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?

The biggest problem here, obviously, is that these terms are often used interchangeably. For example, people often throw around the term “Recommendation Letter” when what they really need is a “Character Reference Letter” – without really understanding that there is a HUGE difference between the two.

If someone asks for a recommendation letter, and the person being asked has a totally different concept of what is being requested you’ve got a big problem! The contents of a reference letter for someone seeking employment will be much different than a reference letter for someone seeking college admission. Both of these will be much different than a general character reference letter.

Each type of reference letter has a different audience and a different purpose. It simply stands to reason that the content of the three will be much different.

It’s critical for both the writer and the requester to be VERY CLEAR about what type of reference letter is required so that the result is what is really required.

The truth of the matter is that there are only three main types of reference letters:

1. Employment Recommendation Letters
2. Academic Recommendation Letters
3. Character Reference Letters

Good Luck!

Lyle MacPherson
Author

Originally posted 2011-03-06 07:00:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The answer to this question is quite simple. A great reference letter can mean the difference between you being accepted or rejected.

A Great reference letter can help land that perfect job, receive that well deserved promotion, or to gain admission into your dream college or university. Or perhaps you need a place to stay, like that great apartment a few blocks away from your work.

Regardless of your pursuit, you need to understand that what you say is important…….but what someone else says about you is even MORE important. When you can offer third party proof that you are who you say you are, the person making the decision regarding your future now has proof that you are worthy of consideration.

Good Luck!

Lyle MacPherson
Author

Originally posted 2011-03-06 07:00:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

A Great Reference Letter can mean the difference between the applicant or candidate being accepted or rejected. This one simple, yet critical fact means that you need to be 100% sure that you are the best person to write this reference letter.

If you have been asked to write a reference letter for someone, you should ask them to let you think about it for a few hours or overnight before you answer them. This is obviously an important letter and both you and the one requesting the letter want to be sure you are the best on to be writing it.

There are five basic questions that you need to ask yourself before you agree to perform this important task:

1. Do I have the time to write a great reference letter?
2. Do I honestly feel comfortable writing a reference letter for this person?
3. Am I truly the right person to compose a reference letter for this person?
4. Do I know the person well enough to discuss his or her strengths and accomplishments?
5. Can I honestly write positive things about the person who has requested the reference letter?

 
If you cannot answer “yes” to most or all of these questions, you should bow out gracefully right from the beginning. A reference letter is designed to make someone look good to another person who is in a position of influence. If you feel that you cannot honestly paint a good picture of the person, you will be doing them a disservice by agreeing to write the letter.

It is far better to politely decline right at the outset than to waste your valuable time trying to do something that you know in your heart will not have the result that your requester desires. Also, the person asking for the reference letter will be much better off and be able to quickly move on to someone who can write a glowing recommendation for them.

That is not to say that the person who asked you is not worthy of a Great Recommendation. We all see each other in a different light based on our experiences with each other and how we perceive those experiences. While one person’s experiences with the letter requester may be mostly positive ones, you, on the other hand, may have had a totally different set of experiences or you may see things from a different perspective.

Remember, a reference letter is meant to be an honest summary of your thoughts about a particular individual. Also, keep in mind that this individual needs to look their very best to their potential readers. You should not waste your time or keep your requester hanging on a limb if you believe that you are not the best person to write a glowing recommendation for them. Again, you’ll both be better off by simply politely, but firmly, declining right from the beginning.

The bottom line is simply this: If you cannot give a strong positive recommendation, express your regret and suggest that someone else would be in a better position to write their letter.

“Never, EVER write something about someone that you do not believe in 100%…….NO MATTER WHAT!!”

Now, let’s assume that you have answered “yes” to most or all of these questions. You believe that you are qualified to make a reasonable, positive assessment of the person who has asked you to write the reference letter, and you also believe you have the ability to compose a very well-written, expressive reference letter on their behalf.

Watch next week for Steps to Ensure you will write the BEST Reference Letter Possible!

Good Luck!

