive about what they can tell recruiters about you. You can even remind them of what you’ve worked on together previously. For example: “We had a very good working relationship at ABC Technologies, especially on client networking projects, and as you’re very familiar with my capabilities, I think you’d be a great person to write a recommendation for me.”
- Be detailed about what you need. Give as much detail as you can about the potential job, its requirements, and how your recommender can best approach the recommendation letter. Send recommenders a copy of the job description so they can see exactly what’s needed. If the job stresses a specific skill, such as proficiency with Adobe Photoshop, ask your recommender to give some details about how well you’ve used Photoshop for specific projects. The more guidance you can provide, the easier it will be to write the letter. Include specific points the letter should address, letter length (if specified by the employer), and the deadline for submission (if any).
- Give your recommender time. Everyone has busy lives, so don’t “spring” a recommendation request on someone and expect something back the same day. Plan ahead and give your recommender some time to compose the letter.
- Follow up. Give a friendly “nudge” via email if they haven’t sent in their letter yet. And be sure to express gratitude for their help, including after they’ve sent in the letter. They’re taking the time to help your career, so respond accordingly. A handwritten thank-you note or even a small gift is usually a wise move. Try to make the person feel good about helping you.
5 key tips for writing a recommendation letter
Use these tips to take a recommendation letter from good to great:
- Get organized before you write. Make a list of the skills and experiences that show the job candidate at their best, and pick out those that best match what the job requires. For example, if the job calls for customer service, look for experiences and skills in related areas such as client communications or conflict resolution.
- Keep it personal AND professional. To support the job candidate, you don’t need to act like a cheerleader — just be clear and open about the candidate’s virtues and how the candidate brought value to previous jobs. Explain why the candidate made a positive impression on you and how the candidate stands out compared to other employees you’ve worked with.
- Follow directions. If the employer has instructions on writing or delivering the letter, be sure to follow them. If the candidate has guidelines for you, do likewise.
- Get specific. Saying that someone is good at troubleshooting is nice; saying someone helped troubleshoot problems that resulted in a 20% increase in company efficiency, or reduced overhead costs by $10,000, is better. Back up your statements with numbers and metrics whenever you can. Mention both hard skills (e.g., specific technical knowledge or training) and soft skills (interpersonal and intangible skills useful for the job).
- Keep the layout professional. When you write your recommendation letter, you’re representing yourself, so use a crisp, professional layout for your letter. Our Cover Letter Builder can help you create a letter with a streamlined layout in minutes.
Free letter of recommendation template
For a recommendation letter kick-start, just copy and paste the content into your own document and “fill in the blanks.”
- [Recommender’s Name]
[Recommender’s Title (e.g., Product Manager)]
[Recommender’s office address]
[Recommender’s email] - [Date]
- [Hiring Manager’s Name]
[Hiring Manager’s Title]
[Hiring Manager’s office address] - Dear [Hiring Manager],
- I am writing to you regarding [job applicant’s name], who has applied for the position of [name of job] with your company. It is my pleasure to recommend [job applicant] for the role.
- I have worked with [job applicant] at [name of company], where [job applicant] was a [job-title], focusing specifically on [major responsibilities or projects]. [Job applicant] stood out thanks to [his/her] advanced skills in [name specific skills and abilities], which were put to effective use in [detail some notable achievements].
- [Include a story of an achievement by the candidate that involved you and elaborates on important skills or experiences the candidate displayed.]
- As well as [his/her] noteworthy accomplishments, [job applicant] is a pleasure to work with because of [name some positive “soft skills” or intangible traits]. [Job applicant’s] contributions were valued not only by myself but by other colleagues, who [give example of recognition or kudos the job applicant received from others on the job].
- I am sure that [job applicant] would be a great fit for [name of company], and would be a tremendous benefit to you with [name specific skills or responsibilities that the applicant can fill at the new company]. If you have questions or need more information, feel free to contact me at [contact information].
- Sincerely,
- [Recommender’s Name]
[Recommender’s Title]
[Recommender’s company]
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Maria Correa
Career Advice Expert
Maria Correa is a content writer at My Perfect Resume. She has a background in marketing, digital content creation and creative writing. Maria is passionate about creating compelling content and making information accessible to a wide range of audiences. She holds a B.S. in English Literature from the University of…
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