Starting a Recommendation Letter: Expert Tips & Templates
Not sure how to begin your letter? Download our free templates or get help from a professional resume writer.
What Is a Recommendation Letter and Why It Matters
Imagine the two recent college graduates applying for an entry-level position in finance. They both have a high GPA, relevant coursework and done voluntary work while in college. They both seem to be well qualified for the job opening. However, the first applicant attached none or poorly written recommendation letters while the second person uploaded several highly informative letters from their thesis supervisor and professors. These letters expand on the positive personality traits and knowledge of the applicant and recommend them for the position.
This brief example is given to show you how a well-written recommendation letter can influence someone's academic or professional path. If someone you know well asks you to recommend them for a job or an educational program, they expect you to describe their traits in the most favorable light. Today, the professionals of our best resume services have collected the main tips for writing this type of letter to ease the task for you. If you are entrusted with the task of writing a strong letter of recommendation to impress the admissions committee with student's strengths, continue reading this article!
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Ways to Begin a Compelling Recommendation Letter
A recommendation letter is not a personal anecdote, and it should speak specifically about the student, be at least one page long, and focus on the student's personality. Admissions officer should have no questions left about the candidate. Therefore, you must write a very thoughtful letter that is trustworthy and yet strong in its message.
If you intend to write a letter on your own, consider the steps below before you get down to the writing:
Greeting: Who to Address
First, you need to know who to address in your letter. You are not expected to know the specific names, but at least you should have some information about the school. Do not include unnecessary details and be sure to insert the organization letterhead with all the proper information. Here are several examples of how to add a greeting for a law school letter of recommendation:
- Dear Admissions Committee,
– This is the most common and widely accepted salutation for law school recommendation letters. - To the Law School Admissions Committee,
– Slightly more formal, this version clearly identifies the letter’s purpose and recipient. - Dear [Name of Law School] Admissions Committee,
– Use this if the letter is tailored to a specific law school, adding a personal touch.
Opening Line Examples That Work
Now let's look at concrete examples. You can use them as a recommendation template.
- "It is my pleasure to recommend [Name], who I have had the privilege of working with for the past two years as their supervisor at [Company/Organization]."
- "I am delighted to write this letter in support of [Name]'s application to your program, as I have consistently been impressed by their work ethic and intellect."
- "As [Name]’s professor in [Subject] at [University], I had the opportunity to observe their dedication, analytical skills, and passion for the law firsthand."
- "I have no hesitation in recommending [Name] for admission to your law school, as their academic ability and leadership potential are truly exceptional."
What if you cannot recommend the candidate?
If somebody asked you to advocate for them but you personally don't believe they'll make the cut, politely decline their request. Only agree to write a recommendation letter for someone whom you know has the right skills and attitude. All in all, giving false information or stretching the truth might damage your professional integrity in the future. In either case, you need to have a deep understanding of the key skills and abilities of the candidate. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to voice them.
Collect the necessary information
To write a quality letter, you will need a resume of the applicant and a link to the job posting they're going to apply for (or university program requirements). If they don't have a specific job in mind, ask about their professional goal. For instance, if they switch from office to customer service position, you'll need to focus on customer care skills rather than office management ones. Do they need to have strong leadership ability? You need to mention it! Does academic performance matter? If the student asks for certain information to stand out among other applicants, you should consider adding it too.
Sign a written letter
Writing isn't your cup of tea? Suggest the applicant to sign the pre-written letter. It's a common practice that the person seeking an opportunity writes a letter themselves and only sends it to you to sign. This approach is convenient because it relieves you from the stressful writing process; yet only sign the letter if you 100% agree with its content.
Order a letter from the writing company
Find a custom writing agency that specializes in career writing and get the letter written by them. For instance, our writers will only need a resume and a job description to craft an impressive letter of recommendation. Moreover, when you order writing from professionals, it guarantees the high-quality content and formatting of the letter. The application process is easier with our help because we will help you write a letter that presents your student or colleague as a strong candidate and a team player. Potential employers, sponsors, or program leaders will enjoy reading the glowing recommendation! We do know how to write a good letter!
