A reference letter is a formal letter written to make a general assessment of qualities, capabilities, knowledge, skills and characteristics of an individual.
They are slightly different from recommendation letters.
They are usually generally addressed. It usually salutes with “to whom it may concern”.
It has a layout like that of the recommendation letter
Difficulty: average
Put Yourself in the Reader’s Shoes
The first thing to remember is that the reader of your letter will likely have numerous reference letters to review other than the one you are writing. They are usually very busy individuals who have a limited amount of time to devote to each letter they receive. It is important that your letter really stand out in order to grab their attention.
In addition to the reference letter, a hiring manager will also have the job applicant’s resume, and the faculty or admissions reader will have the college applicant’s transcripts and test scores. All of the readers will also have the opportunity to interview the applicants in person.
With all this information already in the reader’s possession, what could a reference letter possibly provide them with that they do not already have? Remember that one of the main purposes of a reference letter is to provide third party verification that what the applicant has indicated in the other pieces of information can be verified by someone. Simply put, a well written reference letter will add a great deal of credibility to what the applicant has already indicated.
What the readers are looking for in the reference letter are four additional dynamics that only a reference letter can provide. The reader is specifically looking for:
1. A sense that you know the applicant well enough to be able to make sound judgments about them. As the reader is reviewing your letter, they will be asking themselves these questions about you the writer:
- What is your expertise?
- How important are you?
- How relevant is your background to the recommendation you are making?
2. The sense that your credentials are worthy of consideration given the context for which the applicant is applying. The reader needs to feel that what you say in your letter is believable and worth listening to. The reader needs to know these things:
- Are you the applicant’s supervisor, professor, co-worker?
- How long have you been in a position to be able to judge the applicant’s talents, skills, abilities, attributes, and performance?
3. A sense of your overall opinion of the applicant. Is your letter positive, negative, lukewarm, or something in between? If you feel anything less than positive, it will come through loud and clear when you write your letter. Words have a way of conveying feelings, so be certain you can vouch for the applicant in a positive manner.
4. Insight into the applicant’s personal attributes. These personal insights are intangibles in that they usually cannot be obtained from a resume or transcript and sometimes not even from a personal interview with the applicant.
In an Employment Recommendation Letter, examples of personal attributes to include are:
- Are they responsible?
- Are they hard working and dedicated?
- Do they have leadership potential?
- Are they punctual and reliable?
- Do they communicate well?
- Are they a team player?
- Are they good at solving problems?
- Do they possess honesty and integrity?
- Are they flexible and adaptable?
- How well do they handle pressure?
In an Academic Recommendation Letter, examples of personal attributes to include are:
- Are they committed to the field they are considering?
- Are they serious about their studies?
- Do they have the potential to complete courses in higher education?
- Are they well rounded?
- Are they confident about succeeding?
- Do they value higher education?
- How do they interact with their peers and educators?
In a Character Reference Letter, examples of personal attributes to include are:
- Are they responsible?
- Do they demonstrate self control?
- Are they honest?
- Are they caring and kind to others?
- Do they have good social skills?
- Are they dependable?
- Are they reliable?
- Are they self reliant?
- Are they mature?
- Do they exhibit sound judgment?
If you include all four of these underlying dynamics when writing your recommendation letters and make them distinctly recognizable, you will have accomplished a great deal!
You will be providing the reader with a complete, distinct “picture” of the applicant and why they should be seriously considered!
Writing a Great reference letter can be a lot of work but it is also very rewarding to know that you have helped someone you know and care about to achieve their goals.
General Layout of any Reference Letter
Date
When writing the letter the date should be in full and not abbreviated as different people interpret them differently. Use e.g. 10th march 2010 instead of 10-3-2010 someone may interpret it as October 3rd a date usually makes the letter look more formal.
Salutation
The letter is generic so the salutation should be “to whom it may concern” and not dear sir/ madam.
Headline
This is the reason of writing, it is written two lines down after the salutation .e.g. RE: am recommending this person to (state where).
Opening
The opening should consist of two brief paragraphs. The purpose of the opening is to indicate your initial recommendation about the applicant and to explain who you are and how you know the person for who you’re writing the reference letter.
The first paragraph (usually consisting of a single sentence) should state the purpose of the letter. Referred to as the “opening line”, you would simply state that you are providing a recommendation for the applicant.
Choose your words carefully, particularly at the beginning of the letter. The all important first sentence will set the tone for the remainder of the letter.
The opening is often the most important part of the entire letter. When you consider that the reader is a busy individual with many different letters, resumes, and transcripts to review, it is safe to assume that they will not devote much time to reading each and every reference letter from beginning to end. As such, then, the very first impression they get is critical and often lasting. Given this, it becomes quite clear that your overall opinion of the applicant must be made very early in the letter. A great reference letter should always communicate most, if not all, of your honest, overall opinions in the first sentences or two.
It is very important to understand that the message contained in the opening of your letter must match the tone of the rest of your letter, as this is where many readers will form their first and often lasting impression of the applicant.