Lyle MacPherson
Author

Originally posted 2011-03-12 07:00:58. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Employment Recommendation Letters

An Employment Recommendation Letter is written specifically to help someone obtain employment. 0

Academic Recommendation Letters

An Academic Recommendation Letter is written specifically for someone who is seeking entry into undergraduate and/or graduate programs at a college or university, or for someone about to receive a scholarship or fellowship.

Character Reference Letters

Also referred to as a “Personal Reference Letters” or “Personal Recommendation Letters,” a Character Reference Letter should illustrate an individual’s most positive personal attributes. This type of reference letter is most often used for important, non-employment and non-academic related pursuits.

Good Luck!

Lyle MacPherson
Author

Originally posted 2011-03-08 07:00:44. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Your brainstorming session should be quite extensive. You and the person you are writing the reference letter for cannot afford to make a mistake or say the wrong or inappropriate thing.

Ask questions about their goals and aspirations. You need to know what they are specifically trying to accomplish so that you can then direct your comments specifically to those goals.

Ask the person provide you with a list of their major accomplishments, the organizations they belong to, and any other relevant information. It may surprise you to see how much that person has done outside of your personal contact with them. This will also help you get a more accurate picture of the individual so that you can truly write the best reference letter on their behalf.

Obtain a copy of their resume and keep this information nearby while writing your reference letter for them. Remember, however, that you should only vouch for what you know from your own personal experience with the individual.

Ask whether there are specific skills, topics, accomplishments, issues, etc., that he or she wishes to be said or included in the letter, and, likewise, whether there are any specific things that should be left entirely out of the letter!

Ask them exactly when the reference letter is due, and make sure that you have adequate time to write the letter in order to have it completed by the agreed-upon deadline. Make every effort to honor the deadline.

My next entry will feature how to put yourself in the Reader’s Shoes.

Good Luck!

Lyle MacPherson
Author

Originally posted 2011-03-13 07:00:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The answer to this question is quite simple. A great reference letter can mean the difference between you being accepted or rejected.

A Great reference letter can help land that perfect job, receive that well deserved promotion, or to gain admission into your dream college or university. Or perhaps you need a place to stay, like that great apartment a few blocks away from your work.

Regardless of your pursuit, you need to understand that what you say is important…….but what someone else says about you is even MORE important. When you can offer third party proof that you are who you say you are, the person making the decision regarding your future now has proof that you are worthy of consideration.

Good Luck!

Lyle MacPherson
Author

Originally posted 2011-03-07 07:00:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

A great reference letter or recommendation letter supplies third-party proof that you are who you say that you are and that you are therefore worthy of serious consideration. You need someone else to back up your story! What you REALLY need is someone else’s signature on the letter other than your own.

You may, however, be asked to provide some, or even all of the “content” of the letter yourself. In this situation, you will be the one putting the words on the page for someone else’s signature. This is often the case when the person asked to provide a reference letter for you is not good with words, not good at writing a professional letter or simply doesn’t have the time to sit down and think of the many glowing things to say about you! This person, however, has agreed to vouch for what you say by putting their name and signature at the bottom of the letter.

Writing a Great Reference Letter can easily take several hours. For this reason, it not unusual for a Manager or Professor to ask you to write a good portion of the letter that they will later be happy to review, edit and sign for you.

If you must write your own reference letter due to the circumstances I just mentioned, keep the following important points in mind during the writing process:

