A letter of recommendation is a letter used by the author to detail and vouch for the capabilities, character traits, and overall quality of the person being recommended. It can be from a professional, employment, academic, or personal perspective.
A letter of recommendation can also be called a reference letter, recommendation letter, letter of reference, or simply reference. They come into use mostly in the hiring process as part of the employment verification step where they are referred to as an employment reference or job reference.
Letter of Recommendation Templates
Here are three perfect letters of recommendation templates that you can use as a cue to write one.
A basic letter of recommendation
(Today’s Date)
Dear (Mr./Mrs./Ms./To Whom It May Concern)
I am writing to recommend (full name of the person you are recommending) for (what you are recommending them for)
I have known (the person you’re recommending) since (date) as (capacity in which you’ve known the person, i.e., be it as a “good friend”, “co-worker”, etc.)
I have always known (the person you are recommending) to be (qualities the recommended person has, like “being honest”, “loyal”, “hard-working” etc.)
As a result of our experience together, I can confidently recommend (name of the person you are recommending) for (the thing you’re recommending them for)
Sincerely,
(Your Name + Signature).
Try as much as you can to make your letter of recommendation short and concise. Avoid a multi-page letter.
Personal or character letter of recommendation
Dear (Mr./Mrs./Ms./To Whom It May Concern).
I am writing to recommend (full name of the person you are recommending) for (the thing that you are recommending them for).
I have known (the person you are recommending) for a (number of months or years) as a (friend, coach, neighbor, etc.)
From my experience, (the person you are recommending) is (state the qualities the person has, like “honest”, “kind”, easy to work with”, etc.)
An example of (his/her) character is when (he/she) was (something specific he/she did that portrayed character).
Based on our experience together, I can confidently recommend (the name of the person you are recommending) for (the thing you are recommending the person for).
Sincerely,
(Your Name + Signature.
Academic letter of recommendation
(Today’s Date)
Dear (Mr./Mrs./Ms./To Whom It May Concern).
I am writing to recommend (full name of the person that you are recommending) for (the thing you’re recommending them for).
I have known (the person you are recommending) for a (number of semesters, months or years). (He/She) has been a student in my, (list the classes your student has taken). We have also worked on (any other projects you have worked on together).
I have always known (the person you are recommending) to be (list qualities the student has, like “a dedicated student”, “hard-working”).
I was especially impressed with (his/her) work on (specific task or project carried out) where (he/she) was able to (something specific he/she accomplished).
As a result of our experience together, I can confidently recommend (name of the student you are recommending) for (the thing you are recommending the student for).
Sincerely,
(Your Name & Signature).
