What Goes Into a Letter of Reference?

by Naomi Millburn

At some point during your career, you might be asked to write a letter of reference for a colleague, assistant, intern or someone else. When you agree to writing a reference letter for someone, it's important to never be slapdash. Take time to craft an appropriate letter and make sure it includes all the right elements.

Get Some Background

Prior to writing the letter, talk to the person for whom you're giving a reference. Make sure you thoroughly understand his goals for the reference letter, whether it's for admission into a prestigious graduate school program or consideration for a new job. If you can keep the person's intent in mind as you're writing the letter, you'll likely have a smoother and more fluid experience.

Nature of Your Interaction

In writing a reference letter, you want to state your relationship with the person requesting it. If you were his boss for an entry-level public relations position for a few years, mention that. If you were the one who actually hired him, mention that, too. Specify exactly how long you've been acquainted with the person and in what capacity.

Job Description

Once you talk about how you know the individual, proceed to talk about any of his duties you were in charge of overseeing. Be extremely detailed here. Don't simply say you were his manager while he worked the front desk at a resort hotel. Talk about what he did in his role, whether it involved managing customer relations and handling grievances, directing phone calls or training brand new employees. If you knew the individual in an academic setting as an educator, for example, briefly discuss what courses you instructed him in.

Talk Successes

Get to the "meat" of the letter of reference by talking about the individual's successes and strengths. Perhaps he was voted employee of the year at the company, or helped the company land several coveted new clients. Be very precise when you discuss these things, as those reading your letter will probably be highly interested in this part. Next, transition to talking about the individual's greatest assets. If he is a tireless and determined worker, talk about that, then mention how he is always the last one to leave the office when a big project is going on. If he is skilled at remaining calm and focused under pressure, provide examples of how this trait led to a better performance for the company as a whole. Whether he is a good problem solver or an excellent public speaker, make his strengths crystal clear.

Letter Finale

Finish your letter of reference by succinctly summarizing key elements you mentioned about the individual. Then, say that you endorse the person for his desired goal. Never be ambiguous about that aspect. End the letter by typing out and signing your name.

Proper Presentation

The way you present the letter of reference is also important. Type your letter rather than hand writing it. The writing should appear as professional and neat as possible. Once you're done typing the letter, read it over several times to ensure clarity and proper flow of sentences and paragraphs. Keep your eyes open for grammar mistakes and misspelled words. As far as length goes, try to keep the letter to a single page. While you want to discuss all of the key components of the individual, you want to avoid rambling and losing the reader's interest.

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