Letter of Recommendation – Types, Template, Samples, & More

An important part of the application process, be it a job or internship, or academic opportunity, that often gets neglected is a letter of recommendation.

You might want a letter of recommendation or could get requests to write a recommendation letter for a colleague, student, or someone known to you. For this, you should know the format and layout of the letter of recommendation. This blog will provide you with all the information you need to write an effective letter of recommendation.

What is a Letter of Recommendation? 

A letter of recommendation is a letter that provides confirmation and recommendation of your skills, knowledge, and abilities to the employer or academic institution. This gives an employer a good idea about the potential of the candidate and helps them in picking the right candidate.

Reference Letter vs Letter of Recommendation

A reference letter is more general and provides a personal reference of a candidate’s skill, knowledge, and experience. Whereas a recommendation letter is more specific to the opportunity a candidate is applying for. It is usually written by someone from the same field. 

How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation?

Depending upon the opportunity one is applying for, colleagues, previous employers, clients, teachers, and professors can be requested to write a letter of recommendation. Here are some steps to ask for one: 

• Prepare a letter yourself first- With the request for the recommendation letter, you can send in a letter that you have written highlighting your experience. The individual can then add their personal comments accordingly.
• Be respectful- Make sure your approach is respectful. Don’t intervene in someone’s work or bother them continuously. 
• Review and thank the writer- Once received, review the letter of recommendation. Proofreading is important as is a word of thanks to the writer for helping you. 

Types of Letters of Recommendation

• Academic (Letter of Recommendation for student): This is important when applying for admission to higher education, scholarships, fellowships, or internships. Students are asked to submit up to three letters of recommendation. It may also mention relevant extracurricular activity participation.
• Professional/Employment (Letter of Recommendation for a job): The professionals looking for jobs use letters of recommendation more often. The letter can be written by former or current coworkers, employers, supervisors, etc. Note that the higher the seniority in the workplace of the writer, the more likely a letter is to leave an impression.
• Character Recommendation/Personal Reference : They are rarely used in academic or professional settings. They describe the personality of the candidate and can be written by close friends also, other than co-workers and employers.

To learn more about how to improve your business communication, you can take this course on Business communication skills. 

How to Write a Letter of Recommendation?

Now that you have read all about what a letter of recommendation is and how you should request it, the following steps will help you how to write a letter of recommendation. 

• Preparation- Make sure you are aware of the purpose of the letter and have all the necessary details to be mentioned, listed with you. This will ensure nothing is missed out.
• Details of the writer- Note that formal letter-writing rules apply to letters of recommendation too. On the top left corner give your name, designation, name of institution, official address, etc. Then write the receiver’s name with a proper salutation. If the name is not known, one can use the line, “To whom it may concern.”
• Opening line- You can write a line praising the candidate along with their name and the position you are recommending them for.
• Express the intent- Specify your relationship with the candidate. Give reasons why you want to recommend them. Tailor your recommendation according to the opportunity applied. 
• Highlight the candidate’s potential- List out the skills, achievements, and potential of the candidate. Provide examples if you can. This will give the letter a more personalized feel. 
• Closing statement- Write that you are open to providing more information about the candidate if necessary. You can also mention why the candidate would be a good choice for the organization. 
• Closing phrase and signature- Write a “Thank you”, “Sincerely” or “Regards” at the end along with your signature, name, and designation. 
• Proofread- After the letter of recommendation is written, it is very important to read it again and check for possible errors in grammar, spelling, and formatting. 

Once all these steps are done, the letter of recommendation is ready to be sent. It can be a printed letter or an email.

Components of a Letter of Recommendation

Here is a list of all the components that your letter should have:

• Your name, designation, address 
• Date
• Recipient’s Name
• Recipient’s Title
• Recipient’s Address
• Greeting
• Personal Introduction/Opening Line
• Overview (Recommendation details, List of Achievements) 
• Anecdote (Personal experience with the candidate)
• Closing remarks (Why the recommendation?)
• Contact information for follow-up
• Closing phrase 
• Signature

Letter of Recommendation Layout

You follow the letter of recommendation format judiciously but it might still end up looking unprofessional if the proper layout has not been followed. Here are some editing tips for you:

• Precise length- The ideal letter of recommendation is one page.
• Spacing- Keep in mind the line and paragraph spacing. Single-spaced lines make text readable and short. 
• Font- Use a standard font. Avoid using multiple fonts in a single document. 
• Font Size- 12-point is an ideal size for the text. 
• Alignment- Text should be left-aligned.
• Margins- 1” margin on all sides is the standard for the letters. 

Letter of Recommendation Template

You can utilize this template to frame your letter quickly and accurately.

[Your Name, Designation, Address] [Date] [Receiver’s Name] [Receiver’s Designation] I am honored to recommend [Candidate’s Name] for [Opportunity] in [Organisation’s Name]. As [Your Designation] of [Your Institution’s Name] I have seen [Candidate’s Name] dedication towards our organization. They have made considerable contributions through their work. [List the achievements, contributions, qualifications, skills, and other potentials of the candidate] [Promote Candidate’s potential to add to the growth of their organization.] If you need more information, please feel free to contact me through [Contact details, email address, or phone number] Regards [Signature] [Your Name] [Your Position]

Sample Letter of Recommendation

Review this sample letter to get an idea of what a good letter of recommendation looks like.

A.K Jain Professor  State University, Delhi 12 June 2023 Training Department ABC Ltd. Delhi Mr. A. Bhatia With much enthusiasm, I would like to introduce Mr. S. Roy, an alumnus of State University, Mumbai for the position of Marketing Associate in your organization ABC Ltd. As a professor of State University, Mumbai I have to tell you that Mr. Roy has had an excellent academic record. He possesses excellent communication and leadership skills, evident from his two-year term as president of the debating club of our university. His participation in the organization of the university is a significant example of his attitude toward teamwork.  Having been his professor for four years and closely observing his personality, I feel he would be a perfect fit for your organization. I would be happy to provide more details and examples of their work. Please feel free to contact me for the same through my email or phone number. I am sure Mr. Roy would only add to the growth of your organization.  Sincerely S. Sharma Signature Professor State University, Mumbai

Tips to Write a Strong Letter of Recommendation

Whether it is a letter of recommendation for an employee or a student, if it is not written well, the entire exercise might prove to be futile. Some tips to write a professional letter of recommendation are as follows:

• Research well- Ask the candidate to provide all the details regarding the opportunity they are applying for, along with their resume.
• Personalize it- Even if using a template, make sure to voice your opinions. Add examples of your experience with the candidate. Be honest.
• Concise and Specific- Keep the letter short and simple. But use strong adjectives to describe the capabilities of the candidate.
• Submission Guidelines- Read the guidelines for the letter of recommendation, specific to the institution or organization. Write accordingly. 
• Positive tone- Keep the tone of your voice positive. If there is not much to say about the candidate, you can decline their request instead of writing a generic letter. 
• Details- You can explain in detail some of the potential of the candidate to highlight them.

Conclusion

A letter of recommendation is an important part of your application especially if it is asked for by the institution or organization you are applying to. We have discussed what a letter of recommendation is and how it is written. You can use the letter of recommendation examples given in this blog to prepare your letter and gain an advantage in your next application.