20 Samples of Recommendation Letter for Coworker

A letter of recommendation for a coworker is a letter that you write for a coworker to help them secure a potential job.

The letter discusses the coworker’s skills, qualifications, and work performance as they relate to the job that he/she is applying for.

The primary purpose of writing a letter of recommendation for a coworker is to provide firsthand information and provide specific examples of how the coworker performed their duties while working with you, what projects they accomplished, and how they helped support the team and the company in realizing its goals. In addition, the letter should also demonstrate how the colleague will contribute to the new position.

Letter Templates

Following are some free downloadable templates for you.

Marketing Officer Recommendation Letter Sample

Teammate Recommendation Letter Sample

PR Officer Recommendation Letter Sample

Lead Project Manager Recommendation Letter Sample

Procurement Manager Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Previous Employee Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Marketing Manager Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Customer Service Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Museum Program Teacher Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Former Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Manager Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Departmental Colleague Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Company Applicant Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Teacher Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Professor Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Retired Employee Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Graduate School Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Graduate Company Teacher Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Registered Nurse Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

Communication Skills Co-Worker Recommendation Letter Example

How Difficult Can It Be to Write a Letter of Recommendation?

Writing the letter for a coworker might be challenging as it requires you to look back and reflect on when you worked with the individual. Unlike when you are writing for a subordinate- you already have enough information, and you are constantly observing and assessing them as they go about their routine work activities; you might not have the same advantage with a coworker.

In some cases, a coworker with whom you may have worked for some time but haven’t for a while might approach you to write them a reference letter. It might not be easy to look back and reflect on their strengths and character traits in this case. However, if the individual has had a positive impact on you and the team in general, it might be easier to craft a strong letter for them.

Before agreeing on providing the letter for a coworker, consider the following pre-writing considerations:

Write for a coworker that you know well

The letter should be written by someone who knows the job applicant well and can offer insight into the applicant’s skills and qualifications. Therefore, when approached to write a reference letter for a coworker, assess the nature and quality of your relationship with the candidate, how well you know them, and whether you are in a perfect position to write an enthusiastic recommendation letter. If you cannot think of any positive things to write in the letter or are unsure of their skills, such as temperament, resilience, workability, etc., and qualifications, then it is best to decline the request.  

Gather all the relevant information

Before embarking on crafting the letter, gather basic information from the applicant and confirm the following details:

The letter’s due date

As a recommender, you must confirm the timeline for writing the letter such that the job applicant can meet the application submission deadline. Besides, knowing when the letter will be due can help you decide whether you will have ample time for writing a reference letter and if you need to set a writing deadline to ensure you finish it on time.

What is the new role, and why is the applicant excited about it?

Knowing the role/position that the candidate is applying for and why they are eager to start at the new role can help you create a more personalized letter.

Who is the receiver of the letter?

Ask your coworker if they are aware of the letter’s addressee or if they need a general letter of recommendation for a worker. This is meant to help you choose an appropriate format for writing the recipient’s address. For a general recommendation letter or in cases where the applicant does not know the recipient’s name, a more generalized address such as “To whom it May Concern” is considered appropriate. However, if the addressee’s name is known, the recommender should be precise about the addressee, for example, using a specific person’s name.

Ask to review the coworker’s resume

You can ask your coworker to let you review their resume to have a clear idea of their expertise, skills, and academic background. The coworker’s resume can serve as a reference point while writing the actual contents of the letter.

Ask the colleague to provide you with a list of their achievements

Your coworker may want you to highlight specific achievements in the letter relevant to what they are applying for, or that demonstrate how well they are suited for the position. In this case, it would help if you asked them to provide you with a list of achievements that they would like featured in the document.

Besides, the list can give you more insight into their work ethic and accomplishments, and this will help you emphasize the specific achievements that will mean the most to the hiring manager.

Request to review the applicant’s job description

Reviewing the job description enables the recommender to write the letter that is well-aligned with the job description’s perspective and addresses the specific requirements for the position.

• How can the applicant be an asset to the organization
  Discuss with the applicant how they intend to contribute to the position they are applying for such that you can mention in his/her favor the know-how and skills they possess that can help solve issues in the organization they are applying to.
• Confirm if there is anything that you should not mention in the letter
  Sometimes, the coworker might be over-qualified for the position they are applying for, and thus they might prefer it if the letter excluded some details such as certain educational attainments or professional experiences. Confirming this from them ensures that you know what to write and what not to mention in the letter.

Writing a Letter of Recommendation for a Coworker

A well-crafted letter can make the difference when choosing from the shortlist of final qualified candidates. Most recruiters and employers focus more on the letter than on other parts of the candidate’s application because the letter is an opportunity for them to know more about the person they are about to select. Therefore, a recommender should always strive to write a letter that can help the candidate be competitive and influence the recruiter’s decision to hire them.

To craft an effective letter, consult this procedural guide on how to write a letter of recommendation for a coworker:

Address the recipient

The first step of writing an effective letter involves writing an opening salutation addressed to the letter’s recipient. This applies especially in cases where the addressee’s name and title in the organization are known,

However, for general letters of recommendation or where the addressee is unknown, you can generalize the opening salutation.

