GUIDELINES
- Tell the reader about the purpose of your letter, name the applicant on which the letter is asked. Also include the post that the applicant is searching. If necessary, also include the dates when the applicant would have been known to the reader.
- Give details about the qualifications, skills, and personal characteristics that the prospective post requires. Request the reader to assess the candidate through the listed qualifications, to get concrete answers, give out specific questions.
- Express well your intention to keep the information confidential. In this way, you might receive more realistic detail of the candidate.
- Assist the reader to respond by clearly starting when the endorsement is needed. You may also opt to provide your telephone number (some people are more fond of calling than waiting). To make it easier, provide a self-addressed stamped envelope.
- Tell them that your are thankful for his or her time and consideration.
SAMPLE LETTER
[Address line]
[State, ZIP Code]
[Letter Date]
[Address line]
[State, ZIP Code]
[Subject: Normally bold, summarizes the intention of the letter] -Optional-
Dear [Recipients Name],
Your former employee, Dennis Blane, is one of the applicants for a senior marketing position in our company, and you are one of the references he listed. Can you please give us an honest evaluation of Mr. Blane's competence to fill the position?
Mr. Blane's education and certifications meet the requisites of the position; however, we need more information on his work behavior, his ability to work in a team, as well as his capacity to work under pressure. Your assessment is necessary for us, and rest assured that we will keep it with utmost confidentiality.
We are hoping to receive your letter two weeks from today since it is essential that we fill this position right away. If you wish to speak personally with me, you may call me at 485-2387.
I appreciate your assistance on this matter.
Sincerely,
[Senders Name]
[Senders Title] -Optional-
[Enclosures: number] - Optional -
cc: [Name of copy recipient] - Optional -
Request letter for more information about an applicant.
Further things to consider when writing request letters to management
Request Letters
Request letters are letters written to ask formally or politely for something. Any matter that requires a humble and polite appeal can be put forward using a request letter. It could be a job interview, a promotion, or a favor; a request letter will get the job done. A request letter can be formal or informal depending on the recipient. If you are requesting a friend to do a task for you, for instance, you can choose to go informal. But if you are requesting your manager for a promotion, the letter has to be formal. Either way, a request letter must be sent early enough to give the recipient ample time to process and respond to the request.
When writing request letters, you need to be brief and direct, avoiding any auxiliary information that might weaken the message you are conveying. State exactly and clearly what you are requesting for giving reasons for it. If you are requesting for a raise, for example, explain in details why you think you deserve one. Maintain a polite tone throughout the letter. Close the letter by thanking the recipient in advance and expressing your anticipation for his/her consideration.
Letters to Management
Letters to management are letters written to the personnel or department that controls and makes decisions for a company or organization. These could be job application letters to apply for jobs, complaint letters to raise complaints, inquiry letters to request information, etc. Under all circumstances, all letters written to the management should be formal, contain all the necessary information, and free of grammatical errors. They must also be typed in a legible and professional font. Make sure not to include any sensitive information especially when the letter is not addressed to a specific person.
Before writing letters to management, you need to think about what you want to achieve and exactly who you are writing to. Use proper address and salutation. If you do not have an existing relationship with the recipient, introduce yourself in the first paragraph. Start with the most important information and go directly to the point. Keep it brief. However, if your letter is relatively lengthy, break it into short paragraphs. If there are any attachments, make sure to mention that in the letter and give a brief description of what they are. Finish with an expression of appreciation and give your contact details.
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