What makes a good recommendation

Who should you ask to write you a letter of recommendation? The answer depends on what you need the letter for. Teachers, school counselors, extracurricular activity coaches or sponsors, and principals can write a recommendation letter if you are applying to an undergraduate program, If you are applying to a graduate program, you should ask your college professors, internship supervisors, or work superiors or colleagues to vouch for you.

Recommendations from job supervisors or managers strengthen applications for MBA programs. Before you ask anyone to write you a recommendation letter, you should make sure that they feel comfortable and confident in recommending you.

They should know you and how you work reasonably well. Remember, friends, family members, or juniors are all examples of who you should never ask to write you a recommendation letter. Like this way, you can avoid the appearance of bias. It backs up descriptions of your qualifications with examples. You want your letters of recommendation to demonstrate that you not only possess good qualities but also apply them.

Let us compare the following two examples:. The second gives a clear example of how Sukrit functions in a team environment. If Sukrit is applying for a job where he needs to work in a team, this letter shows that he has what it takes to succeed.

Ask the individual if there are any special skills or situations that should be included in the recommendation. Ask questions to confirm the individual's competence in what they do and their credibility, beyond what you know through your firsthand experience with the person.

Focus on the initiative, integrity, dedication, and drive that the individual has to succeed. Use descriptive language , being sure to provide examples specific to the individual where possible. Avoid vague compliments and try to provide as many specific details as possible. Keep things relatively simple in the letter, especially if you will be providing a general letter of recommendation to someone who may be planning on using the letter more than once.

By keeping the letter simple, the person will be able to submit the same letter for multiple jobs or scholarships without having to ask for customized letters for each application. A recommendation letter should always be sincere and honest. Check the letter carefully for spelling, typographical and grammatical errors before you send it out.

This is important for all business correspondence , but especially so with a recommendation letter. There are several examples below to consider. This sample letter illustrates how to write a job recommendation for someone you know on a personal level.

This is an example of a letter written to recommend someone for a college scholarship. Writing a recommendation letter is a big responsibility, but reviewing some recommendation letter examples can help you feel more confident about completing the task.

A recommendation should always be personalized, but these samples can provide some inspiration for creating a concise and accurate description of the individual's qualifications. For more guidance, see examples of letters and what to include in them.

Be sure to open your letter with an appropriate salutation. All rights reserved. How to Write a Recommendation: Format A recommendation letter or memo is designed to testify to the skills and abilities of an individual. Generally, it is a smart idea to solicit letters of recommendation from teachers in whose class es you performed strongly. If you have an infallible track record of on-time assignments, insightful contributions to class discussions, and good test scores, your teacher will likely be eager to convey your smarts and diligence to an admissions committee.

A letter is even stronger if it can communicate both aptitude and passion. A letter from a teacher of a subject you both did well in and thoroughly enjoyed can be doubly effective. Not only can this teacher speak to your competence in the classroom, but also your intellectual vitality and love of learning: two characteristics that are highly prized in college admissions.

The above is especially true if the class in question is related to the subject you hope to major in. You demonstrate academic skill and passion in your potential field of concentration, which signals to colleges that you will make a valuable addition to that department at their school. Being able to showcase specifically what you would bring to a university makes for an effective letter. If you choose a teacher like this to write a recommendation, you may want to schedule a meeting or otherwise make an effort to spend more time with them perhaps during lunch or breaks and communicate some of your interests, passions, and opinions.

The proof of your dedication may be more impressive to admissions committees than you think. Your teacher probably greatly appreciated to work you put into his or her class, and chances are, adcoms will too.

Though they may not be as direct a measure for evaluating reading comprehension or problem solving skills as a standardized test score, they do allow admissions committees to understand students on a personal level in a way SAT scores never could. For example, rather than simply stating that a candidate is a strong writer, mention that they wrote a prize-winning essay. If someone has achieved awards or special recognition for their accomplishments, mention it.

When writing a specific letter referring a candidate for a particular job opening, the recommendation letter should include information on how the candidate's skills match the position they are applying for.

Ask for a copy of the job posting and a copy of the person's resume, so you can target your recommendation letter accordingly. Try to use keywords from the job listing in your recommendation. The letter should include your contact information for follow-up.

Finally, be prepared to answer questions about your endorsement of the candidate. This recommendation letter template shows the format of a typical letter of recommendation , with details on what to include in each paragraph of your letter. Salutation If you are writing a personal recommendation letter , include a salutation Dear Dr.

Williams, Dear Ms. Miller, etc. If you are writing a general letter, say " To Whom it May Concern " or simply don't include a salutation. Paragraph 1 — Introduction The first paragraph of the recommendation letter explains the purpose of the letter, as well as your connection to the person you are recommending, including how you know them, and for how long. Paragraph 2 — Details The second paragraph of the recommendation letter contains specific information on the person you are writing about, including why they are qualified, and what they can contribute.

If necessary, use more than one paragraph to provide details. Paragraph 3 — Summary This section of the recommendation letter contains a brief summary of why you are recommending the person.

State that you "highly recommend" the person or that you "recommend without reservation" or something similar. Paragraph 4 — Conclusion The concluding paragraph of the recommendation letter contains an offer to provide more information. You can include a phone number within this paragraph.

Another option is to include a phone number and email address in the return address section or signature of the letter.