REFERENCE LETTERS A reference letter is usually written to testify to a person or (occasionally) a companys skills, character and/or

achievements. Sometimes a reference letter is known as a recommendation letter. It is a formal document, and so

it should follow the conventions of formal writing.

Reference letters are used in a wide variety of situations; there is no definitive list that covers all possible scenarios,

ranging from reference letters for job applications, to students applying for grants, funding or lodging

The exact structure of a reference letter will differ slightly depending on the type of reference it is, but this is a good

basic outline:

1. Start using Dear Sir/Madam or To whom it may concern, or Dear Mr. X/Mrs. X

2. Introduce yourself in the first part of your letter. Dont tell the recipient about your whole life, just give a

brief sentence or two explaining your position and your relationship to the candidate.

3. You should provide your judgement upon the candidates skills and qualities. Single out any exceptional

qualities that the candidate has perhaps their drive and enthusiasm, their attention to detail, or their

ability to lead but do not overdo it, as it would look a bit fake. Where possible, use the next paragraph to

give a couple of concrete examples of times when the candidate excelled.

4. Close your letter on a positive note, and if you are willing to receive further correspondence about the

candidates application, make this clear.

5. As with any business letter, you should end appropriately; Yours sincerely when you are writing to a

named recipient, and Yours faithfully when you do not know who will be receiving the letter.

Make sure that you avoid:

Mentioning any weaknesses the candidate has.

Writing in an informal manner: keep the letter business-like. Jokes, slang and casual language are not

appropriate and may harm the candidates chances.

Including personal information not relevant to the application. Mentioning the candidates race, political

stance, religion, nationality, marital status, age or health is usually inappropriate.

Here is a brief blank layout you can use:

To whom it may concern,

I confirm that I have known (name) for (number) years.

(State relationship social, business, working together in some other capacity, club, activity, project, etc.)

At all times I have found (name/him/her) to be (state characteristics e.g., dependable, reliable, hard-working,

conscientious, honest, peace-loving, courteous, etc to be as helpful as possible think about what the reader

will most prefer to see, in terms of satisfying concerns, or seeing evidence of relevant required skills or

characteristics).

I would be happy to provide further information if required. (optional)

Yours faithfully,

(Name and signature)

TASK short task. Write between 140-160 words. You have received an e-mail from a student who did an

internship with your company. As the head of human resources, he has asked you to write a reference letter of

recommendation for him to apply for a position in an overseas company.

Here you have some notes you took on his progress portfolio while he was doing the internship:

Team work positive

IT skills good

Languages excellent (Spanish, German and learning Russian)

Initiative improvable

Attitude faced with difficulties very good (resolute)

OVERALL ASSESSMENT quite positive