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How
to Write a Letter of Recommendation for an Employee
or Colleague.
Congratulations.
You’ve been asked to write a letter of recommendation
for an employee or colleague. This person values your
opinion of him or her, and you’d be glad to help
them advance. The problem is you’re unsure of what
to say or how to say it! Here are four tips to keep
in mind when preparing your recommendation.
1.
Ask the employee about the new position they are applying
for. What types of job duties are involved? What sort
of characteristics are they looking for in a good employee?
In your letter, describe certain instances where this
employee or colleague really shined – such as staying
late to complete a mission-critical project, working
diligently to help a customer make a product decision,
providing thorough technical support or service, and
so on. These specific situations have more effect on
the person doing the hiring than general run-of-the-mill
phrases like “terrific manager”, “enthusiastic
worker” and so on.
2.
Use powerful statements that really show your depth
of knowledge about the person. A description like “X
is a keen observer who knows how to make customers act
and is there with them every step of the way if they
are hesitant or have questions” gives a true, in-depth
knowledge of the person in a way that a casual letter
may not.
3.
Print off five letters of reference on company stationery
and give them to the recipient. This gives your colleague
or coworker additional letters for any other positions
that he or she may be applying for in the future, and
saves you from having to write them if the request comes
around again! If you know it, put the address of the
company to whom the letter is being sent, as well as
the name of the person in Human Resources who will be
collecting and organizing these reference letters. A
personalized greeting is far better than a general “To
Whom It May Concern” salutation. For the other
four copies, leave the address area blank so that the
employee can use them for other job opportunities that
arise.
4.
If you’re really stuck on what to write, or simply
don’t have time, ask the person requesting the
reference to write a letter about themselves in their
own words and you’ll sign it for them. This is
a great time-saver and a perfect idea if you’re
struggling to put the right words on paper.
If
you keep these four tips in mind, writing a letter of
recommendation will not only come easier to you, but
it will let the person receiving the letter know how
much you value them as an employee or colleague, and
will help them feel more confident when they move on
to the next step – the interview. Good luck!
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