On the other side of the transaction, if you have been asked by a friend to create a personal letter of recommendation for him or her, use our downloadable and printable references as your guide during the creation of the specified document.

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33+ Sample Personal Letters of Recommendation

What Is a Personal Letter of Recommendation?

Businesses develop a verification of employment and letter of recommendation template or a confirmation of employment and letter of recommendation template if they need to ensure another company that an applicant truly previously worked for them and that they recommend the person to whom the document is for due to his exemplary work performance and behavior. Aside from recommendation letters made by organizations, companies, and professionals, there are also examples of this document that are developed by close friends and acquaintances.

A personal letter of recommendation for a friend works in the same manner as that of a recommendation letter made by professionals and business entities. The only difference between the two is that the latter is made by a person who does not have any personal or private relationships and connections with the candidate or applicant who will use the letter of recommendation for his or her application. Making a letter of recommendation is a responsibility or a duty in itself. Whether you are making it for a co-employee, a previous student, or a friend, it is of utmost importance for you to reserve your time and exert your efforts so you can have an impressive document that any of the specified entities can benefit from.

Selecting the best reference to write you a personal letter of recommendation can be very useful. If you are one of those references whom a friend has trusted to write a recommendation letter for him or her and you have accepted the request, make sure that you will do your job appropriately. Make sure that you will be one of the keys that can contribute to the successes of your friend for a given undertaking where the personal letter of recommendation will be used. Do you want to begin the creation of a personal letter of recommendation for a friend by now? Optimize our editable templates and printable samples so you can have amazing references on-hand any time you plan to make a particular personal letter of recommendation.

How to be Objective When Writing a Personal Letter of Recommendation for a Friend

Whether you will get a thank you letter for recommendation or not, it is still essential for you to give your time and efforts when making a personal letter of recommendation. Think of this activity or undertaking as a responsibility that you have accepted and must deliver excellently. Even if you are writing the letter of recommendation for a person that is close to your heart, it is still important for you to remain unbiased and objective as you create the document. Here are some ways on how you can as objective and as honest as possible when writing a personal letter of recommendation for a friend:

Focus on the capabilities, skills, talents, deliverables, and other strengths of your friend that you are aware of rather than on the relationship that you have with him or her.Give an idea about the times where you have seen for yourself how your friend resolved an issue, gave answers to concerns, and/or provided solutions to certain problems may it be in the community, the workplace, or any environment where he or she has been immersed in.Give credits only when it is due so you can provide relevant and useful information without padding the personal letter of recommendation for a friend.Try to review several personal letters of recommendation for a friend and see how other people wrote the document as this can help you find strategies and tactics which can make the letter of recommendation that you are making both transparent and realistic.As much as possible, try to veer away from the relationship alone and highlight how you believe in the potential that your friend has based on his or her qualities, characteristics, behavior, and ethics.It will be best if you will not copy the content specification of any other personal letter of recommendation as you have to make sure that all the details of your recommendation letter are based on your own thoughts, insights, and observations.

Basic Elements of a Comprehensive Personal Letter of Recommendation for a Friend

Your personal letter of recommendation for a friend must have relevant and informative content. The completion and clarity of your discussion can provide an impression to the screening committee, and all you would like to happen is for that impression to be great and beneficial for your friend. It is essential for you to have an idea about the standard elements that you need to work on and/or put together so you can develop a complete and appealing personal letter of recommendation. The basic elements that your comprehensive personal letter of recommendation for a friend should have are as follows:

The statement of your personal recommendation The qualities of your friend that convinced you to recommend him or herThe duration of time that you have known your friendThe environment where you usually interact with your friend to whom the personal letter of recommendation is forThe key points of your personal recommendationThe circumstances, instances, and other supporting details that can prove the key points of your personal recommendation

When to Develop a Personal Letter of Recommendation

Contrary to popular belief that a personal letter of recommendation for a friend is inefficient and ineffective when compared to a recommendation letter made by a professional, the former document can actually strengthen one’s candidacy or application as long as you play your cards well. Knowing how to properly develop a personal letter of recommendation for a given situation can help you create a document that can surely be beneficial for your friend. Here are the instances when you can develop a personal letter of recommendation:

When a friend is applying for a work position: You can use a personal recommendation of employee template if you and your friend are workmates at some point in time. Having a personal recommendation can work for this circumstance as you have known the applicant on both personal and professional set-ups.When a friend needs a recommendation from a character reference for graduate school admissions application: If you are asked by a friend to write a letter of recommendation for graduate school, you have to align your expertise with the field of advanced study that he or she wants to enter. Ensuring that you are credible enough to make a recommendation can balance the fact that you are friends with the person whom you are recommending.When a friend is trying to enter an organization or any other group where a recommendation from an existing member is necessary: A personal letter of recommendation is very common if a person wants to be a member or be a part of some non-profit organization. Especially for charity- and volunteering-centered groups where a huge amount of money needs to be handled for projects and programs, it is very understandable if it is required or needed for a person to be recommended for his or her credibility and/or expertise by a friend who is already a member of the same organization.When a friend is one of the candidates who are up for promotion: Going back to the workplace, you can create a personal letter of recommendation for a friend who is competing with other employees who have the potential to be promoted. Whether you are in the same position with your friend or you are in a higher work post, using a personal letter of recommendation can be very effective since you are aware of the work performance of your friend on a daily basis.