• Remember that you have two different audiences: the one you have asked to sign the letter, and the recipient of your reference letter. While you must satisfy both, the one signing the letter is the more important one, so try to write as much as possible from their perspective.
• Follow the specific formats for each type of reference letter as outlined below.
• Always address numerous positive aspects of yourself and your character. You will want to discuss your strengths, your skills, your abilities, your personality, your aptitude, your community involvement, your hobbies, etc. You obviously want to emphasize your strongest points; however, keep in mind that emphasizing too much attention in one area will create the impression that you are not well-rounded. You want to demonstrate that you are GREAT at many things, not just one or two things.
• Always be honest with yourself when writing your letter. You should certainly focus mostly on your strengths. However, the readers of your letter know that you are human, and as such, know that you are not perfect. If there are things that you are not particularly good at, point them out. This will make you appear both “human” and honest. You want the reader of your letter to realize that you are very competent while at the same time, you have weaknesses just like everyone else, so express these by being open and honest.
• Never, ever brag! Your credibility and your character are your most important assets, and they will remain so throughout your entire life. If you are perceived as a braggart, flinging a big ego around, you’re sunk. You truly cannot risk losing your good reputation by bragging, exaggerating, lying, or assigning more self-importance to yourself than is necessary. People can and will see right through this, and it will only backfire on you. Always be honest, and even if you don’t get everything you ask for, you’ll know you did your best and were truthful about it.
• Unless otherwise indicated, provide a letter that is virtually complete, polished and basically ready to sign. Remember, these people, your references, are doing you a favor, and you don’t want to use up any more of their time than necessary. If you are both completely on the “same wavelength.” they may simply agree to sign your letter as you have written it and hand it right back to you. In my experience, however, this is not usually the case. More often than not, the individual signing the letter will add, delete or re-word a few things congruent to their beliefs in you. Because they are putting their name on your letter, this is absolutely the right thing for them to do, so always accept their changes gracefully and with appreciation.

Good Luck!

Lyle MacPherson
Author

Originally posted 2011-03-09 07:00:06. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Who you will ask will depend on the type of letter you require, which I will cover in more detail later in this book, but in general, you need to consider these basic guidelines.

Who Should I Ask to Write the Letter for Me?

You should ask someone who:

• Would be comfortable writing a letter for you.
• Writes well and easily.
• Has experience writing reference letters.
• Is familiar with you, your work, abilities, qualifications, interests, skills, hobbies, etc.
• Knows you well enough to be able to include personal stories about you in the letter.
• Ideally choose someone who has extensive, professional or business experience.

How Should I Ask Them?

• You should follow these basic guidelines when considering how to ask for a reference letter:
• Be straightforward when requesting any reference letter;
• Explain the importance of the letter and exactly why (and when) the letter is required.
• Whenever possible, try to get a sense of the writer’s comfort level before actually making your request.
• Never put your writer on the spot.
• Always offer to provide them with information that will make writing your letter as easy as possible. You may even want to offer to compose the letter yourself for the writer to simply sign.
• If they will be writing the letter entirely themselves, offer them a copy of this book to be used as their guideline. Refer them to the specific sections of the book that are relevant to the type of letter they will be writing.

When Should I Ask Them?

Every situation is different, of course, but in general, the more time you allow the writer to complete the letter, the better. As a general rule of thumb, you should request your letter at least a month in advance – two if possible.

Remember, this person is doing you a favor, and if at all possible, time should be on their side. Asking someone to “hurry” when writing your reference letter is a good way to write yourself out of a good recommendation!

Other Important Points to Consider when Asking Someone to Write a Reference Letter for You

• You should carefully communicate with the people who agree to write your letters. Tell them about your goals and what they might write that would help you to achieve those goals. Now is not the time to be shy! As I pointed out earlier, a reference letter is simply a sales letter that is intended to “sell you” as a person. Now is the time to step up to the plate and point out all of your accomplishments! You can be shy another time!

“Sell yourself, but don’t ever show a hint of arrogance.”

• You should follow up your request for a reference letter (in writing) with a review of your conversation. Include specific phrases or sentences that the writer could use in your reference letter. Be sure to also include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for your writer’s convenience.
• If you don’t receive your reference letters within 10 days of your conversations with your prospective writers, contact them by telephone or in person to confirm that they are aware of your deadlines.
• Follow up with each writer to let them know about your results and how much their reference letters helped you attain your goal(s).
• Always thank the writer(s) of your references letters for investing their time on your behalf, in pursuit of your desired future.

Good Luck!

Lyle MacPherson
Author

Originally posted 2011-03-11 07:00:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

In addition to the reference letter, a hiring manager will also have the job applicant’s resume, and the faculty or admissions reader will have the college applicant’s transcripts and test scores. All of the readers will also have the opportunity to interview the applicants in person.

With all this information already in the reader’s possession, what could a reference letter possibly provide them with that they do not already have?

Remember that one of the main purposes of a reference letter is to provide third party verification that what the applicant has indicated in the other pieces of information can be verified by someone. Simply put, a well written reference letter will add a great deal of credibility to what the applicant has already indicated.

