Reference letter sample word

How to write a reference letter

First, when someone asks you for a reference letter, think whether you can actually give them a good recommendation. If you’re not sure you can recommend them without thinking twice, it’s best to politely decline sending the referral letter rather than be forced to lie (or make negative comments ruining the other person’s chances).

If you’re sure you can write a positive professional reference letter, follow this process:

1. Refresh your memory about the person. For example, ask HR what their exact title was when they worked in your team and for how long they stayed. Consult your own records to see if there are useful notes about them.
2. Write down two-three qualities that characterize this person. If you can recall specific examples that prove these qualities, put them in your reference letter too.
3. Think about specific experiences you had with that person. Especially instances where they showed positive attitude or knowledge. Include one example in your letter if possible.
4. Use our reference letter template to shape your own letter of recommendation format.

At any case, you might need to spend half an hour or so to write a good recommendation letter, but if you have good things to say, this person is worth it.

Here’s our reference letter template:

Dear [insert name],

I am writing to recommend [employee_name]. [He/She/They] worked with us at [company_name] as a [employee_job_title] and [reported to me/ worked with me] in my position as [insert your job title].

As an employee, [employee_name] was always [insert quality]. During [his/her/their] time in my team, [he/she/they] managed to [insert example].

I’ve always put a premium on [insert quality] among my team members and [employee_name] never failed to deliver. An example was when [insert example].

[Employee_name] is a delight to work with and I wouldn’t hesitate to hire [him/her/them] again.

Should you have any further questions about [him/her/them], feel free to reach me at [phone number].

Thanks,

[Your name and signature]

How to use this reference letter format:

• Flesh it out. Use one or two sentences to give context to each of your examples.
• Be flexible. Use the template as a guide, but write in your own voice and say what you think is important.
• Be honest. Your former employee or colleague may be asked about the examples you provided. Don’t embellish to make them look good since this may come out eventually.
• Be targeted, if you can. If you have information about the job or program the employee is applying to, tailor your letter to reflect specific requirements. For example, if you know this job requires leadership skills, give relevant examples.

Here’s a reference letter example based on our template:

Dear Mr. Skywalker,

I am writing to recommend Leia Thompson. She worked with me at Acme Inc. as a Senior Product Manager and reported to me in my position as VP of Engineering.

As an employee, Leia was always reliable and resourceful. During her time in my team, she managed to conduct high-impact user research and make a number of key recommendations that resulted in an improved product (and subsequently increased sales).

I’ve always put a premium on initiative and willingness to learn among my team members and Leia never failed to deliver on both fronts. An example was when she suggested we create a regular internal meetup where more senior employees could answer questions from other employees about their work. She was the first to take advantage of the knowledge these meetups offered and implemented it in her own work.

Leia is a delight to work with – a team player with a positive, can-do attitude all the way. I wouldn’t hesitate to hire her again if the opportunity arose.

Should you have any further questions, feel free to reach me at +10000000.

Thanks,

Sarah Long

VP of Engineering, Acme Inc.

Here, we are going to provide some insights and examples on writing a reference letter. You can look upon the varied formats and samples of letter of reference provided by us for your reference. This letter is usually used when you search for a job. Professional Letter of Reference is an important part of this letter writing. This letter will be a plus point in addition to your resume. It will improve your chances of getting a new job and it is really necessary. The person is responsible for the this letter is called the sponsor.

Reference Letter Format

The suitable format to write a this letter is as follows –

• Appropriate Contact Details — Irrespective of the letter to be mailed or accompanied by an attachment, it is important to provide your contact details and that of the recipient at the topmost section of the letter.

• Mentioning the Subject— In the Subject line clearly mention the name of your friend or student for whom you are writing this this letter.

• Proper Salutation—- This letter should have a proper salutation to the recipient. In case of a letter of reference written on a personal note, you can mention the name of the recipient, like Dear Mr. Evans, or Dear Mrs. Clark. In other normal cases, you can simply include “To whom it may concern” in the salutation.

• First paragraph — In the first paragraph, you are going to talk about the relationship you share with the person you are writing this letter for. It should include the specifics about the way you know the referred individual, the duration for which you have known the person, and your eligibility to write this letter.

• Second paragraph —  In the second paragraph, you are going to talk in details about the competence of the referred person for the school or the company. Talk about their efficiency in contributing to the organization and the society and your primary reason towards referring the person. You should also mention specific instances where the referred person showcased such skills and qualifications. You can always add another paragraph to properly describe the eligibility of the individual referred.

• A Brief summary of this Letter—  This is a paragraph that is followed by the final concluding paragraph. This basically contains a short summary of your goal behind referring the person for the stated purpose. You can use phrases like “highly recommend” or “refer without reservation” in this paragraph while talking about the referred person.

• Concluding Paragraph — As a conclusion to the letter, in this paragraph, you are going to provide some additional information. You can mention your phone number and email address for future reference by the recipient.

