How to Write a Letter of Recommendation With AI

A letter of recommendation can help you win your dream job.

It can highlight your unique abilities, showcase your working experience, and help you separate yourself from the crowd.

But, if you don’t optimize it properly, you might end up like all other candidates…

Buried under a pile of 100+ letters of recommendation.

In this post, you’ll discover everything about a letter of recommendation. And how to write one that wins the job or school position you’re applying for.

What Is a Letter of Recommendation?

A letter of recommendation or a reference is a letter describing your skills, qualifications, and professional experience. It helps the hiring managers see whether you’re a good fit for the company.

Also, it confirms all of the claims you included in your application.

You can see a recommendation sample below.

A recommendation letter usually comes from someone who worked with you, like.

1. Former employer
2. Professors
3. Coworkers

But you can also write one yourself.

What to Include in a Recommendation Letter?

A recommendation letter can separate you from other candidates and help you win the job position or college you’re trying to apply for.

But there is a huge difference between a good and bad recommendation letter.

(and if you don’t optimize it properly, it may destroy your chances.)

That’s why we are going to look at two recommendation letters - good and bad - and help you find out what to do and what to avoid.

Bad Recommendation Letter

A bad recommendation letter is generic, impersonal, and gives no details about a candidate. You can see an example of a bad recommendation letter below.

Avoid writing recommendation letters like these.

It gives the employer or the person in charge of hiring no insights about you. It doesn’t differentiate you from other candidates, either.

Literally, anybody could use it, making it totally useless.

Good Recommendation Letter

An excellent recommendation letter contains powerful and specific language and shows what makes you unique.

You can see an example of an excellent recommendation letter below.

As you can see, it flows nicely and gives detailed insights about the recommended person.

It highlights your strengths, separates you from other candidates, and shows the hiring manager why you are their best choice.

Tips for Writing a Strong Letter of Recommendation for Yourself

You will discover some of the best tips to help create a strong recommendation letter that makes you stand out from other candidates.

#1: Conduct Research

in-depth research is what makes or breaks the letter of recommendation.

This step alone will put you ahead of the competition and help you create a great letter of recommendation quickly.

Before you start writing, here are a few things to look at.

• Job description
• Resume
• Skills, qualifications, and accomplishments

This will help you see what the job involves and what things are relevant to the hiring staff.

You can then carefully highlight the critical skills, qualifications, or accomplishments and make your letter more personalized.

(which will significantly enhance your chances of getting hired.)

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#2: Be Specific

Make your reference letter ultra-specific.

Use real-life examples to illustrate why you are the best candidate, and choose powerful words instead of generic adjectives.

Get in the hiring manager's shoes - what are they interested in the most?

Include details that wouldn’t necessarily show up on your resume or application. Remember, your letter should help others to get to know you better.  

#3: Stay Positive

Avoid negative statements at all costs.

The recommendation letter should make you seem like the perfect fit - a strong contender with all of the necessary qualities.

Play your strengths, not your weaknesses.

#4: Keep it Formal & Concise

Giving enough information is fine, but don’t overwhelm the reader.

The recipient will likely have a pile of 100+ recommendation letters to read. They don’t have time for irrelevant information.

Therefore make sure everything you write in the recommendation letter is necessary.

Also, keep it formal and professional.

Check your grammar and spelling and use 12pt font size in either Arial or Times New Roman.

#5: Follow the Instructions

Follow any specific submission guidelines and align the reference letter to it. If the letter makes a good first impression, it will carry over to you.

Also, send it in time - don’t miss the deadline if you can.

(it is very unprofessional.)

The Format of a Letter of Recommendation

There is a specific format of a letter of recommendation to follow.

Following it will make you seem professional and prevent you from missing any necessary details. Here are the most important sections to include.

The Body of the Letter

Begin the letter with a statement of how you know the person you’re recommending. For instance, you can start with:

“I had the pleasure of working with John for two years on a data analysis project I ran.”

That way, the relationship between you and the person you recommend is clear from the beginning. After that, continue the body of the letter with these points:

Demonstrating the candidate's skills

Come up with a compelling story or an incident that gives more details about a candidate's strengths, intellect, or leadership ability.

This demonstration should be relevant to the job or school the candidate is applying for.

Describing personality

Talk about the way a candidate interacts with others.

