| Letters of recommendation are routinely sought for | | | | praise.) Also, if the time frame is too tight, be up |
| employment and education situations. You may also | | | | front about that as well. |
| find yourself asked to write a reference letter for | | | | Start off by formatting the letter on a computer as |
| someone seeking to adopt a child, get into college or | | | | a classic business letter, with the paragraphs in blocks |
| be released on parole. Honestly, a person's first | | | | and the full return address and recipient information |
| internal response, no matter how highly they think of | | | | included. The exception might be a more |
| the person and want to help him or her out, is often, | | | | conversational personal reference letter such as a |
| "What a hassle." | | | | character reference for prospective adoptive |
| But if you know a few of the "rules" of | | | | parents. |
| recommendation and reference letter writing, and | | | | Open the letter by making it clear why you're writing |
| have access to free recommendation letter | | | | the letter and why you're in a good position to do so. |
| templates, your task should go smoothly. | | | | (Establish your relationship with the person you're |
| Whether you're writing a job-related recommendation | | | | recommending.) The body of the letter should be at |
| letter or acting as a character reference, the | | | | least a couple of paragraphs, but probably no more |
| approach is pretty much the same. These letters | | | | than five. Describe the person and his or her traits |
| actually follow a fairly predictable format, which | | | | and skills, using descriptive adjectives and concrete |
| means that if you start with a basic template, you | | | | examples or anecdotes illustrating character and/or |
| can be sure to hit all the key points, resulting in a | | | | performance. Close by restating your opinion of the |
| well-crafted letter that's certain to be of use to the | | | | person and offering to provide further information if |
| recipient as well as the person being vouched for. | | | | needed. Include a phone number and/or email and |
| Just because you're starting with a template doesn't | | | | sign the letter. |
| mean your letter will be insincere or look like every | | | | A more recent request from job-seekers is for |
| other letter out there. You still have some work to | | | | references on Linked In and social networking sites. |
| do! | | | | These recommendations are much shorter than a |
| To write an effective, meaningful recommendation | | | | formal letter (usually just one paragraph), but they |
| letter, first be sure you are the right person for the | | | | should still have a professional tone and address |
| job. If you haven't directly interacted with the person | | | | specific traits and skills of the person. |
| in a meaningful way, you're really in no position to | | | | After you complete the letter, be sure to proofread |
| refer him or her. Managers and other supervisors | | | | it for typographical and other errors. Get the letter |
| carry more weight than a coworker, and professors | | | | back to the person by the agreed-upon time, or, if |
| and counselors are usually the best choices for | | | | you're submitting it directly to a college, court or |
| academic reference letters. Similarly, don't agree to | | | | potential employer, be sure to send it off promptly. |
| act as a character reference for someone you don't | | | | If you download a recommendation letter template |
| feel you know well. It will likely show in your letter | | | | and alter it to your specific needs, save it on your |
| and defeat the purpose altogether. If you don't feel | | | | computer so you can access it again and again. Some |
| you can write an honest, helpful letter, it's probably | | | | people, such as supervisors or educators, write many |
| better to politely decline the request. (Although not all | | | | letters of recommendation and simply "tweak" their |
| recommendation letters have to be full of glowing | | | | own boilerplate form to reflect the candidate at hand. |