When applying for a job, young professionals sometimes need to provide letters of recommendation. The employer might ask for them at any stage of the interview, together with a resume and cover letter. It would be wise to have 2-3 letters of this sort from different companies. They would convince the employer that the candidate possesses skills they highlighted in their resume.
In this article, we will share tips on writing letters of recommendation that can be applied to a wide range of professionals.
What Is a Letter of Recommendation?
Before focusing on how to write a reference letter, it would be reasonable to give a definition of it. It is a formal document in which experienced professionals assess the skills and academic performance of a specialist. The text features only positive information about the individual. Its mission is to help the candidate stand out from the rest. The employer should realize that this person is ideal for the position.
How to Ask for a Recommendation Letter?
Sometimes, an employer would write a letter of reference for their former team member on their own initiative. Otherwise, the specialist would need to ask the person for this favor. Young professionals might have no idea of who could compile a professional reference letter for them. If their working experience is too limited, they might ask their teachers, clients, or the head of the internship department.
However, not everyone knows how to cope with this task. This is why many young professionals outsource the procedure of writing a letter of recommendation. Staff members of write my essay services compile conclusive and well-structured letters. The clients need to tell them about their previous job position, the name of the company, their duties, and so on.
Once the document is ready, the person who recommends this professional just needs to sign it. Such an approach saves everyone’s time and effort.
Recommendation Letter Format
The standard letter of recommendation format features 5 components:
- introduction;
- body;
- closing;
- contact;
The young professional should provide all the relevant information to the person who recommends them. Also, they should explain why they need a professional letter of recommendation. The author of the document should realize the demands and expectations of the potential employer.
The body of the text can consist of two parts. In the first one, the author should specify the skills and strengths of the young professional. In the second one, they should concentrate on their productive interaction with them. If the text is short, it is possible to merge these two parts.
The usual reference letter format does not set limitations regarding the document’s length. The main recommendation is that the text should be cohesive. It should contain no controversies. Its readers should not ask questions or guess why the author made certain conclusions.
What to Include in a Letter of Recommendation
The step-by step-instruction on writing a recommendation letter begins with the introduction. In the first passage, the author of this document should prove that they know the young specialist very well. They should explain when they met and what was their job position back then. The author should clarify the essence of their work and relationships with the young professional.
Body of the Letter
Reference letters normally start with the list of skills, traits, and competencies of the young specialist. The author of the document should back up every statement with facts.
For instance, they can say that the applicant speaks Chinese on a near-native level. They worked as an interpreter at an international conference on software engineering. They accompanied a Chinese representative. They translated from English to Chinese and in the opposite direction.
When writing a reference letter, it would be ideal to mention measurable indicators. For instance, the young professional helped the company boost its sales by 5% or attracted 100 new clients. However, this is not always an option because of the character of the job.
Those who do not know how to write recommendation letter or how to write a resume might struggle to single out the key facts. This is why many people outsource this task to experienced writers.
Letter Closing
In the final stage of recommendation letters, their authors typically say that they would gladly hire the applicant once again. Also, they can emphasize that this person will become a valuable addition to the organization that offers them the job.
Contact Details
The author of the job reference letter should indicate their phone number and email address. They should tell the potential employer of the specialist that they can call or send them a message at any moment to answer additional questions.
Tips for Writing a Letter of Recommendation
Finally, here are some more hints on writing the document.
- The tone of the job recommendation letter should be polite and formal. When praising the candidate, the author of the document should avoid excessive emotions.
- It is vital to stick to the rules of compiling the general letter of recommendation. The author should not modify the template on their own initiative. Impaired logic, misprints, or inability to meet the deadline will make a negative impression on the employer.
- A letter of recommendation for a job should be concise and to the point. Its author should focus on 2-3 primary achievements of the young professional. If there are more, it makes sense to outline them briefly, without details and examples.
No one is perfect. Young professionals inevitably make mistakes for the lack of experience. Yet, the letter should contain no criticism or doubts.
Letter of Recommendation Template
The text below can serve as an example of a worthy and effective recommendation letter template. When compiling a similar document, one should stick to the same structure. In the center of the text, it is possible to include information about an important task that the young professional did particularly well. It would be reasonable to explain why this task was so vital and how the young specialist coped with it.
To Whom It May Concern:
It is my pleasure to firmly recommend Ellie Bons for a position as a junior content writer at The Hub 987.
I am Maurisia Daglio, a senior editor at 789TRC Ltd. I have 12 years of experience in the publishing business and have seen many young specialists come and go. Ellie Bons is one creative talent I have collaborated with who remarkably differs from the rest.
During our time together, Ellie displayed great talents in copywriting, rewriting, interviewing, editing, proofreading, and translating. When we first met, I was impressed with Ellie’s personality, as well as her writing and editing skills.
During the 3 months that she took the internship in our company, her understanding of creating, planning, and editing content grew considerably. I wish I could hire Ellie myself, but our staff writer returned to the job after maternity leave.
It’s not just Ellie’s writing skills that made an excellent impression on me. She was a pleasure to work with because of her outstandingly positive attitude and eagerness to meet set deadlines rigorously. Besides, her team-building skills were vital and valued by everyone who had a chance to interact with her.
I am sure that Ellie would be a great fit for The Hub 987. She will not only demonstrate the skills and competencies you’re looking for in an employee, but she will also quickly become an asset and contribute to The Hub 987 growth.
If you need more details, please contact me at 777-999-3333 or by email at mdaglio@mgadlio.com. I would be happy to answer any questions about my time working with Ellie Bons.
Sincerely,
Maurisia Daglio
Senior Editor
789TRC Ltd