Letter Of Recommendation? Plus, Why We Need Them

What Is A letter Of Recommendation

This is a letter, written in favor of a person. It relates to a job or education, let’s say admission process. This letter highlights all the wonderful qualities about that person and why you should be given the job or admission with ease.

These letters typically come from previous employers, teachers, colleagues, clients or even a professor.

In summary the whole letter describes a person’s unique Qualifications and skills, and makes you seem like a good fit for the position you’re vying for. Another name for a letter of recommendation is “letter of reference”.

Most employers don’t really like to give out opportunities casually, Because quite a number of people could forge certain things on their resume and might not be up to expectation when they are finally employed or given the opportunity.

If someone of high standards can take out their time to recommend you for a particular position, sure you’ve got some grounds and you’re really loyal and worth good value.

Having a letter of recommendation included in your resume or any application form even without them requesting it can increase your chances of getting that job.

How Does A Letter of Recommendation Work

If you were asked to include a letter of recommendation on your application, all you need to do is to meet qualified individuals, maybe your ex-boss, a higher colleague in your place of work, a teacher or professor and ask them to help you without letters of recommendation.

If they are willing, they would help out and then send them directly to the employer, other hiring personnel, admissions committee, or department. 

Most Recommenders may offer you the opportunity to review the letter before they send it, but they aren’t obligated or expected to and bear in mind that some may not also.

How To Choose The Best Person to Write Your Recommendation Letter

Choosing the best people to write your letter of recommendation can be quite stressful, especially if you’ve had bad working experience or had some issues with your boss or a bad record. If you have a clean slate , everything might go smoothly, but if you don’t you need to put in some extra work.

When trying to get someone to write a recommendation letter for you, ensure to take note of this Tip I’m about to share so read carefully.

• Ensure that the letter writer is someone who can speak directly to the quality of your work.

• Make sure that the person to write for you is someone who Is familiar with your work and feels positive about it.

• Ensure that the person is one that can spare out time from his/her busy schedule and write a letter that could reflect a maximum of your qualities and impress a hiring manager

• Make sure that the letter Writer Is in a position of authority or otherwise has a reputation that will mean something to the employer or admissions officer.

Once you approach someone that has all these qualities, and you were given a positive response, prepare a short list of qualities and accomplishments you’d like to highlight in the letter. Just give them a glimpse of the things you’d like them to say , for example, “I know the hiring manager is particularly interested in candidates that have good problem solving skills and analytical skills, so if you’re affirmative that I possess all these qualities, it’ll gladden my heart if you could mention it.

Note: you can ask the requester of the letter of recommendation for guidelines on what to include. They should be able to tell you which skills and qualifications are most important for the job or academic program.

How to Write a Recommendation for an Employee

1. When you’re given the honor of writing a recommendation letter for your former employee, ask them to provide you with some information that’ll give you hints on the parts to highlight on the letter. If it’s been a while since they worked for you, they should provide you with a copy of their resume so you could see more about them.

2. You should also ask them for a brief job description about the type of position they are applying for.  If they have the name of the hiring manager, they should let you know that as well.

3. Ensure to follow the correct format. If you are sending your letter in a business format, you’ll begin with your contact information, followed by the date and the hiring manager’s contact information.

How To Write An Academic Recommendation Letter

Most higher institutions of learning require Students and young professionals to submit an academic letter of recommendation when sending their Application as part of an acknowledgement that they are admitting someone of profuse value. you can write an effective recommendation letter that highlights the skills and personal attributes that make the student a highly qualified potential student.

Below are step by step processes that will help to guide you as you write an academic letter of recommendation.

Include the following information to help ensure your academic recommendation letter sets your student apart from other applicants:

• Address the letter to the right person
• Include a brief introduction.
• Outline the student’s qualifications and uniqueness
• Describe a time that the student impressed you.
• End the letter with a particular endorsement.
• Provide your contact information.

1. Address The Letter To The Right person

Ask your student who you should address the letter of recommendation to. If they’re applying to a specific position or school, then address the letter to that person. Maybe to the admissions officer, Vice chancellor, department etc ,but If the student is applying to several programs, then address the letter “To Whom It May Concern.”

2. Include a Brief Introduction 

Introduce yourself in the first paragraph of the letter. Tell them who you are, your professional qualifications, Expertise, your relationship to the student, how long you’ve known the student etc. Be sure to also state why you are writing by mentioning the position or program you recommend the student for. Giving a well Detailed qualifications and your intention of writing at the beginning of your letter can help the reader trust your recommendation.

3. Outline The Student’s Qualifications

Ensure to outline and include specific details of your student’s time in school to prove their academic abilities. You should ask the student to provide you with a list of achievements, activities and their transcript or GPA so you can have a comprehensive perspective of their qualifications. Talk about their extra curricular activities, awards received, academic specialties, character and pepe perspective.

4.Describe a Time That The Student Impressed You

Highlight those amazing moments the studentsh were the student Impressed. Talk about their personality and ability/drive to be the best.

5. End The Letter With a Particular Endorsement.

In the final section of the recommendation letter, state specifically that you recommend the student, and highlight their potential contributions to the position or program.

To complete this part of the letter, consider also asking the student for more information about the school or company and why they chose to apply.

This valuable information can also be paired with your own research of the company or school to properly outline the student’s compatibility.

6. Provide Your Contact Information

At the end of the recommendation letter, include your contact information and offer to provide any additional information the recipient may ask for. This allows your reader to gain a better understanding of the student, and it gives you an opportunity to be an even better advocate for the student.