• Closing Signature — After the conclusion, include the signature as – Sincerely,

How to Write a Reference Letter

Firstly, we would like to describe this letter. A this letter is also sometimes referred to a letter of recommendation. It provides information about the qualifications, personal attributes, and other characteristics about the person you are writing the letter for. This letter can be written by your friend or employee or your colleague.

What to consider while writing this letter –

• It should be the foremost objective to ensure that you are comfortable to write a letter before agreeing to one. If any case, you are not confident about writing the letter or think that the person is not that close or is top in your position to write one, you can always choose to deny subtly.
• It is always wise to ask for the resume of the person you are writing the letter for. The resume is a clear indication of their accomplishments and qualifications. You can easily base their resume to write the letter for them.
• You can also ask for the applied job description or the school program details that will provide you more information about the position or the program the referred individual is applying to. It will make the task of writing the letter easier.
• You should also acquire all the information related to the letter deadline, format, and the exact information of the recipient you are writing this letter to. It is also advisable to ask for anything specific that should be included in this letter as asked by the school or the company.
• The overall length of this letter should be more than 2 to 3 paragraphs. Less than these suggest that you do not know the referred person that closely. Indeed, the letter should be short but it should also specify the key attributes and qualifications of the individual you are writing this letter for.
• You should follow the proper format for spacing and alignment and use the traditional font in general to compose the letter.
• You should give a second look at the letter before sending it to the recipient to ensure that there is no mistake found.

A sample of this letter:

Dear Usha,

I am glad to write this letter to refer [Name of the referred person] for the [job position] at the [name of the company of the referred person]. I am [your job designation] at [your company’s name] and I am thrilled to say that I had a good time working with [Name of the referred person] as [his/her] [supervisor, or deputy manager, or other work relationship you share with the referred person]. [Name of the referred person] has always been highly responsible, intellectual, and loved to explore [his/her] boundaries. [He/She] has a unique kind of skill set and is a valuable asset for any organization.
[He/She] always brought to the table innovative ways of getting the work done which increased the organization’s productivity by manifold. [He/She] is very analytical and is always focussed on elevating [his/her] team and thus, the company’s efficiency. [He/She] could be easily relied upon for working in correspondence to the deadlines set. During the 3 years that [he/she] worked with us, [he/she] has [mention the accomplishments of the referred person such as increasing the company’s website performance or ROI or others].
Additionally, [he/she] has been a supportive and encouraging team player and is quite easy to get along with. She is really optimistic and addresses the issues head-on with the help of her expertise and team.
So, I am really confident about recommending [Name of the referred person] to your organization, [Name of the recipient’s organization] and strongly believe that [Name of the referred person] will be an ultimate addition to [Name of the recipient’s organization]. You can feel free to contact me at [your contact number] or [your email address] for any further query or clarification.

Sincerely,

How to write a Reference Email

In this section, we are going to offer you information about how to write a reference email. A reference email can be submitted in case of any job application or school enrolment. The employers or the school admissions authorities expect that the reference email that they receive for the applicant should be properly written and should be devoid of any mistakes or lacunas. It is very important to consider that while writing a reference email, you have to keep it quite concise and to-the-point.

Things to consider while writing a professional reference email

Coming to the part of writing a reference email, it should equally be professional enough. This reference email should be a clear representation of the relationship you share with the referred person and the way you know him/her. Some of the tips to write a reference email include –

• The subject of the reference email – The subject of the email should include information about the applicant and the purpose of reference.
• Salutation – Include proper salutation to the recipient while starting to write this letter.
• Body of the reference email – The whole body of the reference email should be of 2-3 paragraphs and not exceeding this. The first paragraph should contain information about how you have had the pleasure of knowing the referred person and your capability to refer them to the position or school they are applying to. In the next paragraph, you can provide instances and more description of the attributes and qualifications of the individual. In the concluding paragraph, say that you «highly recommend» the person or state your confidence in him. You can also mention your contact details for any future clarifications.
• Suitable closing – Providing a closing to the reference email in a professional way, such as “Sincerely” is highly important to ensure your professionalism.
• End with a signature – Ensure to provide your signature that should include your name, company, and other relevant details.

A sample to email

Dear Divkar,

[Name of the referred person] has closely worked with me at [Name of your organization] for [number] years. Although [he/she] got associated with as an intern, [his/her] remarkable attributes convinced us to promote [him/her] as [Job designation of the referred person].
[He/She] received many accolades while working at our company, thanks to [his/her] friendly and innovative nature. [He/She] took the initiative to complete complex projects and worked continuously in the development of [his/her] team. [Name of the referred person] is imbibed with organizational skills, proper technical knowledge, and hardworking capabilities that make [him/her] stand out from the rest.
I confidently refer [Name of the referred person] for the [job position in the company that he/she has applied]. [He/She] not only exhibits true customer and organizational abilities but also has the drive to take a company forward. Please feel free to contact me at [your contact number] and [your email address] for any further clarifications.

Sincerely,

Reference Letter Sample with Examples

Below, we have listed down some of the examples of recommendation letter for your information –