How to write a letter of recommendation

Writing a solid recommendation letter: some tips Do your homework. Be precise. Remain upbeat. Be formal and succinct.

Introduction:

Take a moment to be proud of yourself if someone asks you to give them a letter of recommendation, whether they are a current or past student, colleague, intern, employee, or mentee. They ask you for assistance in advancing their job, school, or other goals because you’ve had an impact on them and they feel confident enough in you to ask.

After rewarding yourself, start to work on creating a letter of recommendation that will highlight them as the best prospect for the position they’re applying for. The secret to crafting a strong letter of recommendation is this: You must show that the candidate would be a benefit to the organization, institution, or program to which they are applying. Simply saying that they are a wonderful person is insufficient.

What is a letter of recommendation?

A letter of recommendation is a sincere endorsement of a person for a position, an award, or admission to a course of study. Even while you want to paint the topic of the letter in the best possible light, you still need to deliver the facts clearly.

Types of letters of recommendation:

There are a number of typical motives for someone to request a letter of recommendation. Every letter of reference should present the candidate as the perfect fit for the job or program they’re applying for. But depending on the type of letter you are writing; different subjects are appropriate.

Academic letters of recommendation

When requested to write a letter of recommendation for a student, be sure to focus on both their academic achievements and the qualities of character that make them a standout applicant for the scholarship or award they’re applying for. An applicant may request a letter of recommendation in any of the following situations:

• Undergraduate institution
• A particular major or academic programmed within a college, such as the honors programmed
• Law, medical, or graduate school
• a bursary or grant
• a fellowship or internship.

Professional letters of recommendation:

Another often used variety of recommendation letter is the professional letter. Many job seekers request the assistance of mentors and former employers in their search for employment. 

Here is a significant distinction between a professional and academic letter of recommendation: The emphasis should almost entirely be on the candidate’s professional performance and suitability for the particular post they are seeking in a professional letter of recommendation.

A Letter of Recommendation Example

Following is the letter of recommendation example:

Elaine Chang
Office Manager
CBI Industries
123 Business Street
Anytown, CA 12345
555-555-5555
elaine.chang@email.com

March 21, 2022

Jessica Smith
Office Manager
Acme Corp
680 Main Boulevard, Ste. 300
Ocean City, CA 93650

Dear Ms. Smith,

I’m writing to recommend Mary Thompson for the position of administrative assistant at Acme Corp. I’ve had the opportunity to work with Mary for the past few years at CBI Industries, and have been consistently impressed with her diligence, efficiency, and ability to get things done.

Most recently, Mary has worked for me directly as a receptionist in our main office. In this role, she performed many administrative tasks in addition to greeting customers and other visitors and organizing team events. For example, she currently manages our executive team’s schedules and organizes their appointments, as well as coordinating travel and expense reporting. 

I believe that Mary would be an excellent addition to your administrative staff. I’ve been consistently impressed with her organizational skills and grace under pressure. In our industry, as you know, every position is a customer service position. Mary constantly seeks to learn more about our products and programs so that she can help serve our clients and mitigate issues as they come up. She’s also a quick learner who picks up new technology with great speed.

I strongly recommend Mary for the position of administrative assistant at your company. She’s organized, detail-oriented, effective, and committed to getting the job done. She’d make an excellent addition to your team.

Please feel free to contact me at 555-555-5555 if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Signature (hard copy letter)

Elaine Chang

Recommendation letter for scholarship:

It’s a huge deal if one of your students asks you to draught a recommendation letter for scholarship for them. Every year, hundreds of deserving students submit applications for some of the most well-known awards. And just a small portion of applicants actually succeed.

Your recommendation letter for scholarships is used by the committees that choose the scholarship recipients to gain an outside viewpoint on the applicant. This makes it a little bit simpler for them to choose the pupils who deserve it the most.

Fortunately, there is a simple approach for you and your students to gather all the data required to compose an effective recommendation letter.

Letter of recommendation for scholarship example:

Following is the example of recommendation letter for scholarship.

who may it concern:

Louis D. receives my enthusiastic endorsement for the ABC scholarship. For the past three years, I have served as Louis’ English instructor and debate team coach at A.W. High School, and I am aware that he embodies the qualities your organization seeks to honor.

There aren’t many pupils I’ve encountered in my profession who are as curious and involved in the neighborhood as Louis. He frequently leads class debates in my English class and writes in a style that most students only understand after attending college for a while.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at ###-###-#### or samgreen@awhs.com. I’d be happy to go into more detail about Louis and why he deserves to receive the ABC scholarship.

Sincerely,

Green, Sam

Written by Fatims Hassan