5 Reasons You’ll Eventually Write a Reference Letter

Reference Letters are also known as ‘letters of recommendation’. And most probably, you have been asked by a friend or a colleague to write one. For some, this might be just a requirement they don’t take seriously. But in reality, reference letters can change one’s future. If someone requested a letter from you, better make sure that it is impressive enough. 

The question now is, how can you ensure that your letter will help them in their careers or academic lives? What makes a good reference letter? If you must know, a poorly-written one is actually worse than having none. Thus, you have to make it right. This post will tell you how to write a reference letter that persuades even the highest-ranking recipient.

What You Should Include in a Reference Letter? 

Let’s begin by discussing the most important parts of your reference letter. That way, it would be easier for you to create content and you can send it back as soon as possible. 

Recipient’s Name and Address

It is always good to start your letter in a business format. This reflects professionalism and will definitely leave a good impression on your reader. Kindly address them as “Dear Sir/Madam” in case you are not aware of the name. 

Introduction of Yourself  

Another thing that you should not miss in your reference letter is an introduction of yourself. It doesn’t have to be long. After all, the letter isn’t about you. A couple of lines telling who you are and your current position can also help build credibility. 

Facts About the Subject 

A huge part of your reference letter should tell facts about the candidate. You can add the job title within the company and probably the dates he or she was employed. Some also add the salary.  Now, if you are writing for an academic recommendation, then you have to include the grades. 

What You Think About the Candidate 

It is important that you also share exceptional qualities that the candidate has. For example, are they reliable? Can they lead a team properly? Can they work incredibly fast? Or do they have activities outside of the organization or school making them more diverse? 

This is the part wherein you need to sell their qualities. You can also add specific instances that can support your claims. This can include projects that were executed successfully. 

Add Your Contact Details 

Before you end your letter, let the recipient know that you are willing to give more information, if necessary. That is why you must include your contact details as well. 

End Your Letter Properly 

A good business letter should end with ‘Yours sincerely,’ or Yours faithfully’. You can use the latter if you do not know the recipient. 

5 Reasons People Write Reference Letters 

There are different reasons why people write reference letters. But the most common ones are listed below and we will share with you some samples. I understand that you might not have the luxury of time to create content. And that is why we provided the best ones for you. 

1. To Get a Job in a Different Company 

A former colleague might ask for a reference letter in order to get hired by a different company. Feel free to use this guide. 

I am Hal Lodge, sending a reference letter for Jessie Moore. And I am currently the Department Head at Spirit Company and would like to share my observations about Jessie’s work ethics. 

I highly recommend Jessie as a candidate for employment. Jessie was employed by Spirit Company as a Program Manager from 2015 to 2019. Jessie was responsible for program implementation, process improvements, and client relationships.

She has impeccable verbal and written communication skills. In addition, she is organized and reliable. In fact, Jessie spearheaded one of our biggest company projects and we are using her materials up to this date. Aside from that, her colleagues commend her for being a great team player. 

Jessie would be a great asset to your company and has my highest recommendation. If you want to discuss her qualifications further, please do not hesitate to call. 

2. To Promote an Employee 

You can also provide an internal reference letter for colleagues. Perhaps, it’s a letter to support a promotion. See our sample below.  

I have worked closely with Karen Norman for a couple of years while she has been employed as a Project Coordinator in the Sales and Account Management. I have been very impressed by Karen’s dedication and performance in her job. Lastly, I am confident that she is ready to become a Project Manager.  

Karen has amazing organization and time management skills that allowed the team to implement projects ahead of time. She is reliable and has readily available information even before the team asks her to provide data. Her quick thinking is incredible. 

I strongly recommend her for promotion and please let me know if you need further information about her work. 

3. To Enter a University or a Summer Program 

For students, reference letters are also important to enter a university or a summer program. 

It is with great pleasure to recommend Bien Samuels to the University of Macintosh’s Summer Communication Program. 

I have known Bien for three years as I currently work as teacher at NMC High School. Bien is part of the school publication where he is the Editor-in-chief. He also maintains outstanding grades in all his subjects. His general point average is 3.75/4.  

Again, I would highly recommend Bien for your summer program. His passion for words and his dedication to his education makes him the perfect candidate for your program. If you wish to know more, feel free to contact me at 123-456-789  or by email at gjones@NMChigh.com. 

4. To Get Loans Approved 

In other circumstances, your friends might ask for a reference letter to support a loan application. You can use our guide here. 

I am writing this letter with regard to Aimme Jona’s loan application with your bank.

I have known Aimee for 5 years, as I am her team leader at YMC Corporation. This is to confirm that Aimme’s annual salary is $60,000 and this allows her to be able to repay the loan. 

In addition, I can also attest to her good moral character. She is honest, trustworthy, and reliable. Given her obligations in our company, she shows how much she values integrity and responsibility.

I highly recommend that you approve Aimme’s loan. If you have further concerns, feel free to get in touch with me. 

5. To Explain a Layoff

When a company needs to restructure or in some instances, close down, the least they could do is to prepare a good reference letter for their valued employees. A sample is provided for you below. 

Blake Tulip has been employed by Sierra Corporation since August 3, 2016, as an Accounting Staff. While she was working for us, she demonstrated the best qualities any employer would look for an employee. She knows how to work with minimal supervision and is readily open to suggestions. 

She is extremely reliable and this was displayed when her supervisor had to file an emergency leave for three weeks. With just little endorsements, she was able to run the team and operations smoothly.   

It is unfortunate for Sierra Corporation that we must restructure and lose some of our valued team members including Blake, This is due to economic constraints.

Having said that, I would strongly recommend Blake without reservation for any position she is applying for. 

If you have any additional questions about her work and her milestones in Sierra Corporation, please do not hesitate to call or email me.

Conclusion 

It is always good to have a template ready so you can easily write one when you need to. But your reference letter should be unique for every person. Your recipient will easily identify it as a generic letter or not. 

Bear in mind that your letter can create an impression. A general or a ‘fresh-from-the-template’ one sends a message that the candidate isn’t special. But if yours is unique and highlights characteristics that truly belong to the candidate, it can definitely spark interest and can increase the chance of being accepted – all thanks to your reference letter.