A reference letter is a great way to craft a powerful endorsement that will make you stand out from the crowd. We will guide you through everything you need to know about reference letters, from understanding their purpose to requesting them effectively.
What Is a Reference Letter?
A reference letter is a formal letter endorsing a candidate’s skills and positive traits by confirming a person’s qualifications, credentials, or character. You can use it to recommend someone you’ve worked with in the past for a job they’re seeking. You can also use it to refer someone you’ve known for a significant amount of time in a professional or academic setting.
Individuals may use these in job applications or when seeking acceptance at a company. Typically, the writer gives the reference letter to the candidate to include in their application rather than mailing it to the organization directly.
Employee Reference Letter vs. Letter of Recommendation: What's the Difference?
An employee reference letter is a general letter describing the subject’s character and qualifications. Alternatively, a recommendation letter supports the subject’s endeavor in a specific opportunity. The author of a letter of recommendation usually submits the document directly to the requesting organization or company.
How to Write a Reference Letter
Step 1 – Recall Your Time with the Employee
Recall your time with the employee to remember their performance, interactions, and attitude. If you no longer actively work with the person, request information from them to strengthen your letter. If necessary, ask your human resources (HR) department for information about the person, like the exact job title they held when you worked with them.
Step 2 – Gather Your Thoughts and Write an Outline
Think about the most essential points you want to emphasize. Ask the requester about their goals so you know what information to highlight in your letter. Create an outline to structure your written communication.
Step 3 – Create a Strong Introduction
Introduce yourself and state your relationship to the requester. Include how you know them and how long you’ve known them. Clarify that your letter intends to portray a strong review of the candidate and their professional career, academic performance, or personal character.
Step 4 – Reflect on the Candidate’s Skills/Traits
Your experience with the job or academic candidate should qualify you to write the reference letter. Reflect on their work ethic and strongest qualities, aiming to focus on at least three. Refer to the requester’s instructions to understand the skills most relevant to their goals.
Step 5 – Expand on the Skills/Traits You Introduced
The following paragraphs should detail the specific skills or traits that best align with the candidate’s goals. Provide personal stories and experiences that portray the candidate in a good light. Keep your examples brief while emphasizing the candidate’s positive qualities.
Step 6 – Summarize Your Thoughts
In your concluding paragraph, summarize your thoughts and explain why you recommend the candidate as a potential employee or academic candidate. Talk about what makes the job candidate an ideal fit and why you believe an organization should hire them over other applicants.
A candidate may use your reference letter to apply for multiple positions. Keeping a reference letter general is courteous, as it becomes multifunctional when the candidate applies to various positions.
Step 7 – Invite the Hiring Manager to Contact You
Leave the recipient with your preferred contact methods so they can contact you to discuss your experiences with the candidate further.
Step 8 – Proofread and Sign
Proofread the letter to check for formatting, spelling, and grammar issues. Sign your name and add your phone number and email address in your signature block before you send the letter.
Types of Reference Letters
Different types of reference letters highlight different elements about the candidates. Explore them below so you know which kind a candidate may want you to write based on their circumstances:
Professional Reference Letter
A professional reference letter is written by someone the subject has worked with or managed. The author may be a former employee, coworker, or supervisor.
This letter showcases the subject’s professional achievements and experience. It may highlight the subject’s contributions to impactful projects, industry awards or recognition they’ve received, or their role in implementing new processes or technologies that improved workplace efficiency.
Academic Reference Letter
An academic reference letter is written by an educator, and it’s helpful when the subject wants to seek entry into a higher education or graduate school program. It may also be beneficial when the subject has limited work experience, as the author can emphasize their success in an academic setting.
This document includes details about the subject’s academic scholarships, awards, conference participation, academic journal submissions, and research project contributions. It highlights their skills in critical thinking, research, and analysis.
Depending on the extent of the subject’s involvement in school, the letter may also discuss their participation in societies or clubs, peer tutoring work, and performance in academic competitions.
Character Reference Letter
A character reference letter is written by someone who knows the subject well and can speak to their positive qualities in leadership, problem-solving, collaboration, and other transferable workplace skills. The author of a character reference letter can have a professional relationship with the subject, but it may be helpful if the author is someone the subject knows in their everyday life.
