Letter of Recommendation
A letter of recommendation is very helpful in getting the job. Also called a reference letter or a letter of character reference, these letters show the character and abilities of the candidate. Therefore, there are high chances that your friends will ask you to write a letter of recommendation for them. But if you don’t know the pattern, it can create a bad impression. So in this article, we will tell you how you can write a good letter of recommendation for your friends. We will also provide some sample letters to help you in designing the right recommendation letters.
A guide to writing
1.Take details
You must know to whom the letter is addressed. For this, you should take the help of your friend and appropriately address the letter. If you and your friend are unsure about the name of the hiring manager or the recruiter in the person, you can write ‘to whom it may concern. Make sure that the company name and the address are appropriate.
2.Ask about the job
You can’t write a perfect letter of recommendation for your friend until you know what job he is applying for. Therefore it is crucial to know what’s the job profile and what are the skills required. Based on the job offer, you can include those qualities and back them with relevant experiences. In this way, you can give the right start and direction to your recommendation letter.
Once you know the importance of knowing the job profile, it’s advised to take the details of the job from your friend rather than assuming the roles yourself. If you go on writing a letter of recommendation without consulting your friend about the job can backfire, and you might have to write one more letter of recommendation.
3.Mention the details of your friendship:
The next step in the journey to a good recommendation letter is mentioning the details of your friendship. This means you have to tell the person reading the letter how you came to know your friend, for how long you have been enjoying this bond of friendship, etc. This step is essential to make your letter reliable.
4.Use examples to prove your point:
Writing examples and past scenarios are crucial to support the qualities that you have mentioned about your friend. When you mention some qualities and positive traits of your friend, it’s better to give some examples. But keep them precise and write in a summarised format because the recruiter has to read several applications.
5.Positivity is important
It is crucial to stay positive throughout the letter. Don’t mention negative things about your friends as this will cast a negative impression. Show the recruiter how the qualities of your friend make them an ideal candidate for the present job.
But remember, positivity does not mean that you write untrue things about the person. If you do so, this will create hardships for them only. Therefore it’s crucial to write realistic skills and supporting them with examples.
6.Keep it brief and concise:
It’s always recommended to keep the recommendation letter for your friend brief and concise. Ideally, it should have three or four paragraphs. Use simple sentences because the interviewer has to go through several letters.
Format for a letter of recommendation:
The format of the letter of recommendation is similar to a normal letter. There’s only a slight difference in the main body.
The introductory part
To begin your letter, begin with your name, address, and email id. Next, write the date after which you will write the name of the receiver, the designation, company name, and the company address. Then start with Dear (the name of the recruiter). Then tell the purpose of the letter. You can say that you are writing this letter to recommend your friend for the XYZ post at ABC Company.
In some formats, you can directly begin from the recruiter’s name, designation, and address. Similarly, you can start directly from Dear (recruiter’s name).
Then you have to write the name of your friend for whom you are writing this recommendation letter. Mention the post and the company that he is applying for.
Example: The reason for me to write this letter is that I want to recommend Jacob Thomson, one of my closest friends, for the position of Sales Executive in ABC Co.
Main body of the letter:
Whenever your friend gives a task to write a letter of recommendation, it is essential to make the letter credible. To add credibility to your words, you should try to include the following things:
- How you met the person (that you are writing the recommendation letter for)
- The approx. the time that you have spent together
- How do you assess your friend’s qualities
- Then move on to the personal qualities that you admire in your friend
The letter of recommendation has to show your sincere feelings. Therefore you must note down all the qualities you want to include in the recommendation letter, before actually writing it.
E.g. I got to meet my friend John in 2015 at an official business party where I found my interests aligned with his interests, and we started talking. Gradually, we became good friends. That’s why I feel I am in a good position to throw light on John’s character, based on which I would like to recommend John for this position.
Picking the right words for describing your friends:
The next task is to pick the right keywords for describing your friend. For this, you have to see the demand of the job and what are some of the most demanded qualities. Since the letter of recommendation is to be read by the recruiter, it’s crucial to show that your friend has relevant qualities for the job. To pick up the right qualities, you can ask yourself the following questions:
- What are the best qualities that my friend possesses, and will they be helpful in the present job?