Tell the hiring manager how they handle problems and difficult situations, and showcase the candidate’s ability to always find a solution.

This is more about character traits rather than skills.

Expressing the impression

Express what is the most memorable about the candidate.

What makes this candidate stand out - is it the way he presents himself, her skill set, or something else?

Whatever it is, express the impression you have of a candidate.

Direct Recommendation

Conclude the reference letter with a direct recommendation.

You should write a sincere and specific statement recommending the student to a specific college, university, or job position.

The Closing

Encourage the college or office to contact you with further questions. Close with “Best regards,” and include your contact information.

How to Write a Letter of Recommendation for a Student

In this section, you’ll see real-life examples of letters of recommendation to inspire you. We will also share a few templates you can steal.

That way, you can create an exceptional letter of recommendation in a few minutes.

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... for a Student Applying to University

This is one of the most common types of recommendation letters. With this type of letter, you should include things like.

1. Academic information
2. Addressed person
3. Professional relationship

Here is a sample to get inspired.

... for Grad School

A graduate school recommendation letter endorses a candidate for admission into an advanced degree program.

The recommendation letter can support the candidate’s information in their application. 

(and potentially increase their chances of being chosen.)

Here is a sample to get inspired by.

... for Masters Program

A letter of recommendation for a master's is a crucial document they will be required to apply.

Most universities ask students to submit at least two or three letters of recommendation. 

Here is a sample to get you inspired.

... for Medical School

Medicine is an incredibly competitive field, so letters of recommendation will be a deciding factor in whether they will be admitted to a medical school.

Most medical schools require at least three letters from professors to accompany an application.

Here is a sample to get you inspired.

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... for Law School

The recommendations provide law school admissions committees with official proof of a candidate's credentials, skills, and work ethic.

(and help with choosing the right students for admission.)

Here is a sample to get you started.

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... for a Scholarship

To convince a scholarship committee that a student deserves the scholarship you must go beyond stating how great their personal character is.

Demonstrate precisely what makes them a unique, outstanding applicant. 

Here is a sample to get you started.

... for a Sorority

A sorority recommendation letter is a social resume typically issued to support a person applying for particular sorority membership.

The main purpose of the document is to demonstrate the most favorable characteristics and accomplishments of the applicant. 

Thus, the sorority administration can know who they admit to the community.

Here is a sample to get you inspired.

... for a Teacher

A recommendation letter for a teacher is a must-have.

Including helpful, relevant information about the candidate’s ability to lead and teach people in your recommendation can make the best possible impact.

Here is a sample to get you started.

... for an Eagle Scout

Alongside the learning curricula, schools offer scouting activities for their students. The aim is to prepare young people to make moral and ethical decisions over their lifetime. 

When your paths cross with a scout, chances are high that they may want you to recommend them for the highest rank as a scout - the Eagle Scout. 

Writing a good recommendation letter helps them in achieving their dream.

Here is a sample to get you started.

... for a Student Applying to a Job

This type of letter of recommendation is similar to a previous one.

But there are a few major differences that you should be aware of. Mainly it’s about shifting your focus from the academic standpoint to a real-life job.

Instead of including things such as:

1. Great marks
2. No absence
3. Great understanding of lectures

Try to transform these into useful qualities for a job, such as.

1. Ambitious
2. Disciplined
3. Fast learner

That alone will make a huge difference in making a candidate more successful.

Here is a sample to get inspired.

How to Write a Professional Letter of Recommendation

A professional letter of recommendation is usually for an employee, employer, or coworker. 

Here are things to include in a professional letter of recommendation:

1. Work accomplishments
2. Work habits
3. Professional relationship

All of these are important since they can help decide the hiring manager if the candidate is the right fit for the job.

Let’s now look at different types of recommendation letters you can write.

Letter of Recommendation for an Employee

You, as an employer, can give the most honest recommendation about the candidate. Even if you have a few discrepancies, try to only bring the positives.

There is no need to hurt or lower the chances of your ex-employee getting hired.

Here is a sample to get inspired.

Letter of Recommendation for a Coworker

You have a unique relationship with your coworkers that are very different from employers.

That gives you an opportunity to talk about the candidate’s team spirit, the way he handles difficult situations, and his overall character and personality.

Here is a sample to get inspired.

