Recommendation Letter for Friend

A letter of recommendation (or reference letter) is a document designed to add extra weight and merit to a job or college application. They are usually written by a supervisor, colleague, teacher, or friend. There are various different types of recommendation letters, but the three main ones are those for employment, for university applications, and character references.

How do you write a recommendation letter for a friend?

• Start using the business letter format: put the recipient’s name and address, if known, and address them as “Dear [name]”. If the recipient is currently unknown (this would be likely on an academic application, for instance), then use “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To whom it may concern”.
• It is often helpful to introduce yourself in the first couple of lines of your letter. The recipient will not need your life history: just give a brief sentence or two explaining your position and your relationship to the candidate.
  Your next paragraph should confirm any facts which you know the candidate will be supplied along with your letter. For example, if you are writing a reference for a job applicant, some or all of these details may be appropriate:
  • The person’s job title, and role within the company.
  • The person’s leaving salary when they were last employed by you (or your organization).
  • The dates which the person was employed from and until.

• If you are writing a reference letter for an academic course, you will need to confirm the person’s academic grades.
• In your third paragraph, you should provide your judgment upon the candidate’s skills and qualities. It is often appropriate to state that you would gladly re-employ them, or that their contributions to your college class were highly valued. Single out any exceptional qualities that the candidate has – perhaps their drive and enthusiasm, their attention to detail, or their ability to lead.
• Where possible, use your fourth paragraph to give a couple of concrete examples of times when the candidate excelled. (You may want to ask the candidate to tell you about any extra-curricular projects they’ve been involved in, or invite them to highlight anything they’d particularly like you to include in the reference letter.)

When writing a reference letter, you may use the following content:

Salutation

For a formal email or letter, you want to use:

• To Whom It May Concern 
• Dear Mr./Ms. Name
  
• Dear {{Hiring Manager’s Name}}, 
  

Introduction

The first paragraph of the reference letter template explains your connection to the person you are recommending, including how you know them, and why you are qualified to write a reference letter to recommend employment or graduate school. 

• It is my pleasure and honor to recommend {{Name of Applicant}} for the role of {{Target Position}} at {{Target Company}}.
• {{Applicant}} has my highest recommendation for this position. I have no doubt she will make a strong addition to your team. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding her candidacy or past work.

BodyThe second paragraph of the reference letter template contains specific information on the person you are writing about, including why they are qualified, what they can contribute, and why you are providing a reference letter. If necessary, use more than one paragraph to provide details:

• {{Name}} also participated in several other smaller audits, including her instrumental role in the quarterly audit of {{organization}}, where she developed several Excel macros to audit the inputs.
• As {{Previous Position}}, {{Applicant}} demonstrated her {{2-3 detailed skills or experiences relevant to target position}}.  In particular, {{example 1 proving qualities. Moreover, {{example 2}}.
• What’s more, {{Applicant’s}} extraordinary {{1-2 positive personal qualities/traits relevant to target position}} always made her a stand-out member of the team. During {{X event/ project/ situation/ crisis/ etc.}}, she showcased her superb {{trait 1}} qualities to {{achieve positive result}}.
• He/She is highly competent, well-organized, outgoing, and an excellent communicator. {{Name}} redesigned the office scheduling system, which increased efficiency and improved communication for everyone involved. She completes all her work with warmth, insight, and professionalism
• {{Name}} has recently completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is understandably interested in a position that challenges her growing skills and abilities. 

ClosingWhen writing a specific letter referring a candidate for a particular job opening, the reference letter template will include information on how the person's skills match the position they are applying for. Ask for a copy of the job posting and a copy of the person's resume so you can target your reference letter accordingly. Then close with an appropriate salutation:

• We would gladly have hired {{Name}} upon graduation if he/she were open to working in the {{Location}} area.
• Sincerely and your name.
  
• Yours faithfully,
• Best Regards,
• Thanking you.
  
• Add 3-4 lines between your salutation and place the Signature
  

Enclosures:

If you’re adding extra documents as enclosures, be sure to note them in the Enclosures section of the letter at the end (see our sample).

After downloading this letter and filling in the blanks, you can easily customize the style, typography, details, and appearance of your Recommendation letter for a friend. If this isn't the right template that you are looking for, then certainly take a look at the other letters that Bizzlibrary.com has to offer. We have many letters ranging from cover letters to business letters and thank you notes.