A recommendation letter or letter of recommendation is a letter in which the writer assesses the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the person being recommended in terms of that individual’s ability to perform a particular task or function. Recommendation letters are almost always specifically requested to be written about someone, and are therefore addressed to a particular requestor. Letters of recommendation are typically employment-related, college program admission-related, or scholarship eligibility-related.
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Types of recommendation letters
- Employment letter
- These recommendation letters are normally requested by a previous employee who is applying for a promotion or a job with another company. The letters are written by the supervisor who is most familiar with the subject's abilities and work ethic.
- College/University admission letter
- These are often required by college and university programmes as part of the application procedure. The letters (of which are normally required at least two) can be submitted by any person in an authoritative position who has first-hand knowledge of the applicant's scholastic aptitude and potential (e.g. teachers, clergy, or employers).
- Commendation and recognition letters
- These letters are written in order to praise the subject for going above and beyond his/her normal course of duties. For this reason, they are not typically required by potential employers or schools, but they are helpful. They can also serve to nominate a person for a special recognition or award.
- Performance evaluation letters
- Some companies have regular performance evaluation reviews for each of their employees. An aspect of the review might be a letter written by the employees' supervisor and placed in the employee's personnel file.
Recommendation vs reference
The term "recommendation letter" is often used interchangeably with the term "reference letter"; however, there is a difference between the two types. Letters of recommendation are very specific in nature and normally requested/required and are always specifically addressed to an individual, whereas letters of reference are more general in nature and usually addressed to "Whom It May Concern".
Other resources
Books
- Fawcett, Shaun. Instant Recommendation Letter Kit – How To Write Winning Letters of Recommendation (Revised Edition). 2005. ISBN 0-9736265-4-2
- Whalley, Susan. How to Write Powerful Letters of Recommendation. 2001. ISBN 1-930572-05-0
