Have you ever tried writing a recommendation letter but failed? If yes, then you are not all alone. Writing a recommendation letter is a big responsibility that focuses mainly on endorsing someone else abilities, expertise, or skills.

If you are planning to write a recommendation letter but do not have much experience in the same, it can be a bit of a challenge. Writing an effective recommendation letter, requires research about key features and format requirements.

Before we dig into the details, let us understand the basics of a recommendation letter.

What is a recommendation letter?

A recommendation letter is simply a letter of endorsement highlighting the strengths and expertise of a candidate. The whole idea of writing a reference letter for an employee is to frame them as the perfect candidate for the position.

Because of high competition amongst a vast candidate pool, recommendation letters hold a lot of value. A well-researched and well-written recommendation letter helps the candidate stand distinguished from others highlighting their impressive characteristics. Also, it increases the chances of the candidates selection as the letter is a true reflection of his strengths and weaknesses.

The recommendation letter is simply an opportunity to mention, talk, and highlight the certain capabilities, characteristics, and abilities of a person that make him an ideal choice. A recommendation letter from the previous employer gives an assurance to the new employer that he is hiring the right person for the job.

Tips To Write An Impressive Recommendation Letter

Now that you are given the responsibility of writing a recommendation letter for a job or a person, you must understand all the essential parameters associated with it. This will not only help in writing the desired recommendation letter but will also reduce any hassles as you will be aware of everything you should focus on.

Here are some of the tips that you should keep in mind when writing a recommendation letter that can make a mark:

  • Collect all the information you need beforehand
  • Think of everything you want to include in the recommendation letter
  • Research and frame the reference letter format for the body
  • Focus on adding an impactful conclusion
  • Share your contact information for easy communication
  • Ensure to proofread and format your recommendation letter before sending

What Should Be Included In The Recommendation Letter?

An effective recommendation letter is all about mentioning the correct information in the right format without any mistakes or overdoing anything. The letter should include the main 5Ws and a How. This simply means that the written employee reference letter format should include the following –

  • Who you are writing the letter for
  • Why you are writing the letter for the applicant
  • Where you worked with the recommended person
  • When you both worked together
  • What are the special qualities of the person
  • How the person demonstrated the special expertise in the job

Try focusing on mentioning these aspects in your recommendation letter to ensure that it successfully meets its objective.

Steps To Write A Recommendation Letter

The recommendation letter that you are writing should have a professional tone, should be relevant to the topic, and should be personalized for the person exclusively. Therefore, you should follow an accurate employee reference letter format.

Here are some of the steps you can follow to write an influential recommendation letter according to the proper format

1. Follow the traditional letter rules

Recommendation letters are no different than the normal letter when it comes to the rules. As a result, it should be written according to the standard letter-writing format. You need to follow the right alignment of the information to ensure that all the information is included in the letter without making it too stuffed.

2. Start with brief opening introduction

You should start by including a brief introduction about your relationship with the applicant. If you are writing a recommendation letter for students, you can mention the educational institution while you can mention the organizations name when writing a recommendation letter for an internship for an employee. Remember not to talk too much about your relationship. Stick to the professional relationship you share.

3. Letter body

In this part of the recommendation letter, you can be personalized about your experience of working with the applicant. You can also mention and highlight the qualities and expertise of the applicant.

Adding a personal review of his work also makes a deep impact on the other person receiving the recommendation letter.

4. Special qualifications, skills, etc.

Lastly, you can provide specific examples, experiences, or incidents where the applicant has proven a valuable asset to the organization. Focus on every detail that makes the applicant person so distinguished from the other person. Again remember, to be specifically professional while mentioning the incidents. Also, avoid adding any fake information or details as it can easily be judged.

5. Write an impactful closure

In the end, again emphasize why the applicant makes the perfect fit for the position. Maintain a summary of everything mentioned in detail in the recommendation letter for the job for the employees. Also, include your contact details and signature so that the person can get in touch with you whenever needed.

6. Proofread the letter before sending

Lastly, always make sure to proofread the written recommendation letter to avoid any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, etc. You are writing the recommendation letter for an internship to endorse someone; therefore, it is not recommended to submit a letter full of mistakes.

Along with checking the mistakes, also ensure that the letter is written in a professional tone with proper alignment and formatting.

Email recommendation letter template-

When writing a recommendation letter, it is important to follow the specific recommendation letter sample to ensure making the desired impact on the receiver. Here is an example of a recommendation letter that can be considered:

Subject: Recommendation (Applicant name)

(Your name)

(Your job title)

(Your company)

(Your professional address)

(Date)


(Salutation)


With all my pleasure, I am writing this recommendation letter for (applicant name) for the opportunity of (profile) in the (organization or institute).

(Talk about your connection and experience with the candidate)

(Include the skills, expertise, qualifications, and professional achievements of the applicant)

(Recommend any certain skill of the candidate to excel in that particular profile)

If you need any more information or details, please feel free to contact me on my (phone number) or (email)

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

(Signature)

(Your company position)

Conclusion

If you are given a chance to write a recommendation letter for students or a reference letter for employees, take a moment of pride in yourself. You have created such an impact to gain the trust and loyalty of that person to recommend them to other people.

Therefore, it should be your prime responsibility to write the best recommendation letter possible that can help the person to stand distinguished with his abilities, capabilities, and expertise. Focus your writing not just to help them stand out but also to highlight why they can be such a valuable asset for the organization.

Remember to follow the proper reference letter format as it can boost the career of the person. For any more information or details, write to us in the comment section.

Frequently Asked Questions

A strong recommendation letter is one that focuses on the achievements, skills, accomplishments, expertise, abilities, capabilities, attitude, consistency, reliability, etc. Also, it should be written using the recommendation letter sample.

A recommendation letter when written honestly makes the most impact. Avoid any exaggerated or false information about the person. You should try and mention only that information which you are sure is true.

A recommendation letter should not be more than 2 pages. Although, the letter should focus on quality and not quantity, but a recommendation letter with a few sentences is not recommended. You should genuinely talk about the person in the letter.

The more the merrier. More than 1 recommendation letter only reflects that you have impressed many people with your work, experience, skills, abilities, etc. However, the letter should only be written by a person who knows you well to provide genuine and detailed information.

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