You have been requested by your friend to write a recommendation letter for him, and though you have agreed, you are confused as to what points you should include in it. If this rings true in your case, this Penlighten article will give you proper guidelines telling you how to go about it.
Usually, when a person applies for a job or seeks admission into a University, he is expected to get a recommendation letter from his former employer or a college professor. However, people who are just beginning their career or have not attended college may find it difficult to get one. Here, some written help from a friend can come to the rescue. A recommendation letter written by a close friend is also known as a character reference letter.
Sometimes, some companies have been known to ask for a character recommendation letter along with one written by a former employer to understand the person better. The person who writes it highlights the qualities and positive attributes of his friend who he is recommending. So, if you have been assigned this task, here are some tips that will help you.
Tips While Writing
As this kind of recommendation letter is written for a friend, it should be written in a less formal manner. It must not be very elaborate, but should be precise and straightforward. The writer should begin by introducing himself and mention the relationship he shares with the applicant, and cite the number of years/months of knowing the applicant.
You can continue the letter by talking about your friend’s qualities and traits, which should be divided into small paragraphs. As this letter is supposed to have a personal touch, it is important to make it a little subjective in order to make the reader believe that what you have written is genuine and sincere. You can use stories and anecdotes that throw light on your friend’s good qualities that you have spoken about in the letter. In other words, don’t hesitate to share incidents and experiences that you have had with your friend.
You can conclude your letter with emphasizing the trust and faith that you have in your friend, and actually recommend your friend for that particular position or admission.
Some Crucial Components
Apart from the points mentioned above, there are some more things that you have to keep in mind while writing a recommendation letter. Given below are some crucial things you must take care of.
- A character recommendation letter should be written for a person who you know very well. If the person is just an acquaintance, refuse politely, so that he may go to some other person who might do a better job.
- While writing, concentrate only on his positive attributes. The writer should remember that this is going to help a person secure a job or admission, and should not contain even the slightest negative remark against him.
- Another important thing you must keep in mind is that the recommendation letter should be a genuine effort. In other words, whatever you write about your friend should be truthful and sincere. Nothing in the letter should be written just for the heck of it.
Sample Recommendation Letter
Though the above points will definitely help you in writing a reference letter, there may be some who may still be confused. Hence, here is a sample that will make things clearer.
| To Whomsoever It May Concern,
I am honored to write a reference letter for my friend Dave Princeton whom I have known since the past 12 years. Dave and me met at our first year in Wisconsin University, and later we also worked together for five years at Gracia Enterprises. Dave is a true optimist, and it is his positive attitude that helps him accomplish whatever task he has been assigned. Dave is a complete go-getter, who will go that extra mile to give his best to any project undertaken. Moreover, he is an excellent team leader, as he not only makes sure that the projects are completed on time, but also encourages his team members to put in their very best efforts. Above all his professional qualities and achievements, the thing that I admire the most in Dave is that he is a good human being. His helpful nature is not restricted to matters of studies or work, but is extended to personal matters too. Dave is a good listener, and this makes people approach him with their problems, which he solves with intelligence and care. For all these reasons, I would definitely recommend Dave for any job that requires enthusiasm, hard work, honesty, and perfection. If you need to know any more about Dave Princeton, please feel free to contact me on 470-4583-234. Sincerely, James Drew |
Once you have written the letter, check it thoroughly for grammatical and spelling errors. You can also choose to ask your friend to go through it once before sending it.