What the readers are looking for in the reference letter are four additional dynamics that only a reference letter can provide. The reader is specifically looking for:

A sense that you know the applicant well enough to be able to make sound judgments about them. As the reader is reviewing your letter, they will be asking themselves these questions about you the writer:

• How important are you?
• What is your expertise?
• How relevant is your background to the recommendation you are making?

The sense that your credentials are worthy of consideration given the context for which the applicant is applying. The reader needs to feel that what you say in your letter is believable and worth listening to. The reader needs to know these things:

• Are you the applicant’s supervisor, professor, co-worker?
• How long have you been in a position to be able to judge the applicant’s talents, skills, abilities, attributes, and performance?

A sense of your overall opinion of the applicant. Is your letter positive, negative, lukewarm, or something in between? If you feel anything less than positive, it will come through loud and clear when you write your letter. Words have a way of conveying feelings, so be certain you can vouch for the applicant in a positive manner.

Insight into the applicant’s personal attributes. These personal insights are intangibles in that they usually cannot be obtained from a resume or transcript and sometimes not even from a personal interview with the applicant.

In an Employment Recommendation Letter, examples of personal attributes to include are:

• Are they responsible?
• Are they hard working and dedicated?
• Do they have leadership potential?
• Are they punctual and reliable?
• Do they communicate well?
• Are they a team player?
• Are they good at solving problems?
• Do they possess honesty and integrity?
• Are they flexible and adaptable?
• How well do they handle pressure?

In an Academic Recommendation Letter, examples of personal attributes to include are:

• Are they committed to the field they are considering?
• Are they serious about their studies?
• Do they have the potential to complete courses in higher education?
• Are they well rounded?
• Are they confident about succeeding?
• Do they value higher education?
• How do they interact with their peers and educators?

In a Character Reference Letter, examples of personal attributes to include are:

• Are they responsible?
• Do they demonstrate self control?
• Are they honest?
• Are they caring and kind to others?
• Doe they have good social skills?
• Are they dependable?
• Are they reliable?
• Are they self reliant?
• Are they mature?
• Do they exhibit sound judgment?

If you include all four of these underlying dynamics when writing your recommendation letters and make them distinctly recognizable, you will have accomplished a great deal!

You will be providing the reader with a complete, distinct “picture” of the applicant and why they should be seriously considered!

“Writing a Great reference letter can be a lot of work but it is also very rewarding to know that you have helped someone you know and care about to achieve their goals.”

In the next few days I will post an article on the General Layout of a Reference Letter.

Good Luck!

Lyle MacPherson
Author

Originally posted 2011-03-14 07:00:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Although both types of letters are primarily used to introduce a person and vouch for his or her skills, abilities, integrity, character, and interests, the difference between the two is significant.

A recommendation letter usually contains information specific to the person applying for a job or for entrance into college or university. The information is more specifically related to skills, and qualifications.

A recommendation letter is more specific and usually for the purpose of obtaining employment or admission to advanced education. The information is more related to skills and abilities than it is to personal characteristics.

A reference letter is usually more general in nature and refers more to the overall character of a person. The information is more related to an individual’s personality and character than it is to their skills and abilities.

Definition of a Recommendation Letter

A “Recommendation Letter” or “Letter of Recommendation” is a letter in which the writer assesses the qualifications, skills, abilities, interests, and capabilities of the person being recommended in terms of that individual’s ability to perform a particular task or function.

“Recommendation Letters” are almost always requested by someone, and are therefore normally specifically addressed to that particular requester. Recommendation letters are typically related to employment, college admissions, or scholarship eligibility.

Definition of a Reference Letter

A “Reference Letter” or “Letter of Reference” is a letter in which the writer makes a general assessment of the qualities, interests, attitude, integrity, community involvement, and personal characteristics of a person.

Reference letters are typically used in situations where an individual’s character is being assessed. A reference letter also confirms details about an individual’s situation or circumstances.

Reference letters are general in nature and usually addressed to “Whom It May Concern”. If the name of the recipient is known, you should address the letter to that person specifically.

Good Luck!

Lyle MacPherson
Author

Originally posted 2011-03-10 07:00:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter