Letter
of Recommendation Template
One of
the biggest challenges in writing is to organize your thoughts effectively;
this section will show you how
Many letters
of recommendation are ineffective because they lack customer-focus - that
is, the authors do not appreciate the readers' perspectives (who are,
of course, the customers). Even
otherwise well-written letters can fall into this trap. My own example
could be a case in point:
Ms. Dunkin is able
to maintain an upbeat attitude, even in adversity. After losing a major
contract after months of preparing an extensive executive presentation,
she focused on learning from the experience how she might do better
next time and was cheerfully busy prospecting for new opportunities
the very next day.
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Quick-Start Guide to
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What if the
author doesn't say anything else about Ms. Dunkin's upbeat attitude? Well,
we know she has one, but so what? Will the reader necessarily care?
This writer
has provided what a sales person would call a feature: Ms. Dunkin has
an upbeat attitude.
That's a
feature of Ms. Dunkin, as opposed to a benefit of - say - admitting her
to your country club.
QUICK NOTE:
OK, so I've lapsed into sales talk again. Hey, never forget that this
is a sales process; you are trying to sell yourself as a candidate.
If you've never heard of things like assumptive closes and the difference
between features and benefits, you might want to get a book or two on
the subject and bone up a bit.
Sales people
have known for quite some time that customers are motivated by benefits,
not features. Why should a prospective employer want someone with an upbeat
attitude? What is the benefit of hiring someone with this feature?
Extending
this example, let us say that the prospective country club is looking
for new members who can handle being around some of the older members
who have proven to be kind of grumpy around new faces. In such a case,
an upbeat attitude might be important.
But has our
hirer thought about that? Probably not. He knows he is looking for someone
who can handle difficult people (a benefit), but he probably hasn't translated
that need into the features he should look for that will provide it. After
all, there are other options...
- Someone
with a take-charge kind of attitude (a feature) might not be intimidated
by a bunch of sour-pusses and just zip right by them.
- Someone
with a great sense of humor (another feature) might be able to get them
in a better mood.
Top / Bottom
Any number
of features might be appropriate.
In this transaction
(and it is a transaction - you are trying to sell the candidate to the
reader!), you are the seller, not the customer. As the seller, it is your
job to make these feature-to-benefit connections; you must connect your
features to the benefits that reviewers seek.
To finish
our thought on Ms. Dunkin, we might add:
This allows her
to deal with difficult - even hostile - people without becoming discouraged.
This completes
the circle and ties her feature to an customer benefit.
So here is
the formula (what we call our "success formula") you can use to put all
of this together:
- Trait -
Describe a positive characteristic of the candidate (E.g. upbeat attitude)
- Example - Provide a specific example of when the candidate exhibited the trait
(E.g. bounced back after losing contract)
- Expected
Result - Explain the benefit(s) the employer will enjoy by accepting
the candidate because of this trait. (E.g. able to handle grumpy members)
Top / Bottom
Here are
a couple of other examples:
Ms. Jones has a
great deal of native intelligence. She is a fast learner, able to develop
sophisticated skills quite easily. For instance, she taught herself
basic sign language in only a couple of weeks. This intelligence will
allow her to find ways to challenge and fascinate even the brightest
of children.
(Application for
a nanny position)
Ms. Jones is a goal-oriented
individual with a bias for action. She anticipates problems and is proactive
about finding solutions. For example, she spearheaded a computer system
upgrade project that included developing an office network, which greatly
improved office efficiency. Her initiative will be a very valuable consideration
to your organization because she can be counted upon to infuse energy
and drive to your fund-raising projects.
(Application for
a non-profit volunteer position)
Need
some more help getting your thoughts organized?
Try out section that explains how to use a letter
of recommendation form.
Putting it All Together
Here are
some overall tips...
UNDERSTAND
THE CUSTOMER
Gather information about the person and the organization that will ultimately
receive the letter. Comb the Internet and the local library for any
information that might give you insights that can help you tailor your
pitch. You need to find out what the reader's key hot buttons are.
REVIEW
YOUR OWN QUALIFICATION
Identify which of your skills and accomplishments are most noteworthy.
For each of the key benefits sought by the reader, find a trait that
would indicate that you can fulfill this need. These traits will be
the key features on which you will focus your letter.
Top / Bottom
CAPTURE
SPECIFIC EXAMPLES
For each of the traits you plan to cover, come up with a specific example
in which you demonstrated to the recommender that you have that trait.
SUCCESS
FORMULA
Use the feature-example-benefit model ("success formula") to write one
paragraph on each of the key traits. Start with the most important benefit
(the hottest of the customer's hot buttons) in the first paragraph,
followed by the second most important, and so on. Insert linking text
to make the letter flow (e.g. first of all,… secondly,… etc.). Insert
these paragraphs just before your overall evaluation.
SOFTEN
NEGATIVE COMMENTS
Have you said anything that could be interpreted as a negative trait?
If so, rewrite that section, highlighting how you have used your strengths
to overcome your (very few!) deficiencies.
CHECK TONE
Keep the tone of your letter business-like. Don't make your recommender
sound too familiar with the reviewer or with you.
CHECK LENGTH
Pare down the letter if needed to keep it to one or two pages. Delete
less important traits and non-essential information.
HAVE SOMEONE
PROOF IT
Have someone else read over your letter for typos, grammar errors, and
awkward or confusing phrases. Other people can usually proof your writing
better than you can.
REVIEW
WITH RECOMMENDER
Once you have finished your draft, it is a good idea to sit down with
the recommender and review the letter side-by-side. Make whatever changes
you think are fair. You should indicate that you have seen the letter
using the cc at the bottom. You should proof again carefully if you
have made any changes.
CHECK CONTACT
INFORMATION
Make sure you have all contact information and addresses accurate. Double
check the spelling of all names.
Top / Bottom
MAKE AN
ATTRACTIVE PACKAGE
Finally, print your letter on your recommender's company letterhead.
Have him sign the letter in blue or black ink.
SEND IT
OFF
Finally, make one final check on everything. Make sure the envelope
is addressed correctly before you seal it. Then send it off!
WRITE A
THANK-YOU LETTER
Always write a formal thank-you letter when you receive a letter of
recommendation... Always!
FOLLOW
UP WITH THE RECOMMENDER
Contact the recommender to discuss how you've made out and - if possible
- how your letter was received.
Where to Next?
Letter of Recommendation Forms
Fastest,
easiest, and surest way to professional results. Standard letter of
recommendation forms can serve as templates for writing effective letters
of recommendation quickly and easily; the most practical are software-driven
Sample
Letters of Recommendation
Sample
letters of recommendation - provides several examples of effective letters
of recommendation and tips for using them
How
to Write a Letter of Recommendation
Getting started. Information, tips, & samples for
writing letters of recommendation - special tips and persuasive writing
techniques.
Specific
Types of Letters of Recommendation
We've
included a special section on some of the more common types of letters
of recommendation to discuss issues particular to each one
Letters
of Recommendation.org Index
Home page
of this web site.
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