20 Opening Phrases for Recommendation Letters
Use these powerful and professional opening phrases to kickstart your recommendation letter effectively:
- I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation for...
- I have the honor of recommending...
- It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend...
- I am delighted to recommend...
- It is a privilege to write this letter on behalf of...
- I highly recommend...
- I am writing to express my support for...
- I am happy to recommend...
- I have had the pleasure of working with...
- In my experience with [Name], I have found them to be...
- I enthusiastically recommend...
- I can confidently endorse...
- With utmost confidence, I recommend...
- I had the privilege of supervising...
- Having worked closely with [Name], I can attest to...
- I’m writing this letter in strong support of...
- I wholeheartedly recommend...
- I enthusiastically support [Name]'s application to...
- I had the distinct pleasure of collaborating with...
- It's an honor to provide this recommendation for...
Tip: Adjust the tone and formality depending on the audience and the relationship you had with the person you're recommending.
How to write a good recommendation letter?
- Introduce yourself
Start an opening paragraph by introducing your position and experience briefly. This is meant to explain to the reader that you are qualified enough to evaluate the candidate and recommend them for employment, admission or scholarship. It is necessary to do even for a general recommendation letter. - Explain how you know the candidate
Show the connection between you and the candidate – how long have you worked together and give the context of your collaboration. You can include the company name, department name and other details you feel might be informative for the letter recipient:- "I have worked with Janeth as her manager for 2 years at XYZ Technologies..."
- "I supervised David's thesis on marine pollution..."
- "Liz worked as a team leader of software development team on the project I managed"
- Outline the skills and experience of the candidate
The letter body is meant to list professional or academic strengths of the applicant. If it's been a while since you worked or studied with the person, you might want to review their resume to recollect some important details. Describe their key skills, educational qualifications and accomplishments – and the best way to do it is by giving a practical example of how the person demonstrated these traits and which result they delivered. Saying ‘Denis used Agile and Scrum methodologies and improved communication to deliver projects on time' makes a stronger impact than simply indicating that ‘Denis has project management experience'. - Give a brief description of their personality traits
A letter of recommendation is also meant to throw light on the applicant's personality type. Describe their main characteristics. Focus on 2-3 traits such as dependability, motivation, focus on the results, etc. Here's an example of how you can show someone's personality in context: ‘Richard has an upbeat attitude and great sense of humor which made him extremely popular among the store clients'. Avoid listing all positive traits that come to your mind – it will make the letter sound unrealistic. Specifically indicate how the person you're writing about interacts with team members, customers and management and if they have leadership skills. These traits matter for all academic and professional positions. Want to create a persuasive recommendation letter? Then, stop doing bad writing habits that most people do. - Explain what makes them a perfect candidate
This tip is closely tied with the previous one. Now your task is not only to explain that the applicant performed well in the past, but also to outline how these characteristics make them a perfect fit for the educational program or the professional position. Express your own opinion, but do explain your conclusions logically so that your thoughts are persuasive for the decision-makers. Are you writing a resume along with the recommendation letter? - Mention skill and knowledge gaps
Your recommendation letter's goal is to show the person in a favorable light. Nevertheless, you have to give an honest description of their professional traits, so you also need to mention their knowledge or skills gaps. For instance, if the person you're describing has some issues with time management, mention that despite their positive characteristics, the person might need some guidance with organizing and prioritizing their schedule. The candidate should be a good fit for the role and presented in the best light possible. Of course, the information should be true and valid! - Mention that you can be contacted anytime
To logically conclude your writing, sum up that you recommend the person for a job or inclusion. Also note that you can be contacted in case the decision-makers want to clarify something. "Do not hesitate to get in touch if you would like to receive further information or speak to me personally" works great as a conclusion. The closing statement should be polite.
