I recently had a good friend of mine ask me to write her a reference letter. I was more than willing to do so; however, because it has been a hot minute since I’ve written one, I did have to give myself a brief refresher course with the assistance of Google.
Seeing as reference letters are relevant to most of us in the context of applying for jobs, I thought I would write a post describing how to go about composing them. It isn’t complicated, and, in fact, the format for a reference letter is relatively straightforward. Check out the following information from indeed.com.
“Professional reference letter format
“Most reference letters follow this basic format:
“Salutation
- In the salutation, address the recipient of the letter by name if you have their name or by title if you know it. Include the date.
“Introduction paragraph
- The first paragraph under the salutation should provide the reader with context. Provide your name, the applicant’s name and how you’re connected. Describe the specifics of your relationship and how long you’ve known each other.
“Accomplishments paragraph
- Describe your experience working with or supervising the applicant. Consider including a specific anecdote that highlights one of the applicant’s particularly stellar achievements and that relates directly to the position or opportunity for which they’re applying.
“Qualifications paragraph
- In the final body paragraph, provide specific skills, knowledge and qualities the candidate has that make them an excellent choice for the position or opportunity.
“Conclusion
- Conclude by explicitly offering your recommendation for the applicant with a final summary describing why they’re a strong choice for the role.
“Signature
- Close the letter with your formal signature and contact information, including your phone number and email address,” the web page explains.
There are a few different types of reference letters, but most of them abide by this format.
Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash
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