Personal Letter of Recommendation | How to Write (Examples)

A Personal Recommendation Letter is essential and needed for events like home purchase, new job, or school. Writing a personal recommendation letter can often be uneasy; however, this article will expound on everything about a personal recommendation letter, including when and how to write them.

A personal recommendation letter is crafted to provide an insight into a person’s behavior to the recipient.

Based on the letter’s aims, the recommendation letter can show a person’s personality, work ethic, skill sets, and achievements. 

Enhance your recommendation letter writing with our extensive collection of free templates for various situations. Whether you need to endorse a colleague, recommend a student, or support an employee’s career progression, our templates provide a solid foundation for crafting compelling references. Each template is thoughtfully designed to capture the essence of the individual and highlight their strengths and achievements. With our user-friendly interface, you can easily customize the templates to suit your specific needs and personalize the content. Save time and effort while ensuring the impact of your recommendation letters.

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The major types of Personal Recommendation letters include.

Character recommendation letter

The character’s recommendation letter is needed if a person is in the procedure of offering specific details about someone’s behavior. For example, it might be required to provide the letter when considering adopting a pet, child, or even a potential landlord. The person selected to write this letter is based on the nature of the letter or what it is needed for. For example, a former landlord can compose a recommendation letter when it is required before house rent.

Academic recommendation letter

An academic recommendation letter is used by students or applicants applying for school admission. The admission board or office uses the letters to understand the candidate’s character that can’t be known during school application.

Employment recommendation letter

Often, potential employers do request an employment personal recommendation letter with the usual CV and cover letter. The personal recommendation letter is written mainly by former colleagues or employers, or co-workers. It is often helpful if the applicant doesn’t possess much experience.

The personal recommendation letter is solely based on the character of the person one is referring and this usually stems from a long-term relationship with the person being referenced. People who can write this letter are:

• Close family
• A former or current peer
• Long-time acquaintance or neighbor
• A business partner or client
• A mentor etc.

Here are some things to know before writing the letter. Ensure to follow them to have a successful and effective recommendation letter.

Have a general format

A personal recommendation letter might have a general outlook, but the formatting is mostly the same. A more general layout includes the date, the salutation, the introduction, the letter body, the conclusion, the sign-off, and the contact details.

When the recommender is informed of who would receive the recommendation letter, he will put the recipient’s name, role, and address at the page top. Start the recommendation letter with personal salutations like Mr., Mrs., Dear (and include the recipient’s name). If the recipient’s name has not been known, start the recommendation letter with “To whom it may concern.”

Request details about the job

One of the first things to do when writing a personal recommendation letter is to request details about the job. Ask for the advert listing, and analyze the job’s responsibilities. Also, inquire about the unique attributes and technical skills vital for the role.

Find if the position needs independent initiative and rests on teamwork. Knowing this will help you to explain the applicant’s capability to work as a teammate or independently. The writer can equally conduct his research to learn more about the company’s aim and understand how the applicant can add to the company’s growth and culture.

Ask the applicant about goals

It is imperative to ask the applicant about his goals before writing the personal recommendation letter. Discuss with the applicant about his professional goals and career path. Ask about his professional plans in the next five years, and inquire what he or she would wish to achieve in his career.

Think out how the new job will help the applicant achieve the objectives. In particular, inquire if there is an enormous potential for advancement and whether the applicant is interested in the firm’s growth. The goal is to use the applicant’s insight and career goals to design the recommendation letter.

Salutation

When crafting a personal recommendation letter, put a salutation, like; Dear, Dear sir, Dear Mrs Wayne. When writing a general recommendation letter, put “To Whom It May Concern.” In this regard, the salutation might not be included and can be started with the letter’s first paragraph.

Body paragraphs

The body paragraph is where the specific details of the applicant are portrayed. The writer can select many paragraphs as he seems appropriate according to his relationship with the applicant.

The letter body aims to input the writer’s affirmation in the applicant’s qualifications by stating information about the applicant’s abilities and qualities. Further, some applicant’s accomplishments examples or prominent achievements can be displayed.

Discuss the background of relation

Next is to talk about the relationship between the writer and the applicant. At the start of the recommendation letter, the writer will clearly state his relationship with the applicant. Here, the writer will briefly say how long he has known the applicant and how he met him.

These details can assist the hiring manager in understanding the personal qualifications on the applicant’s behalf.

Mention skills and qualifications

As stated, the applicant’s skills and qualifications are essential and should be in the body of the letter. This space discusses the capabilities and attributes displayed in the applicant’s CV using personal anecdotes clearly showing the qualifications.

Explain the scenario by stating the setting while identifying the role the applicant played. Under here, the applicant’s qualities and skills would be outlined, including the steps taken to achieve them. Ensure to input the results of the outlined actions to display his development or success. This could be complemented by the office settings the applicant stated in his CV and cover letter.

Summary

Next is the summary; it is where the reference letter is contained. The writer states a summary of why he is recommending the applicant. The writer might state that he highly recommends the applicant, or he recommends the applicant without reservation.

Conclusion

The personal recommendation letter concluding paragraph provides more details about the writer, such as the phone number and email address. They can be included in the letter’s return address section or the email signature.

Following are professional tips for writing a personal recommendation letter:

• Think Before Saying Yes: The writer or recommender should only agree to write the recommendation if he can recommend the applicant without any reservation. The writer can politely decline the recommendation request if he is not comfortable writing the letter.

• Follow Business Format: To deliver an efficient recommendation letter, ensure to follow the recommendation letter’s formal procedure and business format. Sending a recommendation email in place of a letter can be considered.

• Keep It Brief: A great recommendation letter mainly contains two or three small paragraphs. Always keep it brief, aim for easy, concise, and clear sentences to enable the recipient to read the message quickly and easily.

• Focus on the Job Description: Know the job description and details before writing the recommendation letter from the applicant. Knowing it can make the writer focus on the skills and experience related to the job requirements. When writing a general recommendation, the writer should inquire from the applicant about the nature of the job he is seeking for.

• Try Sounding Positive: Be positive when writing the recommendation letter. The writer should say that he thinks the applicant is a good candidate for the job. He may state something like; I recommend this applicant without any reservation. The goal is to make the applicant be considered ahead of the other applicants.

• Share Contact Information: Significantly, the writer can conclude the recommendation letter by including his availability to discuss the applicant’s qualifications. The writer should drop his phone number and email address so that he can be reached. Doing this will give the recipient the chance to ask the recommender more questions about the applicant.

• Follow Submission Guidelines: After writing the recommendation letter, follow the submission guidelines. Inquire from the applicant how the recommendation letter should be submitted. It can be submitted via email, or it can be mailed straight to the hiring manager. In some instances, the letter can be placed in a sealed envelope and be submitted in person.

Ensure to make a personal recommendation letter brief and concentrate on narrowing it to suit the applicant’s requirements. The writer should clarify to the potential employer that the applicant is a close friend, student, colleague, or former co-worker.

The goal of every recommendation letter is to convince the potential employer that the applicant has great character and skills for the job. Try to create a positive impression on behalf of the applicant.

About This Article

Authored by:

William Lehr

Human Resources Specialist, MS Office Expert

William Lehr combines a profound understanding of human resources with a certified expertise in Microsoft Office, making him a dual asset in any professional setting. With a keen insight into the intricacies of HR, William adeptly manages talent acquisition, employee relations, and organizational development. His Microsoft Office proficiency further amplifies his effectiveness, allowing him to design and implement seamless workflows, reports, and analytical tools. Whether it's optimizing HR processes or crafting efficient MS Office solutions, William's comprehensive skill set ensures that organizational objectives are met with precision and excellence.