Reference Letter Sample: 3 Tips for Writing a Reference Letter

A reference letter is a brief but well-rounded letter highlighting the strengths of an applicant, often to schools or jobs. Applicants send these off alongside their résumés, cover letters, and additional materials of interest to potential employers or admissions specialists. The additional boost of support from a former teacher or employer can help candidates land entrance to a university or get a foot in the door for a job interview.

Various types of reference letters suit different needs. Here are a few of the most common:

1. 1. Academic reference letters: If you’re a teacher or professor, you might have a student ask you to write them a reference letter highlighting their academic performance. These letters help students improve their acceptance chances at universities and graduate schools.
2. 2. Personal reference letters: Some employers or schools might want to hear from friends and colleagues as well as supervisors and teachers. Personal or character reference letters highlight what a person is like in their time outside of work. It’s common for them to highlight instances of public service or charitable behavior.
3. 3. Professional reference letters: Managers can expect a former employee to reach out for a letter of recommendation at some point. Professional and employment reference letters allow former supervisors to assure potential new managers of a job candidate’s value.

You can write a reference letter with the right approach. Remember these pieces of advice as you strive to help someone with their school or job search:

• Be concise but thorough. Keep your reference letter under a page, but include at least one introductory paragraph, a body paragraph or two, and a concluding paragraph as well. Look at various letter of recommendation templates to get an idea of how long yours should be.
• Include contact information. Make sure the person to whom you’re sending the letter knows where to contact you with further questions. Include a phone number and email above your salutation, after your sign-off, or in the body of the letter itself.
• Paint a well-rounded picture. The goal of a reference letter is to highlight the strengths and personality attributes of the subject matter. Try to give specific examples if possible. Highlight things like communication skills, work ethic, ability to get along with coworkers, and so on.
• Show you’ve done your research. If it looks like you just plugged in a job title and company name in a professional reference letter example template, it’ll carry less weight with the recipients. Show you did enough research to personalize the letter. Read over the job description, the subject matter’s résumé, and the company or school mission statement to tailor it as well as you can.

It takes effort and eloquence to write a good recommendation. Keep these tips in mind as you write your own letter of reference:

1. 1. Consult the résumé. Even if you’re someone’s previous employer or teacher, a decent amount of time might have passed since you and the subject of the letter interacted. By consulting their résumé, you can get a better idea of what they want to highlight for their new school or employer. Use it to guide the points you will make in your letter.
2. 2. Try to personalize your approach. If possible, try to figure out the recipient’s name for your reference letter. This is often the hiring manager or admissions counselor. Addressing your letter to a specific person will carry more personal weight than a phrase like “to whom it may concern.”
3. 3. Use a formal tone and format. While you can give your reference letter personality, strike a formal tone overall. Treat it as you would any other business letter. If you have a personal letterhead, use it on the paper on which you print the letter. Consult reference letter templates to get a better idea of the tone for which you should strive.

It might help to have a concrete professional reference letter example before writing your own Consider this sample recommendation letter as a basic template:

Dear Mr. Doe,

I’m pleased to offer Sarah Smith my highest recommendation for The Closing Company’s Sales Lead position. I had the honor and pleasure of being her manager at Sales Business, Ltd. from 2011–2018. Sarah has an incredible work ethic and an innate sense of kindness and charisma. I think you’ll be very happy to have her on board should you offer her the position at your company.

Sarah met every sales quota we threw her way during her tenure with us, and she always did so with grace, optimism, and a sense of humor. She’s also the definition of a team player. Upon leaving my office for lunch each day, I’d regularly see her offering help to both new and seasoned recruits to up their own sales potential.

I think The Closing Company will be making a wise investment if you decide to bring Sarah on as a lead. She’s dependable, resourceful, and a natural leader. I would love to talk more about her candidacy with you should you have any further questions. My number is 999-999-9999 and my email is alicethompson@salesbusinessltd.com. I hope to hear from you soon!

Best, Alice Thompson

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