- What are the things that make him unique and stand out from the crowd?
- Does my friend understand his responsibility and fulfill his duties?
- Can I recommend their creative thinking for this job?
- Is he or she helpful to me and others, and how their helpful nature can make a difference? etc.
Remember, you have to mention some personal qualities that can show that you are genuine in this recommendation letter. Keep the description of qualities of your friend crisp and precise. But don’t forget to support them properly with examples to make the qualities reliable.
Example to describe the qualities of your friend
I can assure you that John (friends’ name) is an honest and responsible person. (You can also mention other personal qualities like hard-working, kindness, ease to work and communicate with, loyal, detail-oriented, etc.) No matter how tough the times are, he never compromises with his honesty. Adding to that, whatever work he takes, he puts in great effort and demonstrates a responsible nature.
If I were to cite an example of his honest nature, I would like to mention an incident where we went to a park and found a purse with some money and important documents. Though a person could take the purse with himself, he instead put a notice on the park of a lost letter and did not leave any stone unturned to find the owner.
He was wise enough not to put all the details of the purse to find the real owner and not a fake one. At last, we were able to find the owner. This incident showed me that I am enjoying a friendship bond with one of the most honest persons on Earth.
Ending of the letter:
Conclude the letter by saying that you hope the letter would help in better understanding about your friend. Don’t forget to say that you would recommend your friend for the job. You can mention your contact details for more emphasis. End the letter as you end a normal letter by writing closing words like sincerely, with regards, etc. Don’t forget to write your name at the end.
Example of the concluding part:
I hope I can give a good description of my friend through this letter. Based on what I know about his personality, I can surely recommend him for the present role. For more queries, you can contact me, and I would be more than happy to respond.
Sincerely (or other closing words like regards)
Your name and signature.
Key points to remember after writing
Proofreading is vital:
The first and foremost thing after writing something is to proofread. There are chances that you might have made some grammatical errors or spelling mistakes, or a lack of cohesion. You have to check for these issues, and this is possible only through proofreading.
Add your contact number
Another great thing to do after finishing up the letter of recommendation is to add contact information like a phone number. The contact information shows the reliability of the letter of recommendation. Although the chances are minute, they might call you to clarify certain things if your friend appears as a good candidate. Then you can elucidate about your friends’ qualities and help him get the job.
Things you should never do
Knowing what to do while writing a recommendation letter for a friend is essential. But equally essential is to know the mistakes to avoid. Following are some of the things that you should never do while taking up the task of writing a recommendation letter.
1.Writing recommendation letters for strangers
It is a common tendency to take up the tasks of writing something for someone, even though we don’t know him or her properly. This strategy will not work in the case of recommendation letters. This is because unless you know about the skills and qualities of the person, you will not able to elucidate. Ultimately, the purpose of the letter will be destroyed.
2.Not backing up the skills and qualities
Although we should try to cover all the qualities of our friends in a recommendation letter, it’s not a good idea to skip the specific details of these qualities. When you go on writing compliments but don’t back them up with good experience or detailings, the feeling of credibility is lost. Therefore whenever you mention a quality in the letter, give some good examples in the letter to prove the same.
Sample letter of recommendation for friends (to understand the format)
1st sample letter:
XYZ
123 Model Town, New York
Date:
ABC Gates
Senior manager,
Address of the company
Dear Mr. ABC
I take this opportunity to recommend my friend John for the position of Sales Executive in your company, XYZ. I know John since 2018 when I was introduced to him by a friend of mine at a party. Since then we have enjoyed a good friendship bond and worked together in the same company. We share several common interests. I feel lucky to be in his company because of his responsible and caring nature. His problem-solving skills and work ethic will surely make him a top candidate for the post.
His caring nature is evident from his habit to go in a local NGO and volunteer for social work. Whenever I accompanied him in his volunteering work, his responsible nature and problem-solving skills impressed me. In this way, he tries to make a difference and understands the importance of taking the first step on his own.
Another great quality of John that I would like to mention is his organizational skills and ability to work under pressure. I remember how he faced a mountain of to-do works in his previous job roles. But he never gave up. Through his organizational skills, he prioritized the work and sail through the pressure of the work. It is through these qualities that he ultimately became one of the best employees in his previous job role.
