
Writing a recommendation letter? Read our tips
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Has a former employee contacted you for a letter of recommendation? A positive referral will make a world of difference for their job hunt. Providing a positive reference to someone who has added value for your business is a good deed that will come around when you are on the job hunt on a future day.
What is a recommendation letter?
Typically, when you are writing a letter of recommendation for an employee, you are expected to provide insight into their work ethic and attributes that made them a valuable addition to your team. A letter of recommendation is meant to be read by a future employer to gain an understanding of the personality and professionalism of a job seeker.
How can you write a letter of recommendation?
It is important to have your information in one place before you start writing your letter of recommendation. Not sure what to do? Let the career experts at Resume Mansion guide you through the process.
1. Read a few sample letters
If this is the first letter of recommendation you are writing, reading a few sample letters on the internet will help you a lot. You can get to know more about which writing style to use and how to bring out examples through your prose. You can also get inspired by some samples you find online. LinkedIn is a great place to find a few recommendations others have written for employees.
2. Gather the information
When an employee asks you to write a letter of recommendation for them, you should start gathering the necessary information from them. This will help you write a letter of recommendation that suits their purpose. Some important pieces of information you should have are:
- The employee’s full name
- Their career goal
- The purpose of the letter
- Whether they want a generic or tailored letter
- Any keywords you should mention
- A copy of their resume
- A link to their LinkedIn profile
- What not to mention in the letter
3. Explain who you are
The person who reads the letter will want to know who you are. Start your letter by explaining who you are and what you do. Then, explain the nature of your relationship with the employee. Did you supervise them daily, or did you just work with them on a few projects? Providing this context is important.
4. Highlight their best selling points
When writing a letter of recommendation for an employee, you should highlight what they did best for your business. Were they excellent at sales or at vendor negotiations? Did they help you save a lot on costs, or did they make your business more efficient? Emphasize their best selling points with the letter. If you can, work in a few metrics to highlight their contribution.
5. Incorporate data into the letter
As we said before, quantifying your employee’s contributions on your letter is important. Use specific examples of their professional achievements during their employment with you on your letter. You can use numbers, percentages, and metrics to bring out the value of your employee’s achievements.
6. Maintain a positive note
Your letter of recommendation should have a positive note, pointing out the strengths and selling points of your employee. Avoid mentioning anything negative in your letter. Refrain from offering criticisms about their work in the letter.
7. Tailor it if needed
If your employee asks for a tailored letter of recommendation, pay attention to the keywords. Spot the kind of hard skills and soft skills they want you to mention in your letter. Focus on the type of experiences admired by the employer and use them for the letter. Ensure that you mention the right keywords.
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