I recently needed to write a Court Character Reference Letter for a young man very close to me, who had gotten in trouble with the law. I went to the Internet in search of some information to help me write my letter. I was blown away at how little information there was on the subject. With so little information available regarding this subject, it is easy to see why there is a great deal of confusion about the many different types of reference letters.
Reference letters are often referred to in many different ways, including the following:
- Recommendation Letters
- Letters of Recommendation
- Reference Letters
- Letters of Reference
- Commendation Letters
- Performance Evaluation Letters
So what’s the Problem?
Originally posted 2011-03-06 07:00:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Why Do You Need a Reference or Recommendation Letter?
So, what do you do if the tables are suddenly turned? Someday, or maybe already, someone may ask you to write a reference letter on their behalf.
When it comes right down to it there are 3 types of Reference Letters:
The first thing you should do is meet with the individual and have a brainstorming session. Get a good idea of the exact purpose of the letter and who the recipients and ultimate decision makers will be. This will help you understand the tone and style you need to employ when writing the reference letter and it will also allow you to know the pertinent information required to be included in the specific situation, as well as “what to leave out.”
Why Do You Need a Reference or Recommendation Letter?
The person determining whether you are worthy of your desired goal will get information from you by some kind of interview with you. But, as is often the case, we can’t take everyone at face value – and this is where your need for a reference from a third party comes in.
When considering asking someone to write a reference letter for you, take some time to think carefully about both the reader of the letter and your relationship with the writer of the letter.
The first thing to remember is that the reader of your letter will likely have numerous reference letters to review other than the one you are writing. They are usually very busy individuals who have a limited amount of time to devote to each letter they receive. It is important that your letter really stand out in order to grab their attention.
The term “Recommendation Letter” is often used interchangeably with the term “Reference Letter”; however, there is a distinct difference between the two types of letters.