What Is a Letter of Recommendation?
A letter of recommendation (LOR) lets you express confidence in a candidate’s suitability for a specific opportunity. It highlights your experiences supervising or working with someone applying for a particular job, position, or honor. When writing this letter, you can discuss a candidate’s abilities and include specific examples to illustrate their contributions.
Being asked to write a recommendation letter is an honor. It means you get to support someone’s professional or educational development. It’s also a sign that the requestor values your opinion.
Letters of recommendation can impact decisions on employment, college admittance, and monetary awards. When you create a thoughtful and detailed letter, you can make a real difference in someone’s future.
Legal Templates’s employment verification letter is different from our letter of recommendation, as the former only talks about an individual’s salary and employment status and not their personal attributes.
Letter of Recommendation vs. Reference Letter
While “letter of recommendation” and “reference letter” are often used interchangeably, they serve different purposes. A letter of recommendation is written when someone is applying for something. The writer tailors it to highlight the candidate’s relevant qualifications and reflect the specific opportunity.
A reference letter provides a more general endorsement of a person’s character and skills. It doesn’t necessarily relate the candidate’s qualifications to a specific application. Both letter types can support a candidate pursuing employment, a volunteer position, or an educational opportunity.
What Are the Types of LORs?
Depending on the situation, you may need to recommend a candidate for a scholarship, internship, or another opportunity. Instead of using a generic template, you can explore the different LOR templates we offer to better articulate your support for a candidate.
Showcases an individual's positive attributes, often used to influence sentencing or custody decisions
Character Reference Letter for Court
Endorses an employee for a new role or promotion by emphasizing their skills, accomplishments, and work ethic
Employee
Demonstrates an applicant's good moral character to support their immigration application
Character Reference Letter for Immigration
Supports a teacher’s job application by highlighting their expertise, dedication, and contributions to education
Teacher
Strengthens an intern’s application by showcasing their skills and aligning their accomplishments with the internship’s objectives
Internship
Bolsters a student's scholarship application by emphasizing their achievements, qualities, and unique potential
Scholarship
Enhances a student's college application by showcasing their strengths, character, and academic promise
College
Recommends a student for a specific opportunity by detailing their talents, dedication, and academic performance
Student
Supports a graduate school application by highlighting the applicant’s accomplishments, commitment, and readiness for advanced study
Graduate School
Creates a compelling endorsement that highlights an applicant’s strengths and fit for an MBA program
MBA
Highlights a potential law student's potential by showcasing their academic excellence, character, and suitability for the field
Law School
Demonstrates a tenant’s reliability through on-time rent payments, property care, and cooperative behavior
Landlord-Tenant
Highlights a medical school applicant’s skills, dedication, and readiness for the profession
Medical School
Showcases a candidate’s clinical experience, academic performance, and alignment with a PA program’s mission
Physician Assistant School
Emphasizes a nursing school applicant’s core competencies, hands-on experience, and alignment with program values
Nursing School
Illustrates how a candidate’s strengths and qualities align with a fraternity’s mission and culture
Fraternity
Highlights a candidate’s character, leadership, and contributions for sorority membership consideration
Sorority
Endorses a soldier’s achievements, leadership, and readiness for promotions or specialized programs
Army
Highlights a Scout’s character, dedication, and accomplishments for the Eagle rank
Eagle Scout
Highlight an individual’s character and traits relevant to their targeted opportunity
Personal
Validates an applicant’s qualifications, ethics, and potential for success in veterinary medicine
Vet School
Showcases a volunteer’s impact, skills, and growth for job, scholarship, or university applications
Volunteer
Enhance a medical student's ERAS application with a tailored, specialty-specific endorsement that impress program directors
Residency
Expresses sincere appreciation for the support received through a recommendation
Thank-You
How Do You Write a Letter of Recommendation?
When learning how to write a strong recommendation letter, it’s important to be as specific as possible. The goal is to tailor each letter to the candidate’s particular strengths and experiences. You can use Legal Templates’s letter of recommendation template to explain how they meet the requirements of the position or accolade they’re seeking.
Ask the individual for a copy of their resume and a description of the job or award for which they are applying. Use this information as a starting point to write a letter of recommendation. Then, follow these steps to simplify the process.
1. Start With a Clear Purpose
The first paragraph of a letter of recommendation sets the tone and immediately explains that you’re recommending the candidate.
What Is the Best Opening Sentence for a Letter of Recommendation?
Start by introducing yourself and your purpose. Be sure to show enthusiasm for the candidate’s selection.
Example: “My name is James Urban, and I’m pleased to offer my recommendation of Jessica Mountford for the position of Executive Assistant at Brown, Riley, & Associates.”
Our document builder ensures you introduce yourself and state the purpose clearly, as there are fields for the candidate’s pronouns and the position they’re applying for.
2. Highlight the Personal Connection
Include your connection to the candidate. You can explain whether you are or were in a supervisory or peer role and how long you have known them.
A personal insight into your relationship strengthens the letter. It shows the recipient your familiarity with the candidate’s skills and ability to work cooperatively. Keep it brief and don’t over-explain or cross the line of professionalism.