Introduce yourself and explain your professional relationship with the candidate

Use the introductory paragraph to briefly state who you are and how you know the candidate. Including your job title in the letter makes it easier for the reader to understand why you are competent to provide a reference letter for the applicant. Besides this, it is vital to mention the number of years you have worked with the applicant and any specific projects that you accomplished together.

Enlist coworker’s achievements

In the main body of the letter, elaborate on the applicant’s strengths for the opportunity. Focus on describing your coworker’s concrete accomplishments and examples of core competencies, such as leadership skills, problem-solving skills, communication skills, creative thinking, etc. However, make sure that the accomplishments you highlight match up to the core competencies of the job description.

Include examples of coworker’s accomplishments

In the letter’s middle paragraphs, describe the coworker’s accomplishments and technical competencies using two or three specific examples. Try to provide anecdotes that illustrate the applicant’s successes but focus on accomplishments relevant to the job they are applying for.

Providing specific examples and anecdotes proves to the reader that the candidate has the qualities you say they do. In addition, it is important to quantify the applicant’s qualities and skills such that the reader has a clear idea of the applicant’s qualifications.

Describe how the coworker will be beneficial to the company

The letter’s final body paragraph should describe how the applicant will succeed in the role they are applying for and how they will contribute to the company’s success and growth.

The conclusion of the letter

You must conclude your letter of recommendation for a coworker with an enthusiastic sentence to support the candidate. You can achieve this by restating one or two skills that make the candidate a good fit for the job. Afterward, provide your contact information, including your phone number and email, such that the recipient can easily reach out to you if they need more information or further clarification.

Tips to Follow

When looking to write a letter of recommendation for a coworker, use the following tips as a reference point to help you write a compelling letter that will help your coworker to be competitive and increase their chances of getting the job they are looking for.

Praise enthusiastically

One good way to grab your reader’s attention and help the candidate stand out from all the other applicants for the job is to be enthusiastic about how ideal the candidate is for the position throughout the letter. This enables you to write a compelling letter that does not seem lukewarm.

Stay truthful

When writing a letter of recommendation for a coworker, make sure that you provide accurate information. Do not include any information that you are unsure of; thus, have a conversation with the coworker to get the details right. Besides, stay truthful and provide facts as they are. Keep in mind that any mismatch, however innocent, might make the recruiter think that one of you is lying or that you don’t recall your time with the colleague; hence you are not qualified to provide a reference letter.

Be specific

While it may be easy to use basic templates to write a letter of recommendation for a coworker, make sure to customize each letter to the job at hand using specific details that highlight the applicant’s qualifications. To achieve this, always make a general outline of things you want to include in the letter before writing it to ensure you don’t miss out on any key points.

Proofread the letter

Once you are done writing your letter of recommendation for a coworker, proofread it to ensure it has no grammatical or spelling errors. Aside from this, ask a friend to review the letter before submitting it and request them to provide you with genuine feedback. This creates a positive impression of you and the applicant on the reader and demonstrates that you took your time to write the letter.

Write a good subject line

If you submit your letter of recommendation for a coworker via email, write a good subject line that immediately communicates the letter’s purpose to ensure it reaches its intended audience. Moreover, the subject line should be concise to ensure the email doesn’t get caught in a spam filter or ignored by the recipient.

Sample Recommendation Letters

Recommendation Letter for Coworker Examples

Key Takeaways

• A recommendation letter for a colleague should illustrate his/her skills, abilities, and character traits and how they relate to the open position.
• The letter should be written by someone who knows the individual well and who can directly attest to the applicant’s qualifications.
• Before writing a letter of recommendation for a coworker, one should gather all the information they need to write a strong reference letter, including the addressee’s information, the letter’s due date, the position being applied for, and the candidate’s list of accomplishments, among other details.
• When writing a letter of recommendation for a coworker, the recommender should follow a proper format, i.e., addressing the letter correctly, using an appropriate formal salutation, introducing yourself, and stating your professional relationship with the candidate. In addition, the letter’s main paragraphs should contain a list of the candidate’s qualifications and achievements and illustrate those points using specific supporting examples, measurable data, and anecdotes.
• The tone of the letter should always be positive, and the writer should express their enthusiasm for the candidate’s skills and qualifications throughout the letter.

About This Article

Authored by:

Shannon O'Brien

Career and Life Strategy Consulting, Workshops, E-learning

Shannon O'Brien, the visionary Founder and Principal Advisor of Whole U., has positioned her Boston-based consultancy as a beacon for those seeking purpose and balance in their careers and lives. Whole U. offers a spectrum of services, from individualized advising to immersive workshops and e-learning platforms, all designed to empower individuals to chase their true calling and cultivate a harmonious life. Recognized for her unparalleled expertise, Shannon has been honored as both the #1 Career Coach and Life Coach in Boston by Yelp users. Her insights and contributions have been spotlighted on platforms like Boston.com, Boldfacers, and the UR Business Network. Cementing her authority in the field, Shannon holds a Master's degree in Technology, Innovation, & Education from the prestigious Harvard University.