A short Guide for writing a Letter of Recommendation
If you're a mentor or a leader in any kind of field, chances are that some of those people you have worked with will ask you to write a letter of recommendation for them. A letter of recommendation does what its name says: it recommends a person as being capable of the job or position he/she is applying for.
The challenge in writing a letter of recommendation is first, knowing what to say about the person you arewriting it about, and second, convincing the organization you aresending it to that he/she is the best person for the job.
To help you in writing your letter, here are some tips that you can use as a guide:
- First, remember that there are several types of letters of recommendation. There's one for employment, another for character reference and finally for academic reference. Knowing which type of letter to send will help a lot in customizing the letter you arewriting.
- Try to make your letter as personal as you can. You should be able to show how well you know the person. Therefore, general words like "he is good" or "he is hardworking" just won't cut it. Show the addressee why the candidate's good and give examples of him working hard. By being able to show how close you are to the candidate, his/her chances of being considered for the job, scholarship, etc will greatly increase.
- If the letter is needed for employment, it would be good if you get a copy of the job description. That way, you can tailor your letter according to the job description and be more precise in what you write.
- Anybody can actually write letters of recommendation, even the people who are asking you for one. It is thus important that you show a sign of your credibility as the person recommending the candidate. The best way to do this is by using a company or school letterhead of the organization to which you belong.
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