Letter of Recommendation for an Award

Writing a nomination letter is an honor - someone thinks your opinion is precious. 

Of course, before you make a recommendation, you must ensure you truly believe this person deserves the award.

(since you’re putting your name behind the recommendation.)

Here is a sample to get you started.

How to Write a Letter of Recommendation for Residency

In this section, you’ll discover the most important recommendation letters for residency such as recommendations for immigrants or renters.

For Residency

Getting a good recommendation is a crucial part of the ERAS® residency application process. It’s an opportunity to showcase your talents and let your chosen residency program know if you are the right fit for their team. 

Here is a sample to get you inspired.

For Immigration

A reference letter for immigration is written on behalf of someone to support their immigration application or another associated proceeding.

The purpose of this letter is to tilt the balance in the immigrant’s favor by highlighting positive personal characteristics.

(things like morality, trustworthiness, and work ethic.)

Here is a sample to get you inspired.

Letter of Recommendation for Renters

A recommendation letter for renters is usually requested by previous tenants.

While not all landlords request a letter of recommendation from a tenant’s previous landlord, they may if the tenant does not have a long credit history or is an international tenant without a social security number. 

Here is a sample to get you inspired.

How to Write a Letter of Recommendation to a Judge

Legal letters of recommendations like writing to a judge or requesting a parol must be written with the utmost quality.

They are incredibly critical and can change the life of the person you’re recommending. 

A recommendation letter to a judge is designed to show support for a defendant in a criminal case. These letters have the potential to influence the court and may even impact the ultimate sentence in a criminal case. 

For this reason, these letters should be carefully drafted to maximize their utility.

Here are a few tips for writing a recommendation letter to a judge:

1. Establish your credibility
2. Describe the defendant
3. Talk only about positives

Here is a template to steal.

Letter of Recommendation for Parole

Letters from friends, family, and co-workers can increase an offender’s chances of being granted parole.

Intelligently written parole letters attesting to the offender’s character, reformation, and plans to improve their life will be read by the parole panel and may make the difference between release and denial.

Here is a template to steal.

Personal Letter of Recommendation 

A personal reference is someone who knows you personally rather than from working with you or knowing you professionally.

This means that these people can give more profound and genuine recommendations.

Every great personal recommendation should include.

1. Your relationship
2. Candidate’s personal details
3. Summary

Here is a sample to get inspired.

As you can see, it goes much deeper than a professional letter of recommendation. It gives you insights a professional recommendation can’t deliver.

... for a Friend

A letter of recommendation for a friend summarizes your personal experience with the characteristics and skills that qualify them for the position.

These letters are common for candidates who are seeking their first jobs. 

Here is a letter to get you inspired.

... for Yourself

You don’t necessarily need another person to recommend you. In fact, you can write a solid letter of recommendation yourself.

Here is a recommendation template you can steal.

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How to Ask Someone to Write a Letter of Recommendation

It’s great to write recommendation letters.

But how can you ask for one when you need it yourself? That’s what you are going to discover in this section.

#1: Choose the Right Person

The most effective recommendation will come from those who know you well and can speak to your character on a personal level.

Make a list of several people who you could ask for a recommendation.

If you ask a former coworker, choose someone with more years of professional experience than you. They’ll be able to endorse you with greater authority.

#2: Prepare the Details

Make it easy for the person recommending you to highlight your accomplishments and personal strengths.

Create a list of all of your accomplishments, strengths, and qualifications.

It might feel a little awkward to brag about yourself; this is the time to show off your hard work.

#3: Ask for a Recommendation

Sit down with a person you’re asking for a recommendation.

Give more details about the job you’re applying for, remind them of the great experiences you shared, and show them why they are the best person to help you.

#4: Follow Up

Don’t miss the deadline for submitting the letter of recommendation. Follow up with the person writing the recommendation to remind them about it. 

This is also an excellent opportunity to thank them for writing the letter.

And offer to send any additional information they need.

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Conclusion

A letter of recommendation can be an excellent way to get into your dream university.

Moreover, it can help you get the desired job and completely change your future. But that’s only true if you know what you’re doing.

(if you mess it up, it will completely reverse your chances.)

So let’s make sure it won’t get to that!

Follow the advice we shared in this post, steal the highly successful templates we provided, and write the best letter of recommendation right now...