Are you writing a reference letter for a former employee, or are you submitting a reference letter where you are applying for a job?
Any of which, this article provides all the information you need on reference letters for employment and samples too.
Employers require reference letters when hiring candidates for a position in the organization.
A reference letter for employment is a document detailing the employee’s time with the company, their achievements, and recommendation.
A manager, supervisor, human resources representative, mentor, or former employer usually writes a reference letter for employment.
A good reference letter for employment should outline the reason for the recommendation, the relationship between the applicant and the writer, the applicant’s qualities and it should provide specific examples of why the applicant is a good candidate for the employment.
Article Road Map
Importance Of Reference Letter For Employment
- Reference letter for employment recommends the applicant for a job
- Reference letter for employment adds the applicant’s personality to a job application
- Reference letter for employment point out achievements of the applicant
- Reference letter for employment can help the applicant get hired
Types Of Reference Letter For Employment
There are three types of reference letters for employment; they are:
- Employment reference
When an employee applies for a new job, they will need to submit a professional employment reference letter in addition to their resume or CV.
An employment reference letter informs the potential employer why the employee is a good candidate for the job.
Employment reference letters includes the employee’s job title, employment dates, and salary information.
Academic reference
An academic reference letter is mostly used for applying to a college or an internship program.
This letter details the applicant’s academic history, character, professional skills, and academic or career goals in one or two pages.
Admissions boards generally use academic reference letters to determine if the applicant is a good candidate for the program.
Character reference
If the employment is a high-level position or a professional organization, the applicant would have to submit a character or personal reference letter.
This letter details an employee’s character, personality, work ethic, and other attributes.
Companies and organizations ask for character reference letters to determine if the applicant is a good candidate.
What To Include In A Reference Letter For Employment
A reference letter for employment should include:
- Your Contact Information
A reference letter for employment should have your contact information and the reader’s address information too.
- Salutation
When writing a reference letter for employment include salutations and you can ask for information from the applicant so you know who to address the letter to.
- Introduction
Introduce yourself, your qualifications, your relationship with the applicant and why you are recommending the applicant for a job position.
- Use examples
Explain the qualities, contributions, accomplishments of the applicants using specific examples.
- Conclusion
State at the end that you recommend the applicant for the job position and offer to provide more information if needed including your phone number and mail address.
- Closing
End your letter with your name and your signature.
Requesting For Reference Letter Of Employment
If you are asked to submit a reference letter of employment, ask a well-respected individual that you’ve worked under for a period of time.
Also, a friend, colleague, teacher, neighbor, or family member can provide a character reference letter but someone from a professional background is more advisable.
The reference letter for employment should be an honest assessment of the character and work ethics of the applicant.
The main point of this reference letter for employment is to convince the employer that the applicant will be successful in the job position. The best person to make this case is usually a current or former employer.
Reference Letter For Employment Writing Styles
The reference letter should be brief and formal and should follow this writing style:
- Make your letter easy to read
- When writing a reference letter for employment, use single-spaced type with a space between each paragraph.
- Align your text to the left, and use 1-inch margins all around.
- Use traditional fonts like Calibri, Times New Roman, or Arial.
- The reference letter for employment should be one or two pages long.
Tips For Writing A Reference Letter For Employment
- Focus on the job description
When writing a reference letter for employment, you can ask the applicant for the job description then write about the applicant’s qualities that matches the position or industry.
- Include specific examples
In the reference letter for employment, provide specific examples of situations in which the applicant has demonstrated various skills.
- Remain positive
Strongly recommend the applicant of the job position in the mostly at the beginning and ending of the reference letter for employment. .
- Share your contact information. Provide a way for the employer to contact you if they have further questions. Include your email address, telephone number, or both at the end of the letter.
- Follow the submission guidelines. Ask your former employee how to submit the letter. Make sure you follow any requirements, especially about where to send it and when, as well as the format (for example, PDF, physical letter, etc.).
Writing A Reference Letter For Employment
If you are asked to write a reference letter, keep in mind that your goal is to prove that the person is a strong candidate for the job.
Simply expressing your admiration won’t be enough; the letter should focus on specific examples that show that the employee is a high performer.
The letter should also be professional in appearance, and be written in business letter format and edited well.
A recommendation letter shouldn’t be a 20-page essay, but it must also exceed a paragraph or two. A well-constructed letter will consist of an introduction, 2-3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion, and it should fit nicely on a single page. Below we’ll go over each paragraph that should be included in a letter of recommendation in order to ensure that each one serves its purpose as effectively as possible.
Introduction
The introduction paragraph is used to provide the employer with the name of the individual to whom the writer is giving a recommendation, the nature of the relationship held between the writer and applicant, and the qualifications of the writer. The individual giving the recommendation should post their job title and detail whether or not they’ve worked with the employee in a supervisory position. Below there are two examples of a strong introductory paragraph. Note that above the introductory paragraph is the full name, position, company, and address of the employer.
Paragraph #1
The first body paragraph should expand on what was stated in the introduction. A distinct quality/attribute should be focused on, and specific anecdotes/examples should be used to justify the statement. As a general rule, each paragraph should be 4-6 sentences to ensure that the letter as a whole fits onto a single page.
Paragraph #2
Like the first body paragraph, the second and third (if applicable) should provide an attribute and direct examples of that quality in a way that highlights the candidate’s potential to succeed in the position they’re applying for. Let’s look at a few more examples.
