How to write a letter of recommendation

Knowing how to write a letter of recommendation is a vital skill to have for just about anyone. You never know when you may be called upon to write one, especially if you are an employer or professor.

Whether you’ve written a letter of recommendation before or not, it’s helpful to review the basic elements and review a sample letter so that you will be prepared when and if the time comes to write one.

Reasons for a recommendation letter

People request recommendation letters for various reasons. The most common reason for a letter of recommendation is that they are applying for a job. Another possibility is the person is trying to get into a college program. The basic structure of each of these would be the same, but the content would differ.

Preparing to write a recommendation letter

Before diving into writing the recommendation letter, it’s a good idea to prepare yourself for the task. These steps can help with the process:

• Find out to whom you are writing the letter of recommendation. How do you know the person?

• Review any necessary background information about the person if it’s been a while since you’ve seen them/worked with them.

• Find out what position they are applying for.

• Determine how their experiences with you in the past will relate to the position they are trying to get.

• If you need to ask other staff members questions about the person’s work, do so to get a more accurate picture.

How To write a recommendation letter

No matter who the letter of recommendation is for, you can follow these basic steps for a positive result:

Introduction

Open the recommendation letter by introducing yourself, telling how you know the person and how long you have known them.

Recommendation statement

Give a one- or two-sentence statement that lets the recipient know that you recommend the person.

Positive statements

Write statements that explain the person’s positive attributes, skills, and experiences. Also, highlight reasons why they would make a good fit for the position. You can give approximately three to five reasons why you recommend the person. You can add personal qualities of the person, as well.

Closing

End the recommendation letter with a closing paragraph summarizing your statement to recommend the person and offering to provide additional information if needed. Leave your contact information so that they can follow up.

Recommendation letter for an employee versus a student applicant

If you are writing a recommendation letter for a student, highlight the person’s academic abilities and strengths. If there are areas that are particularly relevant to the job, internship, or educational opportunity, be sure to mention them.

For employees, you could write about the skills they demonstrated on the job. Again, be sure to highlight specific skills that fit the job description if possible.

Format for a recommendation letter

Formatting a recommendation letter is important so that it looks professional. It should be about one page long or less. It’s better to get straight to the point because the person might lose interest if you ramble on too long.

Use an easy-to-read font, like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. A size 11 or 12 font should be ideal for people to read easily. Use the block format, which is left-justified, single-spaced, and add an extra line between paragraphs. The exact format is as follows:

Header

Your first name, last name
Street address
City, state zip code
Phone number
Email address

Current date

Recipient’s first name, last name
Recipient’s address
City, state zip code

Salutation

Dear [name] or To Whom It May Concern

Contents

Write the paragraphs and left-justify text.

Closing

Closing statement, such as “sincerely,”

(Leave two spaces for the hand-written signature)

First name, last name

Letter of Recommendation Sample

Sometimes it’s easier to see a letter of recommendation template to help you get started writing the letter. Here is a letter of recommendation sample below for a job applicant.

Joe Johnson
Marketing Director
A & B Media Inc.
4100 Your Street, Anytown, NY 12345
444-224-2345

[email protected]

August 9, 2022

Lisa Thompson
Human Resources Director
C & D Marketing Company
999 Marketing Lane
Business Town, RI 54321

Dear Ms. Thompson:

I am happy to write this letter of recommendation for Jacob Randall for the Marketing Director position at C & D Marketing Company. Jacob worked at C & D Media for seven years. He transitioned from our digital marketing coordinator position to marketing director assistant in one year.

As the marketing director at A & B Media Inc., I worked directly with Jacob as his supervisor and oversaw his work.

During his time with A & B Media, Jacob helped convert leads through his unique ability to analyze information. Consequently, we increased our social media engagement by 28% and our ROI on digital campaigns by 14%.

Jacob also brings other skills and abilities that would be an asset to a marketing company. Some of these include his strong organizational and management skills. He stays on top of the latest technology and trends in the field. With Jacob’s dependability, professionalism, and expertise, I can wholeheartedly recommend him for the position at C & D Marketing Company.

Please feel free to contact me if you have further questions about Jacob’s performance. You can reach me by email at [email protected] or call me at 444-224-2345.

Sincerely,
Joe Johnson
Marketing Director
A & B Media Inc.

Final tips on recommendation letters

We’ve talked a lot about writing a recommendation letter but knowing how to ask for a letter of recommendation is important, too. If you are the person that needs the recommendation letter as opposed to the one asked to write one, here are a few tips:

• Make your request in writing.

• Be sure you ask the appropriate person (you may need to research who the right person is).

• Be polite, professional, and respectful when asking for a letter of recommendation.

• If the person gives you the recommendation, be sure to thank them.