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8 Steps for Writing an Impressive Personal Letter of Recommendation for a Friend

Writing a personal letter of recommendation for a friend comes with its own challenges, obstacles, and hardships. However, following a reliable process of recommendation letter development can make the matter at hand lighter and easier. Do you want to create a personal letter of recommendation for a friend that has an amazing potential of impressing the screening committee or any other entities who will look at the document and review its content? Below are eight steps that can give you the reference that you need for writing an impressive personal letter of recommendation for a friend.

1Look for the best template which you can use a reference in relation to the proper formatting and content placement development of your personal letter of recommendation for a friend.2Include all the information that are commonly found in a standard business letter which includes the date when the letter has been made or written, an inside address, and a salutation or a greeting.3Focus on the development of the body of the personal letter of recommendation for a friend by using a checklist or a draft that can provide you with a comprehensive list of all the items that you need to present in an organized manner.4Create a strong introduction that can positively impact the impression of the screening committee by presenting who you are, giving an idea about your credentials or background, stating your intention to recommend an individual, and specifying the relationship that you have with the friend whom you are recommending.5On the next paragraphs, write all the reasons that made you decide to recommend your friend which may include your friend’s potential to succeed if he or she will be given the chance to be accepted or hired by an organization, your friend’s expertise and abilities that are aligned with the operations or activities of the organization, and your friend’s character and qualities based on how you have known him or her within a given time period.6Do not forget to list down a number of scenarios, activities, programs, and circumstances that can showcase the validity of all the key items of your recommendation.7End your recommendation letter with a memorable statement and make sure that you can positively add up to the decision making factors that the screening committee will consider and look into.8Use a complimentary close and sign the personal letter of recommendation for a friend document.

Benefits of Having a Personal Letter of Recommendation

Some people tend to shy away from making a letter of recommendation if it is for someone whom they have a personal connection with. This should actually not be the case as you can still create a personal letter of recommendation for a friend without any biases. Do you want to know how an excellent personal letter of recommendation can be very helpful for a friend who needs it? Some of the many benefits of having a personal letter of recommendation are as follows:

A personal letter of recommendation can help the screening committee get the perspective of another entity outside the professional circle of the candidate or applicant.A personal letter of recommendation can highlight the character of an individual rather than just focusing on his or her expertise, professional experiences, and deliverable.A personal letter of recommendation can give an idea about the kind of relationships that an individual involves himself or herself in which is very important when it comes to promoting and building a healthy environment.A personal letter of recommendation can provide a more in-depth review of how an individual, as well as his or her potential, is perceived by entities who are close to him or her.

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Do’s and Don’ts for Making a Personal Letter of Recommendation for a Friend

Whether it is a letter of recommendation for graduate school or any other type of recommendation letter that you will create for your friend, you need to make sure that you will only specify the items that you are sure and knowledgeable of. Yes, it is your responsibility to help your friend with his or her application or candidacy since you already accepted the request of developing a personal letter of recommendation for them. However, it is not your duty to lie, falsify details, and provide incorrect information just to make your friend marketable. Hence, it is very important for you to be mindful of the development of the specified document. Are you familiar with any tips or guidelines which can be incorporated in your personal letter of recommendation for a friend development efforts? The do’s and don’ts for making a personal letter of recommendation for a friend include the following:

Do make sure that you have a reliable and suitable pre-formatted letter of recommendation template on-hand so you can be guided accordingly as you develop the layout of the personal letter of recommendation that you will make.Do admit that you are writing the letter of recommendation for your friend but assure the screening committee that you will be as honest and as transparent as possible so you can give a credible recommendation.Do look into the organization of your discussion flow so you can clearly present your thoughts about your friend who needs the recommendation.Do review the requirements and other instructions of the business, organization, or any other entity who will review the personal letter of recommendation so you can consider these items as you make the document.Do make your personal letter of recommendation for a friend very comprehensive, specific, and in-depth so you can showcase the strengths and potential of your friend in the best manner.Do ensure that your personal letter of recommendation is as believable as possible by providing evidence and discussing instances that can give an idea of how realistic your claims are.Do not include any falsified information in the personal letter of recommendation as this can negatively impact the candidacy of your friend rather than make him or her stand out.

Your personal letter of recommendation for a friend should be well-developed. To help you create the best personal letter of recommendation for a friend who needs one, we suggest you make the most out of the availability and usage of our downloadable templates and samples. All the references in this post can be used as a guide during all the stages of your document development process.