When you want to start building your career, you try getting a decent job in a position that suits you. As you draft your resume, you begin to think of ways on how to look the best to your potential employers. Part of the process of essentially trying to sell yourself to those companies is by having a well-written character reference letter along with your completed resume. Since a reference letter serves as a third-party account of your personal attributes and traits, you can only hope that the letter is properly written by an internship colleague or a friend, because this can make or break your fledgling career in a snap. A great letter can help you achieve the dreams you want and let your budding career have a head start; a bad reference letter is worse than having none written at all. But as long as you feel that you’ve done good to them, worrying about the letter written about yourself will just be at the bottom of your list. This article will provide you with steps on how to prepare a reference letter in case you end up having the need to write one for your colleague or friend.
By definition, a reference letter is a document that serves as a positive endorsement of an individual’s skills and attributes, and it is written by someone who is familiar with their work, accomplishments, and who they are as a person. While other documents such as resumes focus on an individual’s professional qualifications, a reference letter is more personal and focuses on an individual’s characteristics that can help them perform well in a job. This document is most often used whenever a company hires someone to ensure that the candidate possesses the qualities that the company is looking for. Other situations that necessitate a reference letter include applying for internships, volunteer positions, college universities, and graduate school programs.
As stated earlier, a reference letter could make or break somebody’s career. So, here are some of the elements that you need to include if you aim to write an effective reference letter for your friend or colleague:
Here are a few pointers to remember when writing an effective reference letter:
The process of writing a reference letter can sometimes be prone to mistakes or can contain things that can be easily overlooked. Here are some examples:
A reference letter, sometimes called a character reference or a personal reference letter, helps give the employers or recruiters an insight into a candidate or applicant’s personality and traits. It also helps them understand whether they would be a good fit for the organization or the academic institute. With that being said, here are the steps you can follow if you’re asked to provide a letter for someone:
Begin writing the reference letter with a simple greeting and address the recruiter/manager with their full name, such as “Dear Mr./Mrs. Firstname Lastname”. If you do not know the manager’s name, you can simply write in place “Dear Hiring Manager”. If the individual you are writing for is applying at an academic institute, you can simply write “Dear Admissions Committee”. If for some reason the reference letter isn’t addressed to anyone, you can simply put “To Whom It May Concern”. You can also choose to skip the salutations and immediately proceed to the introductory paragraph, although having greetings is more recommended.
This element of the reference letter should clearly explain how you are connected to the person you are recommending. This includes how you know that person, how many years or months you have known them, and the reason why you are qualified to write a reference letter on their part. It is also important to include the name of the company or the academic institution as well as the job or the opportunity that the individual is applying for.
This is the main element of the reference letter. In writing this part, remember that it should contain the necessary information about the individual that you are writing about. This includes the reasons why they are qualified and the qualities that they could contribute to the company or institute. You can also provide more than one paragraph to further explain the details. You should also write about specific instances in which the individual has used the skills you listed that are relevant to the position being applied. An example would be listing an individual’s leadership excellence qualities if he/she is vying for a top job.
In writing this element of the reference letter, you can reiterate that you fully vouch for the individual you are writing for. It is also recommended that you provide your own contact details in case the hiring manager or a member of the admissions committee decides to reach out to you for further inquiries regarding the reference letter. This is also recommended in case they want to contact you for verbal recommendations. Once everything is said and done, don’t forget to affix your full name and signature to the document.
Keep in mind that in writing a reference letter, the length should be more than one or two paragraphs at most. It is also important to keep it concise, so you need to try and fit every detail within a single page. A letter too short may suggest unfamiliarity with the individual being endorsed or an improperly written letter.
Examples of individuals who can be great character references are coworkers, clients, customers, coaches, a business acquaintance, a personal or a professional mentor, and so on. It is important that the person you choose as a character reference is able to speak to your attributes that relate to the position or industry that you are applying for. Choosing a family member as a reference such as a spouse or an in-law is generally not recommended because their recommendations are considered objective and may not be taken seriously.
At a given point in your professional career, someone may task you with writing a reference letter. This article also provides examples of effective reference letters so when that time comes, you already know how to prepare one. Your support will make a massive difference, and as said earlier, a reference letter can make or break someone’s career, so ensure that you really know the applicant that you are writing the letter for, to ensure maximum effectiveness of the document.
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