How to write a letter of reference
By Joan Lloyd
If you’ve ever been asked to write a letter of reference
your first thought should be, “Can I really recommend this
person with a clear conscience?”
Staking your reputation for someone is no small matter. What
if the person doesn’t do a good job? And if you’re only
an acquaintance, do you really know what this person does and how
hard they work?
Here are two questions from readers:
Dear Joan:
I was looking for advice and feedback from you. What is your
recommendation on how to handle employment references when the
applicant has worked in an administrative capacity for a spouse and
cannot produce other references?
Dear Joan:
I am a police officer and I have been asked to write a letter
of reference by one of my district citizens, for she has been asked
for one by her job tutor. Can you help me in writing a suitable one
please?
Answer:
The first question is, “Am I a work reference or a
character reference?” If you have been a co-worker or, better
yet, the person’s manager, you are in a good position to be a
reference. You can either write a letter of recommendation, or
allow your name to be added to the candidate’s list of
references.
If you are a relative or an acquaintance, you can’t be
much more than a character reference. In the case of the police
officer, no doubt the job candidate wants an endorsement from a
reliable source.
The police officer can write a short letter describing the
nature of their relationship and his or her endorsement of their
character. For instance, “John Smith has been in my district
since I began working in the area four years ago. He has been an
active block
captain, communicating with neighbors about safety. In
addition, he is well regarded in his community for his volunteer
efforts with seniors. He has also been actively involved in school
fundraisers. Last year he successfully led a campaign to buy and
install new playground equipment. I can personally vouch for his
integrity and character.”
In the case of the person who has only a spouse for a
reference, you’d be wise to ask for names of customers,
suppliers, and peers, in addition to speaking to the spouse. You
can find out more unbiased information from a supplier than someone
who is too close to be honest.
In general, a letter of reference is less useful to an
employer than a list of references he or she can call. Employers
know that the candidate is going to choose advocates who
won’t say anything negative—especially since the letter
is handed to the candidate!
If you are asked to write a letter, you can always request to
be added to the reference list instead. That way you can ask
the potential employer about the job duties and you will be in a
position to give lots of examples that relate to the specific
position.
If it’s a letter the candidate wants, then try to put
yourself in the shoes of the potential employer. The basics of the
letter should include:
- Who you are and what working relationship you had with the individual, and for how long.
- List a few of the relevant job responsibilities of the individual and give specific examples of his or her results in each area.
- If the person was a good team player, had a great work ethic and only missed three days in four years, or was well-respected by customers, say so. How the person performed is as important as what he or she did.
- Finally, make a personal statement about how strongly you would recommend this person.
- Offer to be contacted in person if the employer wants more details.