The second paragraph should explain how you know the individual. Indicate the context of your relationship and how long you have known them. Be very clear about what your relationship is to the applicant. In other words, are they your subordinate, a co-worker, a student, a peer, a family member, a close friend, etc.
Body
The body of the letter should comprise the majority of the text. This is the section where you should “sell” all of the great qualities of the person. You should also describe your past experiences with the applicant and provide specific details and examples of their good qualities.
These qualities should of course be applicable to the situation to which you are making the recommendation. If the reference letter is intended for someone seeking employment as an accountant, the details and examples you provide should reflect that person’s skills as they relate to accounting, even if they have excellent knowledge in other, unrelated areas. For example, maybe the person is a wonderful artist or has a nursing degree. Although these are wonderful talents and skills, this information would not be useful to the person seeking to hire a good accountant. In other words, stay on topic.
The body of the letter is usually several paragraphs in length (two to six), with each paragraph normally consisting of two to four sentences.
The first paragraph should summarize the applicant’s specific favorable attributes. Use this paragraph to characterize the individual in “general” terms; it should serve as an “introduction” of sorts.
The next several paragraphs should address in detail each of the specific attributes that you summarized in the first paragraph. Include personal stories whenever possible to back up your assessments. Use specific examples to characterize each attribute. Each specific attribute should be dealt with in a separate paragraph. Address each of the attributes or qualities in their order of importance as it relates to the situation.
The final paragraph of the body should include reasons why the individual is seeking a new assignment (if relevant). For example, if they were laid off, you would want to mention the reason the individual was laid off (i.e. company downsizing, plant closure, poor economy, etc.)
Summary
The Summary of the reference letter should be one or two paragraphs of a couple of sentences each.
The Summary is designed to reinforce your belief in the applicant. This is where you should reiterate and express your level of confidence in the individual.
The close should also contain your personal recommendation regarding the situation for which the letter is being used. You should explain the degree to which you believe the individual is suited to the job, position, or program being sought.
At this point, you should also encourage the reader to contact you for additional information or with any questions they may have. Include the best method for them to contact you. This would usually be your phone number or email address.
Always end the close by personally signing the letter in your own hand. Do not have your assistant sign the letter, and never “rubber stamp” it. The reader should feel that you at least think enough of the applicant to take the time to personally sign the letter. This is particularly important if the letter was prepared by the applicant themselves.
Close
End the letter by using the complementary close “yours faithfully” include your signature, your name and the title you hold.
Tips for Writing any Reference Letter
- Use a good readable font in your letter makes it stand out and look more professional;
- Use simple courteous language that is easily understood;
- Be honest remember you are trying to sell the person.
Appearance
Always, always type your reference letter. Even if your handwriting is as elegant as a calligrapher’s, never submit a hand-written reference letter. A reference letter casts a reflection on both the writer and the applicant. A typed document always expresses a more professional look and feel, and will be taken much more seriously by the reader or decision maker.
First impressions are important! Get off to a Great start by submitting a professional looking reference letter. It will make a difference!
The physical appearance of your letter is so important that it may determine whether your letter even gets read by the recipient.
Always print the letter on good-quality, white paper and on a laser printer if at all possible. Make it crisp, clean, and professional. You may have spent hours filling the letter with excellent content, but if the letter does not have a professionally look, it may just end up in the garbage can.
As a Type ‘A’ Professional Accountant, I appreciate my paperwork “just right”. I personally like to receive an applicant’s reference letter in a 9” x 12” envelope rather than folded and mailed in a standard size envelope. I don’t like having to unfold the letter and there is always a crease through some line of type making it more difficult to read. Go the extra mile and mail or deliver your reference letter in large envelope.
All of these little things will add up in the readers mind.
Content
Before composing your reference letter, focus on several different aspects of the person you are writing about.
Be as specific as possible when you’re referring to their skills, performance, attitude, personal attributes, hobbies, contributions, growth, etc. Your comments should focus only on the time period that you have known the individual. Go only with what you know personally, and not what you’ve heard about the individual.
Be honest with your comments. Never attempt to say things that you are not 100% sure are accurate or that you do not firmly believe about the individual.
Length
Reference letters usually contain between five and ten paragraphs with a total word count ranging between 200 and 600 words. Using this format, your letter should be one to two typed pages.
Longer does not necessarily mean better. Remember, the reader is most often too busy to hang on to every word. They are more likely to do a quick review in search of the four dynamics discussed previously.
The more significant the writer’s credentials, the less time they will have to devote to writing a reference letter. In other words, a College Professor would be able to write a shorter letter than, say, a fellow student because the reader will place more value on what the Professor has to say over a fellow student.
If the writer is more personally attached to the applicant, it is safe to assume that they will include personal stories or anecdotes. It normally takes more time to tell a story than mention a simple attribute, so these types of letters will be longer in length than those that do not contain personal stories about the applicant.