How long letters of recommendation

Your support may make all the difference. A good recommendation letter can help your contact achieve their dreams; a bad one is worse than no recommendation at all. A reference letter is a positive endorsement of a person's skills and attributes, written by someone familiar with their work, character, and accomplishments. Reference letters are needed when applying for jobs, internships, volunteer positions, colleges, and graduate school programs.

The reference letter explains why the reader should select a candidate, and what qualifies them for the opportunity for which they're applying. Letters may be requested by the organization that is considering the individual for employment or acceptance at an institution, or they may be offered by the job seeker or applicant. A professional reference letter is usually written by a supervisor , colleague, client, teacher, or professor that is well-acquainted with their accomplishments in a work-type setting.

It typically includes a description of their position and responsibilities, the duration of their time at the company, and their abilities, qualifications, and contributions to the organization. A character or personal reference letter can be written by a family friend, mentor, or neighbor who can attest to the traits that would make them a good candidate for the position they are seeking.

This type of letter explains how the writer knows them and discusses their personal attributes as they would apply in a job setting. An academic reference is written by a teacher, professor, or advisor. This type of reference discusses the candidate's educational background and academic achievements. Before agreeing to write the letter, make sure you feel that you can write a positive letter of reference for this person.

It is better to say no to writing a recommendation rather than to write a negative reference for the person.

It is a good idea to ask the person for a copy of their resume or CV, even if you have known them for a long time. They may have new accreditation or achievements that merit highlighting, and you should provide as much current information as possible.

This will also help give you guidelines to use when composing the letter. If the reference letter is for a specific employment opportunity, also ask for a copy of the job posting. Similarly, if the reference letter is for a specific school or program, ask for some information about the school. The more information you have, the easier it will be to write the letter. Along with asking for information about the candidate, get all the information you need about how to submit the letter. Ask to whom you should send the letter, when the deadline is, and what format the letter should be in.

Also, ask if there are any particulars that the school or employer wants you to include in your letter. Unless the candidate gives you a form on which to write your recommendation , following a proper business letter format is appropriate. This includes listing your contact information, the date, and the contact information for the person receiving your letter typically, the hiring manager at the top of the letter.

However, if you are emailing this letter, you do not need to include any contact information or the date at the top of the letter. Instead, list your contact information after your email signature. A reference email letter should also have a clear, concise subject line that lists the candidate's name, the job they are applying for if applicable , and the purpose of the letter.

To get an idea of what to write and how your letter should read , here are some general guidelines to consider before writing your letter. Begin your letter with "Dear Mr. The best letterhead is that of the department, college, or other organization with which you are most closely affiliated. If you attach a separate letter to a form, a letterhead is still appropriate. Date the letter two or so spaces beneath the letterhead at the left or right margin.

Get the student to give you an actual name if possible. Font sizes of between 10 and 12 and standard publishing fonts such as Times New Roman and Century are preferred. The convention is to single-space your type, skip lines between each paragraph, and either consistently choose no indentation for paragraphs or indent each paragraph one-half inch. Preferably, keep your paragraphs reasonably short to enhance readability. For most circumstances, three to five paragraphs per page seems to be standard, but bulkier paragraphs are possible if introduced with sound topic sentences and with effective transitions imbedded.

Although a recommendation letter is more about quality than quantity, a letter containing only a few sentences is not recommended. Letters of recommendation addressed to a Fulbright grant program are submitted through an electronic grant application form. The person asking for the recommendation uses the application form to send the recommender an email containing the instructions for filling out the recommendation form. If the recommender is unable to complete the form online, the recommended person must provide the recommender with a downloadable version of the form.

After filling out the form, the recommender sends it by post directly to the Fulbright Finland Foundation. Before writing the recommendation letter Please ensure that you are ready to provide a suitable recommendation for the student requesting it — agree to provide a recommendation only if you are sincerely willing to recommend the student.

Writing a recommendation letter Write the recommendation letter in English. Explain how long you have known the student and in what capacity.