How to write a recommendation letter (with examples)

Knowing how to write a recommendation letter means putting yourself and the person you’re recommending in the best possible light. After all, this letter could have a major impact on the future of the person for whom you’re so kindly making the effort. In most cases, the person who has asked you to write a recommendation letter is someone you know and trust; and, of course, you want to see them succeed.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at what a recommendation letter is, the information you need to include and what you should leave out, and examples of how to write one. By following these guidelines, you can help your friend or colleague stand out from others during the application process.

Smiling businessman sitting at his desk gives a thumbs up sign to the viewer. — Notice a “thumbs up” theme? That’s what your letter means.

What is a recommendation letter?

A recommendation letter is a professional document written on behalf of an applicant. In some cases, a potential employer will ask an applicant to submit a recommendation letter. In this situation, the applicant might reach out to a former manager or colleague to author a recommendation letter on their behalf.

In other cases, an applicant chooses to submit a recommendation letter with their application, to help support it and make the application stand out. Once again, they will most likely reach out to a previous manager or colleague to write the letter.

In either case, if you have been asked to write a recommendation letter, you should be 100 percent committed before agreeing to do so. A recommendation letter can make a big difference in an applicant’s success. If you are too busy to write the letter or have any qualms about the person’s capabilities, it is better to decline than to do a poor job at creating the letter.

What to include in a recommendation letter

Before you start authoring your recommendation letter, learn as much as you can about the job the subject is applying to. You can do this by requesting the job description from the person, or simply asking for further information about the role. This will help you take a more detailed approach to your recommendation letter, which should include:

Introductions: Start by introducing yourself and establishing your professional relationship with the recommended applicant.
List of reasons: The next section of your letter will include a list of detailed reasons why they would be good for the role. Include as many factual, evidence-backed statements as possible.
Example(s): Follow up your list with at least one example of a time the subject stood out from others on the job. This might be a story about a project they helped complete, or an innovative idea they brought to the table (or both, if short and to the point).
Contact info: Finally, close your letter with your contact information. If possible, include a few methods for contact, such as a cell phone, work phone, and email address.

What to leave out of a recommendation letter

A recommendation letter is meant to be a professional document. As such, there are a few things you should never include in this correspondence:

A casual tone: Always double-check your spelling and grammar. Avoid using slang or an overly casual tone.
Personal stories: When you provide examples in your recommendation letter, make sure they all took place in a professional setting. Never use personal stories or anecdotes in a recommendation letter.
Your accomplishments: A recommendation letter is all about the person applying to the role. Focus the letter on what they have done, not your own professional accomplishments.
Vague statements: Every statement in your letter should be backed by evidence. Avoid making vague assertions. For example, rather than saying “Jane is a great team player,” provide a concrete example: “Jane helped her team accomplish a 25% increase in monthly productivity.”

Recommendation letter examples

Below are two examples of letters of recommendation. When using these examples, review your final copy carefully. Include details that will showcase how the person you have recommended is a good fit for the specific role to which they applied.

The examples provided are simply an idea of how you might express the reasons for your recommendation:

Example 1 (General recommendation):

Your Name
2131 Home Road
Austin, TX 78660
777-777-7777
[email protected]

Month Day, Year

VP of Employee Development
ABC Industries
6363 Business Way Road
Austin, TX 78701

Greetings,

It is my pleasure to recommend Matthew Allen for Director of Training at Cedar Wall, Inc. For the past 10 years, I have managed Matthew in his current role as a Training Specialist. During this time, Matthew has become an invaluable member of our team.

While working with Matthew, I have witnessed his incredible ability to strategize, create, and execute effective training programs. In the last year alone, Matthew was able to train over 1,000 employees on our new digital platform with a passing rate of 100%. Simultaneously, Matthew migrated existing training modules from our outdated training system into a new enterprise platform.

One of the first examples of Matthew’s superior performance was demonstrated to me within the first month of his arrival at our company. During the first month, Matthew mastered our digital tools and created an outline of how he would improve our training structure, including a detailed one-year plan highlighting his exact methodologies.

In addition, it has been a joy to work with Matthew. His positive attitude has created an environment where fellow employees thrive and feel comfortable bringing their whole self to the workplace. It is without hesitation that I recommend Matthew to the role of Director of Training, knowing that he will become an outstanding addition to your company.

Please feel free to contact me at [phone number] or [email address] if you wish to discuss Matthew’s qualifications further.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Example 2 (Specific recommendation):

Your Name
3333 Hummingbird Lane
San Marcos, TX 78667
888-888-8888
[email protected]

Month Day, Year

Human Resources
CallTree
7887 Industry Lane
Austin, TX 78701

Dear [name of hiring manager],

It is my pleasure to recommend Opal Cargile for your Head of Customer Service position. For the past three years, I have managed Opal in her current role as a Customer Support Specialist at JustRing. During this time, Opal has become an invaluable member of our team.

In your job description, you mention that you are seeking a candidate that can create an informed strategy, execute on this strategy, and analyze the resulting data. Opal would be an excellent fit, as she has demonstrated these skills on an ongoing basis during her time here. Each month, Opal is responsible for creating a detailed plan of action to improve customer satisfaction ratings. Additionally, after presenting her strategy, Opal has taken the lead in encouraging fellow customer representatives to enact the plan, and she finishes each month by building a report around the results of the strategy.

One of the first times I realized that Opal was different from your average customer service representative was during her first week in training. During training, Opal took the initiative to ask questions about our current phone tree strategy. She pointed out an area where we could improve the speed at which we were responding to calls, helping us to decrease our response time from a 60-second average to a 45-second average.

In addition, it has been a pleasure to work with Opal. She is a strong leader who fosters an environment where everyone feels inspired to bring their own ideas to the table. I would have no reservations about hiring Opal again and recommend her for the position of Head of Customer Service without hesitation.

Please feel free to contact me at [phone number] or [email address] if you want to discuss Opal’s qualifications further.