Example: “I am Ms. Mountford’s direct supervisor at Urban Law Office, where she has served as my Executive Assistant for the past 10 years. During this time, Ms. Mountford has become an indispensable part of my legal team.”
3. Emphasize Key Strengths
Highlight skills and accomplishments that most closely align with the candidate’s desired goal or position. Instead of using generic qualities, tailor your descriptions to the specific opportunity. These details will show the reader what they will gain if they select the candidate you’re endorsing.
Example: “Ms. Mountford showed great initiative in problem-solving by developing a streamlined document management system for our legal firm. This system ensured a faster retrieval of case files and improved overall workflow efficiency.”
4. Provide Evidence
A strong letter of recommendation doesn’t just state the candidate’s good qualities. It gives concrete examples. Instead of telling the reader how great the candidate is, it should show them by including specific projects or measurable achievements.
Example: “Ms. Mountford single-handedly reduced our estimated turnaround time for document creation from two weeks to three business days. This achievement increased client satisfaction significantly, as we gained more than 200 5-star online reviews this year that referenced our turnaround time.”
5. Use a Professional Tone
Aim for a balance of positivity and objectivity in your tone. Maintain an air of formality, but let your enthusiasm for the candidate shine through.
Avoid exaggerations, such as referring to the candidate as “the best employee ever.” You can emphasize your confidence in the candidate’s skills and ability to do the job without seeming insincere.
Instead of saying something like “We can’t live without Ms. Mountford at Urban Law Office,” the recommender may consider saying something like “Ms. Mountford’s capable presence will be missed at Urban Law Office.”
6. Offer a Strong Conclusion
Conclude the formal recommendation letter on a strong note by reinforcing your enthusiasm for and recommendation of the candidate. The last paragraph should:
- reiterate why this candidate is highly recommended
- offer your contact information if further information is required
- end with a professional closing
Example: “I strongly recommend Jessica Mountford for the position of Head Executive Assistant at Brown, Riley, & Associates. Her attention to detail and willingness to take initiative would make her an asset to your team. If you require further information, please don’t hesitate to reach me at 727-555-9002. I’m happy to provide additional details.”
What Are Tips for Writing a Letter of Recommendation?
These tips will make writing a letter of recommendation with Legal Templates easier. They can also help you paint the requester in the best light possible, which they are sure to appreciate.
1. Recommend Candidates in Good Faith
Only complete recommendations for candidates you can endorse in good faith. This is especially important when the candidate’s opportunity involves the welfare of others.
An inaccurate endorsement or omission of harmful details in fields like healthcare or financial advising could expose you to liability if the candidate later misbehaves. Even if the position doesn’t involve the welfare of others, it’s important to be truthful about their qualifications so you can maintain your integrity. If you can’t recommend someone in good faith, politely decline the invitation.
If you can’t recommend an employee in good faith because of poor performance and need to terminate them, learn about how to terminate an employee.
2. Be Honest & Balanced
Be truthful in your description of the candidate without exaggerating. When emphasizing the candidate’s good qualities, balance it out by also mentioning areas of potential growth. This approach gives a fair and nuanced perspective.
3. Get the Candidate’s Consent
Even though the candidate asked you to write the letter, consider sharing what you will write before finalizing it. Their approval can be helpful, especially if you will share performance evaluations or internal company feedback.
Let the candidate decide whether your recommendation will benefit their goals. If it won’t, they can consider finding another endorsement.
4. Follow Company Policy
Some companies have rules or restrictions for employee recommendations. Before you write the letter, check company policy to see if you need to get approval or use standardized language.
Some companies may not allow personal recommendations on company letterhead. While these restrictions can be frustrating to work with, they’re in place to protect companies from potential legal issues like misrepresentation.
5. Respect the Candidate’s Instructions
Since the candidate is most familiar with the opportunity, focus on the information they’ve asked you to highlight. If the candidate hasn’t given you enough information or context, reach out to them for clarification on what skills and achievements to feature.
6. Know What Not to Say
Part of the art of writing a letter of recommendation is knowing what not to say. Avoid these mistakes to make your letter helpful to the candidate and avoid legal issues later.
False Statements
Don’t make false or misleading statements that could harm the candidate’s chances or misrepresent their qualifications. You should also not intentionally leave out any known harmful information about the candidate.
Consider the above example in the how-to section. If the candidate, Jessica, doesn’t have training as a paralegal, the recommender shouldn’t say she does. Instead, the recommender could say that Jessica has competently performed many tasks that a paralegal would normally complete.
Discriminatory Language
To comply with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, avoid language that refers to protected characteristics, such as:
- race
- religion
- gender
- sexual orientation
- disability
- age
In the above example, the recommender could focus on Jessica honing her skills in the office for 10 years but not mention her age.
Confidential Information
If the candidate has worked on proprietary projects, make sure the letter doesn’t breach a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) or otherwise reveal confidential information.
For example, the recommender could emphasize that Jessica has worked on numerous high-profile cases over the years. However, they must not reveal sensitive details to respect client confidentiality and attorney-client privilege.
How Long Should a Letter of Recommendation Be?