Conclusion
The final paragraph of the letter should provide a brief summary of the body paragraphs and re-state why the applicant is receiving the writer’s recommendation. It’s important to state that the employee comes “highly” recommended to really drive home the quality of their work. The writer’s contact information and an invitation to discuss the applicant further should be presented at the end of the letter as well. A handwritten signature can be given if the letter is to be mailed, otherwise, a typed signature will be sufficient. Below you’ll find a couple of examples of strong closing paragraphs.
Reference Letter Samples For Employment
To Whom it May Concern:
I would like to recommend Muriel McKensie as a candidate for a position with your organization. In her position as Administrative Assistant, Muriel was employed in our office from 2016 – 2021. Throughout her time with our organization, she demonstrated critical skills that would make her an excellent employee at your company.
Muriel did a terrific job in her position and was an asset to our organization during her tenure with the office. She has excellent written and verbal communication skills, is extremely organized, can work independently, and is able to effectively multi-task to ensure that all projects are completed in a timely manner.
Because of her effectiveness, I even gave her additional responsibilities, including developing a training program for our interns. Muriel went above and beyond in that assignment, as she does in all tasks.
Muriel was always willing to offer her assistance and had an excellent rapport with the many constituents served by our office including clients, employers, and other professional organizations. This would be particularly valuable for your company, as you state you are looking for a candidate who can effectively communicate with people across departments.
She would be an asset to any employer, and I wholeheartedly recommend her for any endeavor she chooses to pursue. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Signature (hard copy letter)
Carrie Jones
Office Manager
ACME Travel
123 Business Rd.
Business City, NY 54321
555-555-5555
Jane Smith
123 Main Street
Anytown, CA 12345
555-555-5555
July 21, 2020
Hiring Manager
ACME Insurance
123 Business Rd.
Business City, NY 54321
To Whom It May Concern:
I would like to recommend Sharon Doe as a candidate for a position with your organization. In her position as Staff Assistant, Sharon was employed in our office from 2015 – 2020.
Sharon did an excellent job in this position and was an asset to our organization during her tenure with the office. She has excellent written and verbal communication skills, is extremely organized, can work independently, and is able to follow through to ensure that the job gets done.
During her tenure with our company, Sharon was responsible for supervising the department office assistants. These assistants, under Sharon’s management, were responsible for many of the office’s basic administrative and clerical functions.
Sharon effectively scheduled and managed several assistants to maintain efficient office operations.
She developed a training program for these assistants that led them to become well versed in office operations in half the time they used to.
Sharon was always willing to offer her assistance and had an excellent rapport with the many constituents served by our office, including clients, employers, and other professional organizations. Her ability to effectively communicate with all these people via email, on the phone, and in-person made her such an asset to our office.
She would add value to any company, and I recommend her for any endeavor she chooses to pursue. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Yours truly,
Jane Smith
Mr. Stephen Kobalski
Regional Manager
Lantech Corp.
22 Wellington Ave
Albany, NY 12204
Dear Mr. Kobalski
It is my distinct pleasure to recommend Carolyn for the position of customer service agent within your reputable and distinguished company. As her direct supervisor, I have been able to observe her exceptional communication skills, her work ethic, and her adaptability first hand, allowing me to use her as an example to the rest of my customer support team on how to provide our clients with the best support possible. I could not be more confident in my prediction that she would be a valuable asset to any company who has the privilege of hiring her. Allow me to explain.
Carolyn is known around the office as a powerhouse simply due to her consistency and unflappability. She provides the same amount of care to our callers at the beginning of the day as she does at the end, often going above and beyond what is expected of her to ensure that our clients’ needs are met by the time they hang up the phone. There’s a particular example that comes to mind in which I found her, working 45 minutes overtime, ensuring that a particularly arduous customer received thorough instruction changing the ink of their printer (we’re an antivirus software distributor).
Carolyn’s charisma and compassion stretch beyond the realm of customer service, making her a valuable team leader and a pleasure to work with. In our weekly team meetings, she is kind and considerate when others voice their concerns, and she’s an expert at providing constructive criticism so the newer employees have the opportunity to elevate their quality of service. This gentle leadership was illustrated when a new recruit received a complaint from an irritated caller. Carolyn listened back to the recorded conversation and rather than demonizing the employee for losing their temper, she gave tips on how to remain patient despite the hostility of the individual on the other end of the line.
Arguably the most impressive quality Carolyn possesses is her innate ability to adjust to new circumstances. Her adaptability was exemplified when we introduced an online chat feature on our website, a development which demanded the ability to multitask at a high-level from all of our customer service agents. Not only did she integrate this new platform into her workload, she received seven rave reviews from satisfied customers within the first two days of launching our chat feature. To be clear, it is rare that a single employee receives more than two over the course of a few weeks.
In conclusion, I would like to express that I am certain Carolyn would make an invaluable addition to your staff. Her ability to adjust to new circumstances, quietly lead by example, and improve upon any work environment she enters makes her an ideal candidate for a customer service position of any kind. Although we are disappointed to see her leave our company, we trust that our loss is truly your gain. Thank you very much for your time. Feel free to call the below number during normal business hours, or email me at the posted email address if you have any questions at all.
Sincerely,
Alan Cornwall
Customer Service Administrator
Padlock Antivirus Inc
456-444-4455