How to Write a Recommendation Letter: Find Effective Tips from Our Team
Our writing service usually receives messages with a question how to write a recommendation letter. This is not a popular type of writing, especially for students. In the majority of cases, people encounter this assignment when they need to show appreciation or gratitude to a student, employee, or former colleague. As a rule, this piece of writing intends to recognize contributions and hard work of the candidate who is seeking a new position or applying for a specific program. A recommendation letter plays a significant role since the applicants get the chance to enroll in a certain position or program. So, for the person writing this document, it is essential to devote enough time and effort to help the applicant succeed. In this article, the experts from our letter of recommendation service share their underlying tips for effective recommendation essay writing.
What Is Recommendation Letter Writing?
A letter of reference is normally needed for:
- admissions for colleges and universities;
- applying for a job;
- applying for some volunteering program;
- enrolling in an internship or fellowship program.
If you should write a reference letter for someone, make sure that you acquaint this person well and are aware of his or her skills, abilities, and accomplishments. It is essential that your work ethics and values coincide. You may complete this certificate of character for a colleague, employee, or student who used to work under your supervision.
In case you seek a person who could write a letter of reference for you, it should also be a person you are familiar with. You should trust the professionalism and academic abilities of this person.
What to Do Before You Start Writing a Letter of Recommendation
You should approach this procedure with a strong sense of responsibility and serious attitude. Before you accept the request to provide this piece of writing, ensure you know this person well and also double-check all requirements so that you understand what it is for and what you should write about. You should always ask about the intended audience so that you come up with proper vocabulary and suitable information.
You should ensure you are aware of the facts, ideas, and other information that is expected from you. Different recommendation papers may have different purposes. Some people may need this character description for a leadership position, whereas others may require this paper with a specific focus on work ethics or cooperation. So, you should try to ensure the content you reflect in this writing corresponds to the purpose and requirements.
What Information to Include in the Recommendation Essay?
The information you provide in the body of your paper depends on the type of letter:
- academic;
- business;
- professional.
When a person is applying for a job and needs a recommendation, it is advisable that you focus on his or her relevant experience and accomplishments related to the field. If you need to write a character description for a person willing to enroll in a specific studying program, focus on academic capabilities, skills, achievements, and certifications.
This character reference should make it clear how a person is an excellent fit for the position or program they are applying for. Additionally, apart from focusing on qualifications, knowledge, and skills, you may concentrate on revealing some character specifics. As such, you may mention any skills related to team work, leadership, decision making, time management, ability to focus, and others.
5 Essential Components of a Recommendation Letter
- A brief and concise introduction that sets the background: your relation to the applicant and your experience with him or her.
- An overview of personal and professional strengths of the candidate, particularly those that you had the chance to observe.
- A narration of some personal relation to the applicant with the focus on the most striking character traits.
- A closing summary, where you state why you consider the candidate to fit for the position.
- Your signature, where you mention your full name and contact information.
Ask the candidate to send you the updated resume and full details about the position or studying program. Thus, you could be well prepared to write an effective testimonial. With the help of the applicant`s CV, you could have a clearer understanding of his or her career path, education, and accomplishments.
In case you should complete a recommendation letter, try to investigate the main facts and details about the position the referral is applying for. This may help you understand what experience and qualifications he os he is looking for.
Express Yourself Clearly
To make a good impression on the target audience and specifically on the admission committee, write in a clear and concise way. Pay attention to sentence structures, grammar, and punctuation. Always review the completed letter before sending it to the applicant. You may also ask your colleagues to review the piece of writing for possible mistakes and typos. On the whole, avoid flowery and superfluous language, namely overuse of adjectives. You should focus on specific descriptions that present the applicant in the best light and reveal his or her potential.
In return for writing the testimonial, many people tend to ask to keep them informed about their college or university acceptance.
Tips on How to Effectively Request a Recommendation Paper
Success of this testimonial writing experience also depends on who you request to complete it and how you do it. Check out some of the main tips when you request LOR:
- As an applicant, make sure you meet with the potential writer in person. Use this chance to discuss your goals and aspirations, as well as ideas you want to be included in the LOR.
- Provide your recommender with clear details regarding deadlines, formats, and requirements of institutional affiliations or workplaces.
- Send a list of your accomplishments, certificates, awards, completed courses, GPA, titles, hobbies, extracurricular activities, and any jobs or part-time jobs that you have had.
- Clearly reflect your career and academic goals. Specify the reasons why you need to obtain the position or get enrolled in a specific studying program.
- Never postpone this LOR writing process until the very last minute. Start looking for a recommender two months prior to the deadline.
Write a Conclusion to the Recommendation Paper
Finish your piece of writing by affirming that you stand by every word mentioned in the LOR. Reaffirm the committee once again as to why you consider the applicant worth applying for the given position or educational institution. Indicate to the reasons of your recommending the applicant once again. Be sure to provide the applicant’s full name and the name of the position you are recommending him or her for. Also, you should provide your full name, contact information, job title, and signature.
Conclusion
The writer developing your LOR has the final say when it comes to the recommendation. You may compose your own draft, but if the recommendation writer finds that some of the details do not represent the reality, he or she can change any of them. Since the time your recommender accepts the request, he or she can edit your draft and add any other details from his or her perspective. So, even if you are completing a draft of the LOR on yourself, try to be honest and objective. Mention only those things that are true about you and that you stand by.
