I’ve been helping people create letters of recommendation for jobs they want, internships, promotions, and more, for over ten years. I’ve learned during this time that if you’re not selling yourself effectively, you won’t make a lasting impression.
A recommendation letter differs from a resume or a cover letter because it comes from someone who knows you well, so it should feel more personal.
Read further to discover how to write a letter of recommendation that will help you land the job or opportunity you’ve been dreaming of.
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You might be thinking, “Wait, don’t I have my (boss, colleague, or friend) write a letter of recommendation for me? Why must I read this blog to create a letter of recommendation?”
You can, of course, ask them to write a letter of recommendation for you from scratch. But don’t be surprised if it takes them a really long time to write it. Even then, it may not meet your expectations.
There’s nothing wrong with giving the person you're asking an outline, a list of your past achievements, or even a draft of a letter of recommendation.
In fact, it’s expected that you will give the writer an idea of what you want them to include in the letter of recommendation while still allowing them the creative freedom to add their spin.
They can adjust whatever the letter is to fit what they feel comfortable signing their name to, and you will save them a significant amount of time — meaning you get a better letter of recommendation faster.
Whether you’re writing a letter of recommendation for a professional or academic opportunity, the basic elements are the same.
Start by including the date and recipient’s information, introducing the writer, describing the applicant and their performance, and signing off with the writer’s contact information.
A long relationship with the candidate or a deep familiarity with their work is an important element of writing a letter of recommendation.
When ideating which details of your professional relationship to include, ask yourself which projects they worked with you on, what strengths you admire in them, specific moments they came through for you, and what you’ll miss about working with them when they leave.
Remember, a letter of recommendation is more than just a list of their professional experience, that’s what a resume is for, as the writer you can give a hiring manager insight into the personality of the candidate and if they’d be a good fit for the role.
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Including a date is important for establishing the validity of a letter of recommendation.
Use the specific date that corresponds with the candidate's last day at an organization or even some time after they worked with the writer of the letter of recommendation.
If you’re asking for a letter of recommendation from a coworker or boss while still employed, be sure to tread lightly as most employers won’t be thrilled to recommend you to a job when you’re leaving.
If you do trust that they are ok recommending you, despite leaving the company, go ahead and put that day’s date.
Write out the name, position, and company of the person the letter of recommendation is going to. Or, if you’re not sure what companies you will be applying your letter of recommendation to, feel free to keep this section generic so you can fill it out later as opportunities arise.
Introduce the writer of the letter of recommendation. Remember, use the first person (whether you’re the person writing the letter of recommendation, or the receiver creating a draft).
Go ahead and list their areas of expertise, education, current title, and anything else applicable. If the writer is a previous manager you’ll want to list their position, how long they’ve been at the company and their education. You should also say how long they’ve worked with or known you.
Use this section to talk about the commitment of the letter's requester in your organization. You
can also mention their most notable traits, skills, and abilities through adjectives.
This section is the bulk of your letter and the most important part. Remember, your boss/coworker/friend can put their own spin on what you say in the letter, you’re just giving them an idea of what you’d like included.
Ask yourself these questions when writing this section:
Here’s an example of what answering these questions might look like:
“Jane Doe became my employee in 2016 after transferring from the Sales department. She is extremely motivated by sales-centric goals, employee satisfaction, and choosing tactics that deliver a high return on investment.
In my time working with Jane Doe, I’ve watched her tackle challenging projects, such as when our startup was bought out by a bigger brand.
She made sure each member of her team transitioned seamlessly while also still meeting her quarterly goals, an accomplishment that only one other team at the company achieved during this time.
Her background in sales has made her a friendly team player, a wise financial decision-maker, and an influential leader. She would be an excellent fit for any role that needs someone who is going to meet hard-to-reach targets, lead a team to excellence, and maintain organization.
In my time working with Jane Doe, I’ve often used her as my go-to-person because I know she is both reliable and hard-working.”
Don’t forget to write this section in the first person, and don’t be afraid to really sell yourself and your achievements!
If you’re not comfortable with being this specific, here’s an example that leaves space for the writer to put in their own thoughts.
“[NAME] became my employee in [YEAR] after transferring from [DEPARTMENT]. She is extremely motivated [ENTER PERSONAL QUALITIES].
In my time working with [NAME], I’ve watched her tackle challenging projects, such as [PAST PROJECT(S)]. [SENTENCE ABOUT WAS DONE WELL].
Their background in [ENTER BACKGROUND] has made them [FAVORABLE PERSONAL QUALITIES]. They would be an excellent fit for any role that needs [DESCRIPTION OF ROLE THEY’RE APPLYING FOR].
In my time working with [NAME], [DESCRIPTION OF HOW WE’VE WORKED TOGETHER IN PAST].”
Finally, you can close this letter wishing the applicant luck in their new professional stage. Most importantly, provide detailed contact information, as interviewers will need to confirm the information provided in this document.
Like a cover letter or a resume, a letter of recommendation should be about one page long. I’ve often erred on the side of shorter than longer because you really can say everything you need to in one page.
If you’re having a hard time whittling your letter of recommendation down to one page, consider asking a friend with writing experience to edit it down to the most important details, or even using AI tools to help you.
Download this bundle of 22 expertly-crafted templates for cover letters, resignation notices, and resumes.