Character reference letters emphasize how the applicant’s traits relate to their goals. For example, the author may emphasize the subject’s dependability, active participation in community events, ethical behavior in challenging situations, and ability to remain positive regardless of the circumstances.
Professional Reference Letter Format
Here are the elements to include in a professional letter of reference:
- Heading: Provide a heading with your name, job title, email, and phone number.
- Recipient information/salutation: Make the salutation general (such as “To Whom It May Concern”) so the candidate can reuse the letter to apply to different positions.
- Intro paragraph: Introduce yourself and your relationship to the candidate. Highlight the main skills, traits, or qualities you want the reader to know.
- Body paragraphs: Expand upon the candidate’s accomplishments and qualifications by relaying personal stories.
- Concluding paragraph: Summarize the letter’s main points and encourage the reader to contact you with further questions.
- Signature: Sign the document and provide your contact details to reinforce your availability for further discussion.
Example of a Reference Letter
Here’s an example of a reference letter:
Kevin Nicholson
Head of Marketing, Artful Creations
[email protected]
817-555-9744
March 31, 2024
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Kevin Nicholson, and I have had the pleasure of working with Diane Pearson for three years at Artful Creations, where she has shown remarkable growth from a Junior Graphic Designer to a Senior position under my supervision. Diane’s dedication, creativity, and work ethic stand out distinctly, making her a valuable asset to our team.
Diane’s eye for design and ability to understand and execute client visions have contributed significantly to our project successes. Her progression within the company is a testament to her hard work, adaptability, and leadership potential. Her skills in customer interaction have also been pivotal in maintaining positive client relationships, further proving her as a valuable member of our team.
I wholeheartedly recommend Diane for any opportunity that allows her to showcase her talents and continue her professional development. Her contributions to Artful Creations have been invaluable, and I’m confident she will bring the same level of commitment and innovation to your organization.
Please feel free to contact me should you require further information or clarification on Diane’s qualifications and achievements.
Sincerely,
Kevin Nicholson
Head of Marketing, Artful Creations
[email protected]
817-555-9744
Legal Considerations
While writing a reference letter can help a candidate with their professional goals, it’s important to make some legal considerations before composing this document:
- Privacy: While an effective letter should feature specific examples, please avoid disclosing private, sensitive, or confidential details about the job candidate.
- Accuracy: Ensure that all information you include in your letter is accurate and truthful. Refrain from including misleading statements or exaggerations that could endanger the individual’s reputation or misreport their abilities.
- Discrimination: Only focus on the individual’s job-related performance and qualifications when writing the letter. Don’t include any language the reader may interpret as discriminatory based on protected characteristics, including religion, race, sex, gender, or disability.
- Consent: Obtain the candidate’s permission before writing their letter and ensure you know how they’d like you to distribute it.
- Policy Compliance: Learn your organization’s policies for writing and distributing reference letters. Adhere to the guidelines in these policies to ensure you abide by your company’s regulations.
- Defamation: Only provide constructive feedback. Ensure the candidate won’t interpret it as unsubstantiated feedback based on personal biases rather than their actual performance.
Reference Letter Sample
Download a reference letter template in PDF or Word format below:
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Frequently Asked Questions
What Should I Do If an Employee Asks for a Reference Letter?
If you have had a good experience with an employee, offer to write a reference letter for them. This favor will help them with the next step in their career and leave the connection open in case they ever return to your company.
If you can’t write a supportive letter, politely decline and suggest they look elsewhere for a more suitable reference.
How Long Should a Reference Letter Be?
An ideal reference letter should be one page. This length gives you enough space to get your point across without overwhelming the reader with too many details.
Can a Reference Letter Be from a Family Member?
It may not be ideal for a reference letter to be from a family member unless you’ve directly seen the results of their work. If you write a reference letter for a family member, avoid personal bias and emphasize the professional relationship.
What Are Good Words to Include in a Reference Letter?
Include words emphasizing positive traits and accomplishments. Examples of potential words to use are the following:
- Exceptional
- Motivated
- Adaptable
- Versatile
- Collaborative
- Proficient
- Reliable
- Innovative
- Dedicated
Can a Candidate Reuse a Reference Letter?
A candidate can reuse a reference letter if you, as the writer, make it general enough. If you want the recipient to be able to reuse the document, create a vague salutation and avoid references to specific companies and organizations to which the candidate is applying.