John has always put in his best efforts in whatever he does. Because of his responsible nature, organization and problem-solving skills, and ability to work under pressure, he can add value to the present role too.
I hope this letter would help you in getting a better understanding of my friends’ abilities. Based on this, you would consider him as a suitable candidate for the present job. If you have any queries about my friend John or this letter, you can contact me on 9876543210, and I would be more than happy to respond.
With due regards,
Muskan.
Second Sample letter of recommendation for friend:
Character Reference letter
(Written by Friend)
Date
ABC (Name of the recruiter)
Senior Manager (Designation of the person you are writing a letter to)
Company name
Company address
Dear ABC (the recruiter’s name)
I am glad to recommend one of my closest friends, Mary Louisy (friends’ name), for the post of Cashier at your firm, XYZ Co. (the name of the company). It has been five years since I know Mary. Therefore I am well aware of the impressive personality skills that make her a suitable candidate for this post.
I had met Mary in a book reading club, and since then, she has always impressed me with her responsible and caring nature. (You can change these qualities as per the requirements of the job). She does not miss a single opportunity to volunteer for social work and help the poor and needy people. I would like to mention one instance where she decided to enroll a poor kid in school and carry the burden of her school expenditure.
Besides this, she is so sweet and confident by nature that everyone who interacts with her is impressed. Through her confidence and sweetness, she tries to make a difference in society. Whenever there’s a need for a bold action to prevent injustice, she always comes to the forefront.
I feel happy to have a nice and honest friend like Mary, and it’s a great opportunity to recommend her for this role. I can undoubtedly say that she will turn out as one of the best employees for the company and add value to the company if she is hired. I hope I have been able to tell in-depth about Mary.
For any other query, you can reach out to me on this number 1234567890.
Sincerely,
XYZ
Conclusion
Writing a good recommendation letter for your friend is indeed a tedious task. But with the above guide, you can make this process easy and simple. Start with the basic letter format and mention the relevant qualities of your friend for the job while supporting them with relevant examples. Conclude by giving your contact number and writing your name. So next time when your friend asks you to write a recommendation letter, don’t forget to use this guide and help your friend.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs):
- What is the benefit of writing a letter of recommendation for a friend?
A letter of recommendation for your friend can serve as a character reference. This can be very beneficial for your friend in getting the job. Since it is a combination of both professional and personal skills, it helps the recruiter to form a good image of your friend. Therefore you will help your friend in depicting the right personal traits to the recruiter through this letter of recommendation.
- How can we write an ideal letter of recommendation for a grad school?
To write a good grad school recommendation letter, include the following things:
- Write the name of the student and the school that they want to enroll in.
- Explain your relationship with the student, how you met him, the duration for which you know each other if you have taught them previously, if yes then in which classes, which subject, etc.
- Mention the skills that you adore in them and how they were a good student in the class (regular student, discipline wise, well-ironed uniform, punctuality, good academics, sports, edge in extracurricular activities, and much more)
- Show that based on the previous experience, they can turn out to be a great graduate.
- In the end, conclude your letter by giving your contact information and writing your name.
- If you want a person to write a recommendation letter for you, how should you approach them?
When you want a person to write a letter of recommendation for you, try to approach them politely and show the urgency of the letter.
- Reach them in person or call them and give them the context and request them to write a letter of recommendation.
- Give them some time to respond, and if they don’t, send them several messages telling them that you require this on an urgent basis.
- It would help if you give them details of your first meeting, the qualities suitable for the job, detailed job letter, etc. as this would help them to write the recommendation letter in a better way.
- Don’t forget to tell the details of the receiver, the address to which it is to be sent, the stamped envelopes (if it is to be mailed), etc.
- Should the letter of recommendation be sent in pdf format or word format?
Ans: It’s always better to ask your friend the appropriate method of submitting the letter of recommendation. Sometimes, you have to send the letter directly, or sometimes you have to mail it. All these details are often mentioned in the job offer letter. If you are not clear about the job offer, it’s better to send it in pdf format or ask directly from the company.