Letter writing usually goes hand in hand with interview preparation. To help your former student or coworker manage the tricky interview situations, send them this response to sexist interview questions in case they encounter inappropriate questions during an interview.
Examples of Strong Recommendation Letter Openings
For a Student
It is with great enthusiasm that I write this letter of recommendation for Jane Doe, one of the most dedicated and intellectually curious students I have encountered during my teaching career.
For an Employee
I am pleased to recommend John Smith, who has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic, outstanding leadership, and a commitment to excellence in every role he has held in our company.
For a Colleague in a Leadership Role
I’ve had the distinct pleasure of working alongside Michael Brown for over five years, during which time he has exemplified integrity, strategic vision, and the ability to lead and inspire teams across departments.
For a Researcher or Academic Role
It is my privilege to recommend Dr. Emily Turner, whose contributions to our research initiatives have been nothing short of groundbreaking and whose analytical precision sets her apart in the academic community.
For a Volunteer or Non-Profit Position
Over the past two years, I’ve witnessed Alex Rivera’s unwavering dedication to our community programs, and I can confidently say that their compassion and initiative would be an asset to any organization focused on service.
What to Avoid When Starting a Recommendation Letter
To make a strong first impression, avoid these common mistakes when starting your letter of recommendation:
1. Overused or generic phrases
- "To whom it may concern"
- "I am writing this letter because I was asked to..."
- "It is my duty to write this letter..."
2. Vague or weak language
- "He is nice"
- "She’s okay at her job"
- "He was pretty good when I knew him"
3. Irrelevant personal stories
- Stories that are too emotional, off-topic, or not tied to the purpose of the recommendation
4. Apologies or disclaimers
- "I don’t usually write these"
- "I didn’t work with her for long, but..."
Avoiding these pitfalls ensures your letter begins with impact and sets a confident tone.
Creating a professional format for letter of recommendation
Make it look professional – use letters of recommendation examples if necessary.
Given the importance of this letter, you'll want to format it as per the highest business writing standards. Use a professional font and make it big enough so that the reader doesn't have to zoom the document out. Leave enough white space around the text and between the paragraphs for better readability. For the same reason, keep the paragraphs short – no more than 6-7 lines per paragraph is a good idea.
If you've never written this type of letter before, Google or check out Pinterest for some online samples to get a brief understanding of how to organize the content and describe the person in a way that motivates the hiring authority to interview them. However, don't copy content from another letter you've found online as the letter should reflect your own opinion on the candidate. And finally, proofread the copy – typos and mistakes won't impress the hiring authority or committee.
How long should a letter of recommendation be?
The ideal letter length is one page, unless the guidelines you were given require otherwise. Two pages are acceptable for high-profile job applicants when it's impossible to fit all their qualifications and extensive experience into a single page. Curious how long a resume should be?
Remember that the way you describe your student, former employee, or co-worker might significantly influence their chance of getting a job or enrollment in a dream education program. Following the above tips will help you promote the applicant from the right angle and format the letter to strengthen the positive impression about them.
Your recommendation letter, written by professionals
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People Also Ask
How do you write a positive recommendation?
Start with a confident endorsement and focus on specific, sincere praise that reflects the applicant’s character and achievements.
How to ask someone for a letter of recommendation?
Ask politely and early, explain your goals, and provide relevant information to help them write a strong letter.
What are the steps to writing a recommendation letter?
Step 1: Greeting. Step 2: Relationship. Step 3: Strengths. Step 4: Specific Examples. Step 5: Endorsement.
What skills should be in a recommendation letter?
Leadership, integrity, communication, adaptability, and teamwork - tailored to the position or program.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to write a recommendation letter for yourself?
If asked to draft your own letter, stay humble, focus on facts, and avoid exaggerated praise.
Where should a recommendation letter go on a resume?
Recommendation letters are not part of the resume - they should be attached separately or submitted directly by the recommender.
What should you avoid in a recommendation letter?
Generic phrases, vague adjectives, personal opinions not backed by examples, and overly casual language.