Letter of Recommendation - Format, Purpose and Samples

A letter of recommendation is a written statement that presents why someone is apt for a particular job, course or grant. Explore the article to learn why a recommendation letter is written and the format in which it should be written. You can also read through the samples to develop a fair idea of how to write one.

Table of Contents

• What Is a Letter of Recommendation?
• Purpose of a Recommendation Letter
• How to Write a Letter of Recommendation? – Format and Template
• Points to Remember When Writing a Letter of Recommendation
• Sample Letters of Recommendation
  • Sample Letter of Recommendation for Higher Studies
  • Sample Letter of Recommendation from Employer
  • Sample Letter of Recommendation for Internship
• Frequently Asked Questions on Letter of Recommendation

What Is a Letter of Recommendation?

A recommendation letter is a formal letter that is specifically written to inform the receiver about the eligibility of a particular individual for a said course or position. It can be written for both academic and professional purposes. In other words, it can be defined as an honest account of an individual’s performance written in order to convey to the receiver that they would prove their worth if given the opportunity.

Purpose of a Recommendation Letter

Now, why does someone require a recommendation letter? A recommendation letter is generally submitted well in advance when applying for a course, a scholarship or a job position. Since it is from a person who has already witnessed the concerned individual perform and show progress, it serves as a highly credible source of information.

Here are some tips for those requesting someone to write you a recommendation letter.

• Make sure you communicate clearly the reason you require a letter of recommendation.
• Give them a detailed idea of the course you are planning to take up or the job you want to apply for.
• You can also take their suggestions as to how to make a good impression of yourself.
• Whoever is writing the recommendation letter for you surely knows better, so do not hesitate to gather more information about what you should do to upskill yourself.

How to Write a Letter of Recommendation? – Format and Template

As already mentioned, a letter of recommendation, irrespective of what it is for, is a formal letter. So, follow the format of a formal letter. Like other formal letters, it is not necessary that you mention the sender’s address. This is mainly because you are writing the letter for someone else, and they would be the ones sending it. Start your letter with the date followed by the receiver’s address. The receiver’s address is also optional. You can proceed with the salutation immediately after the date. In the salutation, see to it that you address them appropriately. You can use a simple ‘Dear Dr./Mr./Ms./Mrs.(Name)’. In case you do not know who will be receiving the letter, you can just write – ‘To whom/whomever it may concern’.

In the body of the letter, mention the name of the individual and the job/course they are applying for. You can also briefly introduce who you are and how you know the person. You can then move on to giving an overview of the person’s skills, performance and accomplishments. You can also give an account of their personality in short. If you have an anecdote that highlights their expertise, you can do that as well. It will strengthen the candidate’s chances of getting into the course or the job. You can also write about instances where the individual has shown exceptional adroitness in solving a problem or completing a task. In the closing of the letter, you can reiterate the reasons you think the candidate is eligible in brief.

Sample Template of a Recommendation Letter

Date on which the letter is written

Receiver’s address (optional)

Subject

Salutation (Dear Dr./Mr./Ms./Mrs.(Name)

Body of the letter

Complimentary closing (Sincerely/Yours sincerely/Faithfully/Truly)

Signature of the sender

Full name in block letters

Designation of the sender

Contact information

Points to Remember When Writing a Letter of Recommendation

There are some pointers you should consider when writing a letter of recommendation for someone.

• Try to understand the course or position the candidate is applying for and then decide what to mention and emphasise.
• Make sure that you lay out the exceptional qualities of the candidate that deem the candidate fit for the job position or graduate study.
• Furthermore, you can present details about the capability of the candidate to meet deadlines and take up responsibilities.
• When you do all this, see to it that you do not exaggerate or overstate the information.
• Be sure to introduce yourself before you vouch for the candidate. This would add more value to the letter.
• This letter is meant to boost the candidate’s chances of getting into the graduate/research programme or being selected for a job. Keep this in mind when writing the letter of recommendation.
• Ensure you do not mention anything negative about the candidate. If you think the person needs to improve on some level, you can convey the same to them personally.

Sample Letters of Recommendation

Here are a few sample letters of recommendation. Check them out and try writing one on your own.

Sample Letter of Recommendation for Higher Studies

January 20, 2022

The Academic Coordinator

PSGR Krishnammal College of Arts and Science

Peelamedu

Coimbatore – 641025

Subject: Recommending Heera Vimal for the post-graduate programme in Mass Communication and Journalism

Dear Dr. Anjana Mohan,

I am Reena Matthew, the head of the department of English at GRD College of Arts and Science. I am writing this letter in support of Heera Vimal, a final-year student of our English Honours programme. Heera has shown much interest and determination from day one. She has made constant efforts to improve herself and learn more.

When she expressed interest in pursuing a career in journalism, I suggested that she specialise in mass communication and journalism from one of the best colleges offering the course. She is highly motivated and has taken up internships with various newspapers. Completing her master’s degree in journalism from your college would be an added feather in her cap.

I strongly recommend her for the programme as I have personally seen her perform well. Feel free to contact me in case you want to discuss anything further.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Signature of the sender

REENA MATTHEW

Head of the Department of English

GRD College of Arts and Science

Ph: xxxxxxxxxx

Sample Letter of Recommendation from Employer

12^th May, 2023

The HR Manager

Tata Consultancy Services Private Limited

HSR Layout

Bangalore – 560013

Subject: Recommendation for Derrick Rajkumar for the position of Soft Skills Trainer

Dear Mr. Pravin Kumar,

I am Sherin Trinita, the manager of the digital marketing team at SNP Technologies Pvt. Ltd. The purpose of this letter is to recommend Derrick Rajkumar for the post of Soft Skills Trainer at your esteemed organisation.

He joined us in the year 2020 and has been working as a trainer. Since then, he has progressed both personally and professionally. He has conducted more than 200 workshops for our employees. He has trained our newly recruited employees. Apart from that, he has also been of great help in setting up a proper annual quality enhancement training programme for all employees.

Now that he has decided to explore other opportunities and upskill himself, I would like to draw your attention to the kind of asset he would be to your organisation, if given a chance. He is humble and employee-friendly. He is also knowledgeable and is a master of the trade. Kindly consider him for the post of Soft Skills Trainer at your firm, and feel free to contact me in case of any more queries.

Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely,

Signature of the sender

SHERIN TRINITA

Manager – Digital Marketing Team

SNP Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

Mail id: name.name@email.com

Ph: xxxxxxxxx

Sample Letter of Recommendation for Internship

08/08/2022

To whom this may concern,

I offer this letter of recommendation in support of Namitha Pramoth. She has previously interned with us at The Hindu, Coimbatore. In the two months she was here, she has demonstrated her passion in writing and publishing through every little work she did. She is a good researcher and worked really hard on all the projects she was assigned. She has a flair for the language and an impressive creative intellect, which was seen in the articles she wrote.

She is a keen learner and was always ready to take up new tasks. We had been very impressed with her, and had given her an option to come work with us in the future if she’d like.

I have come to know that she is planning to take an internship at your publishing company and wanted to make sure she had an opportunity of working with one of the best in the field. So, kindly consider her for an internship in writing and publishing. You can get in touch with me if you require any further information.

Thank you for your valuable time.

Sincerely,

Signature of the sender

SHALINI PRAVEEN

Special Correspondent

The Hindu, Coimbatore

Mail id: name.123@email.com