If you’re running a business or are working in academia, you might be familiar with requests for recommendation letters. These can come from former workers or students who want assistance in achieving their career ambitions.
It’s a nice request to get, especially if you have fond memories of the person you’re writing about. If you’re unsure how to go about it or need some hints and tips, we can help. Join us as we answer, “How do you write a letter of recommendation?” and take your writing skills to the next level with our recommended tips and tools.
What Is a Letter of Recommendation?
When applying for a job or a place at a university, the candidate must stand out from the crowd. Documents such as well-crafted recommendation letters can help. They highlight why someone would be a valuable asset to an establishment. They mention all their relevant skills, academic performance, leadership skills, or other abilities.
A recommendation letter from someone who works in a managerial capacity can make all the difference to a candidate’s prospects.
However, how they’re formulated matters. Proper structuring is key. Writing in a professional tone is essential, and a few elements must be considered. We’ll go through all these below.
What Should You Include in a Letter of Recommendation?
Let’s begin our letter of recommendation journey by reviewing what should and shouldn’t be included. You must ensure that you give a thorough overview of the person you’re writing about.
Think about what a valuable asset they might be to an organization. Give concrete examples of achievements. Consider how the candidate’s skills match the job description or academic program.
With this in mind – what are some dos and don’ts for constructing a letter of recommendation?
Recommendation Letter Do’s
Here’s what you should consider while writing your recommendation letter:
- Be positive: It’s important to be positive and only use positive language. Negative comments can affect a student or job applicant’s chances. If you can only think of negative things to say, it might be best to not write a letter.
- Offer specifics: Give specific examples of the accomplishments and the potential for succeeding in the position applied for. How do the student’s abilities match up?
- Use concise language: Letters should be concise and structured in three parts: an introduction, specific points, and a summary. We’ll cover these in more detail later. It’s important to think about length as well. Letters should be one page but can be extended to two if there is more to say.
- Check carefully: Type the letter properly. Edit it for grammar and spelling. It should be signed by hand.
- Provide contact information: Offer a name and title. A mailing address, email address, and telephone number should go on as a minimum.
- Focus on the applicant: Explain your role in the applicant’s life and discuss how long you’ve known them. This is about them, not you.
Recommendation Letter Don’ts
When crafting your recommendation letter, ensure to avoid the following:
- Don’t be too general: No broad brushstroke descriptions of the applicant’s life.
- Don’t focus on basics: We’re looking for what makes the candidate outstanding. Not basic stuff like punctuality or completing projects on time. These should be a given.
- No backhanded compliments: Don’t damn the applicant with faint praise. If there’s nothing nice to say, don’t do the letter of recommendation.
- Don’t be vague: Be very specific about the important things the candidate has achieved in work or education.
- Don’t use superlatives: Avoid using too many words, and be economical with your language.
- Don’t send a boilerplate letter: A letter of recommendation should be specific for every candidate you write for. It should uniquely represent them and be 100% different each time.
What Might a Recommendation Letter Template Look Like?
Let’s get into some more specific examples now. First, it must be in a professional tone. It should have a formal structure and be kept to one page, if possible.
The end goal is to provide a concise, well-organized document that highlights the candidate’s strengths without containing unnecessary fluff.
Below, we discuss what should be included in each part of the letter of recommendation.
Introduction
How do you know the candidate? This will help establish your credibility and your endorsement. Talk about how long you’ve known the candidate and in what capacity. This content means that the people considering the application can understand your relationship and the perspective from which you’re writing.
Main Body
Use the full name of the candidate the first time you mention them. Then, after that, just the first name. It’s best to use two paragraphs for the main body. Highlight a story that shows the candidate’s work ethic and character. It should show their personal strengths, intellectual interests, integrity, or leadership ability.
Ideally, it should relate to the job or academic program. Discuss the candidate’s personality. How do they interact with their peers/co-workers/other students?
The second paragraph should include your direct recommendation. It should end with a sincere statement recommending the candidate for the job or academic institution.
Closing Statement
Start with the candidate’s full name. In a good conclusion or closing statement, you should encourage the company or establishment to contact you if they have any further questions. End with “Best regards.” Include your title and job position. Type your name and signature. Print it out and hand-sign the letter.
Letter of Recommendation Template Idea
Here’s an idea of how you might set out a recommendation letter with some key elements.
- [Your Name]
- [Your Position]
- [Company or Educational Establishment Name]
- [Date]
Dear [Name]
I am delighted to recommend [Candidate’s Full Name] for this [role/admission] at [College or Company Name]. I have known [her/him] for [number] years. I was their [professor/teacher/employer]. At that time, they showed strong academic capability and developed their personal qualities.
In [subject/class/role], [Candidate’s First Name] was an outstanding performer. They had consistent work ethic and were reliable. As an example, [he/she/they] contributed to a [specific topic/role], for which [she/he] gained plaudits for their hard work and thoughtfulness.
Away from [work/college] [Candidate’s name] is known for [personal anecdote], and this leads me to recommend them further. I believe they will be a valuable asset to your [company/college].
If you require any further information, please get in touch.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]
This is a brief outline of how a letter of recommendation could be formulated. It’ll work for various roles or college courses.
Keep it succinct, but include personal anecdotes where possible. It’s important to only write a recommendation letter for a candidate you know personally. Or for a candidate you can only make positive comments about.
Never send a negative letter of recommendation. In those cases, it is best to allow the candidate to find someone else to complete their letter.
How Do You Write a Letter of Recommendation With AI Tools?
Using AI is one of the best ways to get rid of writer’s block. Especially in an important situation like this, where it’s imperative to get every detail correct. AI tools have developed a lot in the last few years. You can now make them sound more human than ever before.
It’s a great way to quickly generate a draft of a letter of recommendation and then edit it to fit the candidate’s education/career plans and skill set. Include details about the student’s personality or their research projects and interests. Give specific examples of their skills and abilities. Fit this into the professional template you’ve generated, and you won’t go wrong.
Going through the college application process or getting on the career ladder is a huge stage in anyone’s life. Making it that bit easier for them by providing a high-quality letter of recommendation can be very rewarding.
There’s no shame in using an AI tool to create a recommendation template, either. Sometimes, it can be difficult to know where to start or to understand the most professional way to finish.
An AI tool can banish all these worries and give you a solid start to work on. You can use a tool like this as much or as little as you need. It can help you create a full professional letter the first time you need it. You can then use the same formula the next time you need to write one.
However, ensure that when you use AI tools in a letter of recommendation, you proofread and edit the letter as required. Sometimes, AI tools can sell applicants short and not showcase their skills in a way that will make them stick out in the crowd.
Write a Top Letter of Recommendation With Smodin
So, how do you write a letter of recommendation? We hope our tips above can help you compose a letter that highlights all the top skills and abilities of the person you are recommending.
However, if you are looking for some top AI tools to help you write a cover letter, create a personal statement, or craft an essay or assignment, we can help!
Smodin’s high-quality range of AI tools takes the stress out of writing. Get started with our software today and see the kind of professional results you can get. Try out Smodin’s recommendation letter writer today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is using AI to write a letter of recommendation safe?
Yes! It’s one of the best ways to learn to structure a letter of recommendation properly and professionally. You can use an AI tool like this to easily personalize and perfect documents. Any information you share is confidential.
How best to use an AI tool to write a recommendation letter?
You can involve AI tools as little or as much as you need. When writing a recommendation letter, it’s important to get all the facts 100% accurate.
You can use AI to plan the outline and fill in all the professional details yourself. You can also try it out by writing a full letter of recommendation and editing as you see fit. From getting started to writing a conclusion, they’re invaluable. The choice is yours on how much input you need.
Can a letter of recommendation enhance a candidate’s professional performance?
Yes, it can. Writing a letter of recommendation can boost a candidate’s confidence and help them achieve the career or qualifications they need. It’s a stellar way of helping them during the admissions process or a job hunt.
When you’ve developed a great working relationship with someone over time, knowing you can assist them can be very enriching.