What is a letter of recommendation?

This sample recommendation letter elucidates how you can pen down your experience or acquaintance with someone, usually a former student or employee, where you praise their performance or personality. The individual may ask you for a reference letter acting as a sample of their work/educational experience. Thus, a recommendation letter with laurels from the employer or professor is useful when applying for a job or university.Based on a study by Scholars at Harvard University, 88% of job seekers say they do not have a letter because they never asked! A lot of folks applying for jobs and programs search “How do you ask for a letter of recommendation?” or “How do you ask for a reference letter?” as they hesitate to seek help from their seniors. But if someone has reached out, make yourself available. We’re all working for the same goal, so helping each other out is part of the journey, right? Since your former student or employee asked you for a letter of recommendation, they’ll probably expect you to give positive feedback on their work. If you’re not sure whether you can actually recommend them, or if you don’t remember your interactions with them too well, you could let them know you’re unable to send a letter at this point. Let’s delve into our foolproof tips for writing a good letter of recommendation.

Tips for writing a letter of recommendation

Writing a recommendation letter can be intimidating, especially if you are doing it for the first time. The University of Wisconsin-Madison highlights that LORs should be tailored for the specific opportunity. So, it is best to go through some useful ti...

How to write a letter of recommendation

So, what do you say in a letter of recommendation? After going through several letters of recommendation examples and tips on writing a reference for someone, here’s an efficient process you can use from the start:

1. Know the purpose

What should be written in a letter of recommendation depends on the purpose of that letter. Is your former team member applying to a Master program, an internship, or a job? Who do you need to address the letter to and what will this person be most likely interested in?The answers to these questions will help you include the right information. For example, if your former team member applies for an education program on machine learning, it’ll be more helpful if you included how well they did at a machine learning project under your supervision. Or, if you know that the job they wish to get requires leadership skills, give relevant examples, too.If you don’t have this information, consider asking your former student or colleague for more details or choose more generic examples to include. Remember, a letter of recommendation template for students or employees is useful when you know the purpose behind writing one.

2. Think about the person asking for recommendation

It’s useful to refresh your memory on this person’s work or your own experiences with them. If they were a former student, they might have completed projects under your supervision. If they were a former team member, you could consult any available notes on their performance.In general, try to answer these questions:Answers to these questions will help you shape your letter of recommendation.

3. Start with our template

As there are several types of recommendation letters out there, it is always best to check out free letter of recommendation templates online. Here are two templates to get you started, one for a former employee and one for a former student.

Letter of recommendation for employee

Dear [insert name],I am writing to recommend [employee_name]. [He/She/They] worked with us at [company_name] as a [employee_job_title] and [reported to me/ worked with me] in my position as [insert your job title].As an employee, [employee_name] was always [insert quality]. During [his/her/their] time in my team, [he/she/they] managed to [insert example].I’ve always put a premium on [insert quality] among my team members and [employee_name] never failed to deliver. An example was when [insert example].[Employee_name] is a delight to work with and I wouldn’t hesitate to hire [him/her/them] again.Should you have any further questions about [him/her/them], feel free to reach me at [phone number].Thanks,[Your name and signature]

Letter of recommendation for a former student

Dear [insert name],I am writing to recommend [student_name]. I am [job_title] at [institution] and [student_name] was my [student/ PhD candidate/ lab assistant/ etc.] for [X months/ years].As a student, [student_name] was always [insert quality]. During [his/her/their] time in my class, [he/she/they] worked on [insert projects] and managed to [insert example].I’ve always put a premium on [insert quality] among my students and [student_name] never failed to deliver. An example was when [insert example].[Student_name] is [insert personality attribute] and I wouldn’t hesitate to collaborate with [him/her/them] again.Should you have any further questions about [him/her/them], feel free to reach me at [phone number].Thanks,[Your name and signature]

4. Personalize your draft

Our templates give you an outline of what you could include, but feel free to modify them or add as many examples as you think are important. Here are a few things to consider:For example, see a modified letter of recommendation sample for two cases (the information and names included are fictional):

Sample letter of reference for an employee

Dear Ms Edwards,I am writing to recommend May Thompson. She worked with me at Acme Inc. as a Senior Sales Manager and reported to me in my position as VP of Sales.As an employee, May was always reliable and resourceful. During her time in my team, she managed to build a strong sales team from scratch. Her team exceeded our annual goals on closed deals for three consecutive years. May also conducted high-impact customer research and made a number of key recommendations for our product positioning strategies.I’ve always put a premium on leadership and problem-solving qualities among my team members and May never failed to deliver on both fronts. An example was how she motivated her team members with multiple fun competitions that she also used as coaching opportunities for more junior employees. She also helped resolve a major conflict between the sales and product team regarding features our customers were asking for.May is a delight to work with - a team player with a positive, can-do attitude all the way. I wouldn’t hesitate to hire her again if the opportunity arose.Should you have any further questions, feel free to reach me at +10000000.Thanks,Sarah PotterVP of Sales, Acme Inc.

Letter of recommendation example for students

To the admissions office of MIT,I am writing to recommend Luke Thompson for your PhD program in chemical engineering. I am a professor of chemical engineering at Acme University for over 15 years and I specialize in nanotechnology. Mr Thompson was my st...

5. Stay positive

According to the American Economic Association, applicants with a recommendation letter get callbacks by 60%.So, if you’re genuinely planning to help a colleague or a former student, make sure to read sample recommendation letters for employees and students thoroughly. You should ensure the tonality of your recommendation letter is positive. This will make the applicant’s profile stronger than others. To make the individual’s application stand out even more, follow our letter of recommendation template, allowing you to showcase your genuine enthusiasm.

6. Be to the point

One common thing in the sample letters of recommendation is how precise and crisp they all are. The idea behind being to the point in your reference letter is simple - the hiring manager does not have all day to read your letter. Taking this into account, you need to put your point across without taking too much of the recruiter. Ultimately, you want to sound genuine without being pushy. So, the most authentic approach given on a well-rounded letter of recommendation sample is to be crisp and concise.

7. Follow the guidelines

This is one of the most crucial aspects to note while penning down a letter of recommendation for your former student or employee. It may seem like most recommendations are made in the same way, however, some institutions have specific guidelines. If you follow the instructions properly, it’s going to make a good impression on the applicant.

8. Maintain professionalism

From an individual planning how to ask for a letter of recommendation to an employer writing one down, the journey can be a breeze. But only when you keep things professional. It’s always good to give recommendations to individuals who are genuinely aiming to grow in their careers. They’re already under some pressure in their application process so you can make it easy for them. Read as many letters of recommendation examples as possible. Take minimal assistance from the person and submit the recommendation letter timely. That’s it! You’re pretty much sorted, if you follow these steps. You can download the Letter of recommendation template word from the link below, or the recommendation letter template in pdf format.More resources: