Writer’s Tips for Letters of Recommendation

In today's competitive job market, job seekers are often required to use many job-hunting tools to be successful. One tool that is sure to make a job applicant stand out in the crowd is a letter of recommendation from their employer, co‑worker, coach, teacher, or someone who can speak about their work habits or personal attributes.

To ensure a letter of recommendation is effective, the writer needs to:

Include their affiliation / relationship with job seeker. Was the writer the person’s supervisor? President of the company? Professor? It is important to indicate this because a professor may see the academic skills while a supervisor may be able to identify work habits.
Give honest and factual information. When approached to write a recommendation, the writer needs to ask the question, “Do I honestly know the person’s qualities”. If the writer has not had much contact with the person, the writer cannot give an accurate description. It would be better for the writer to decline writing a recommendation than to write a vague or irrelevant one.
Have the job seeker provide the writer with a copy of their resume, as well as a list of their accomplishments, organizations they belong to, and any other relevant information.
Concentrate on several different aspects of the person. Be specific when identifying the person’s skills, attitudes, personal attributes and growth, and their contributions to and performance within the organization. Use examples.
Pay attention to the appearance of the letter. The letter’s appearance is a reflection of both the writer and the job candidate. It can also determine whether or not the letter will be read. For the letter to be read easily, it needs to be typed and formatted neatly.
Do not reference characteristics that can be the basis of discrimination. Such as race, colour, nationality, gender, religion, age, appearance, disability, marital or parental status, political affiliation.
Be aware of the power of words! Avoid such vague words as nice, good and fairly. Use more descriptive words such as cooperative, effective, and innovative.

Employers often seek workers who demonstrate the following attributes and skills. These are excellent points to address in a letter of recommendation.

Ability to communicate
Intelligence
Self‑confidence
Willingness to accept responsibility
Initiative
Leadership
Energy level
Imagination
nterpersonal skills
Flexibility
Self‑knowledge
Ability to handle conflict
Goal achievement
Competitiveness
Appropriate vocational skills
Direction

Sample Letter of Recommendation

Drew Sterling
123 Centre Street
Middletown, Ontario
A1B-2C3
123-456-7890

May 11, 2001

Mr. Sean McGovern
2123 Someplace Lane
Sunny, Ontario
K7K 4T0

Dear Mr. McGovern:

RE: Amy Martin

I have known Amy Martin through her work experience with our firm during the seven years she served as Accounts Receivable Manager in our office.

Amy has shown the kind of initiative necessary to be successful over the long-term. She has excellent organizational and communication skills, yet remains focused on the overall needs of the client. I believe she will be a strong Account Manager with an excellent future in the accounting field. She is a conscientious worker and has an excellent work ethic.

I recommend Amy to you without reservation. If you have any further questions with regard to her background or qualifications, please give me a call.

Sincerely,

Drew Sterling

Once your job search has ended and you find a job, there are things you can do to make your working life successful.

Communication skills
Working well with others requires effective communication skills, which can be learned on the job. Listening well to what is being said and asking for clarification when necessary are two particularly important skills in the workplace.

People skills
Good people skills are essential in the workplace and take time to develop. Here are a few pointers to get you started:

Practise patience. In the workplace, you often have to depend on others to get the job done, just as others may have to rely on you. The modern workplace relies on teamwork, so you need to stay calm under pressure and respect your co-workers.

Learn to accept criticism. When your supervisor hands something back to you for corrections, or suggests a different way of doing something, don't get upset; constructive criticism is part of the learning process.

Give others space to do their jobs. Ask questions if you need to, but learn to trust in your own ability to make decisions. When first training for a job, everyone will understand if you have questions about how to do things. After you settle in, try to solve problems on your own before going to your boss. That will show the employer and the other employees that you have the resources and initiative to find things out for yourself.

Forgive the mistakes of others as well as your own. Everyone has days when things don't go the right way. Being able to forgive yourself and others when mistakes are made will make you a better team member.

Learning styles
When you start a new job, there is a lot to learn about the organization, your employer, other employees and your position. That’s why it’s important to know how you learn best. For example:

Are you more likely to turn a computer on and start playing with it, or would you read the manual first?
Do you learn best by hearing about tasks, reading about tasks or performing tasks?

Let your employer know how you learn best and ask for what you need if necessary. It’s also important to look at how you can add different techniques to your learning style, like slowing down before jumping into a task or asking someone to show you how best to perform a task.

The power of knowledge
Knowledge gives you more choices. The more you learn, the more valuable you become to employers. You may be able to apply for higher positions within your organization or to transfer into another job with more responsibility.

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