Keep your letter of recommendation to one page so the recipient can easily read the endorsement. Even when a candidate has a long history with you or your company, you should be able to highlight the key information on one page.
When you use our document builder to write your letter, you can easily enter all relevant information, such as the specific achievements they’ve accomplished. We put it all together to create a concise message that lets you sing the candidate’s praises.
What Are Good Examples of Recommendation Letters?
These examples can help you better understand how to tailor a letter of recommendation for a candidate’s specific job opportunity or goal.
1. Recommendation Letter for an Employee
Writing a letter of recommendation for an employee involves describing their work ethic, project contributions, and attitude:
February 20, 2025
Dear Hiring Manager,
My name is Rachel Morgan, and I’m writing to recommend Claire Williams for the residential cleaner position at ShineBright. I’ve had the pleasure of supervising Claire for three years at Sparkle Cleaning Co. where she has consistently been a hardworking and reliable employee.
One of Claire’s greatest achievements was developing a new cleaning process that reduced our cleaning times by 20% without sacrificing quality. This change allowed us to serve more clients and expand our geographic scope.
Claire is also known for her attention to detail, especially when cleaning larger properties. Her work impresses clients, resulting in repeat business and positive feedback.
Additionally, Claire is a team player who is always willing to help her colleagues and take on extra tasks when needed. Her positive attitude and strong work ethic make her a great asset to any team.
I strongly recommend Claire for the residential cleaner role at ShineBright. She has shown great dedication, and I’m confident she will be a valuable part of your team.
If you have any questions or need more information, feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Rachel Morgan
Supervisor, Sparkle Cleaning Co.
(332) 555-8532
[email protected]
2. Recommendation Letter for a Student
A student may not have work experience to discuss, but you can emphasize their contributions in the classroom and their community:
February 20, 2025
Dear Green Future Scholarship Committee,
My name is Eliza Harper, and I’m writing to support Maya Sinclair for the Green Future Scholarship. For the past two years, I’ve been Maya’s teaching assistant at Oakwood University. In this position, I’ve observed her passion for environmental issues and incredible work ethic.
A standout moment under Maya’s leadership was her role in a sustainable agriculture project. In this role, she coordinated a team to design an innovative urban farming solution. Thanks to her great work, the project was selected as a finalist in the national Green Innovations competition.
Maya also demonstrated her commitment to environmental advocacy by organizing a campus-wide clean-up event, which collected more than 3,000 pounds of waste from local parks. Her initiative brought together students from diverse backgrounds, creating a sense of community and environmental responsibility.
Maya’s accomplishments clearly show her commitment to the environment and her ability to lead meaningful projects that make a difference. I wholeheartedly endorse Maya for the Green Future Scholarship, which supports students who strive to create a more sustainable future.
Please contact me if you wish to discuss Maya’s qualifications further.
Sincerely,
Eliza Harper
Teaching Assistant, Oakwood University
(932) 555-1811
[email protected]
How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation
Asking for a letter of recommendation can feel awkward, especially if you’re applying for a position outside your company and may soon be handing in a resignation letter. Or maybe you’re just not sure who to ask.
If you are a candidate wondering how to ask someone for a letter of recommendation, here are some suggestions.
1. Choose the Right Recommender
Select someone you have a solid relationship with to write your letter. For example, a co-worker who works with you daily is a better choice than a senior executive you’ve only met once. The person who knows your work ethic and abilities is better able to articulate why you are the right candidate.
Create a reference list to brainstorm different people to ask.
2. Ask in Advance
Respect the recommender’s time by giving them plenty of notice and a deadline for when you need the recommendation. Advance notice gives your recommender time to reflect on how they will describe you and may result in a more thoughtful letter.
3. Give Them the Info They Need
Provide the recommender with information you would like to see highlighted in the letter. To get them started, give them a copy of your resume or a list of accomplishments. However, you should also respect your recommender’s writing style and give them the autonomy to draft the final result.
4. Thank Them
Be sure to thank individuals who take the time to write letters of recommendation. Stating your appreciation shows the writer you value their time and conveys professionalism.
Sample Letter of Recommendation
View a sample letter of recommendation below. Once you have gained an understanding of the structure, fill out your own via our document builder.
How Legal Templates Helps with Letters of Recommendation
Legal Templates makes it easy to write strong letters of recommendation. We provide valuable support so you can focus on what you want to say. These are some benefits of using our document builder to assist with writing a letter of recommendation:
- simplifies the process of writing recommendations
- ensures relevant accomplishments are included
- allows for customization that fits the candidate’s needs
- provides flexibility for any situation
Our letter of recommendation template allows you to confidently create effective letters that help requesters succeed in their endeavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a letter of recommendation stand out?
Letters of recommendation that show enthusiasm and have concrete examples stand out from those of competing applicants.
What is the best wording for a recommendation letter?
An effective letter of recommendation states why you believe your candidate is a great fit for the opportunity. Provide descriptive examples instead of generalizations to show how the candidate delivered results.
What are impactful words to use in a letter of recommendation?
Use positive descriptors like “dedicated” and “motivated” with action verbs to show how the candidate earned them. For example, you can say that a candidate displayed high motivation when they exceeded their annual sales goal by 50 percent.
