GUIDELINES

  1. Open with greetings, state your name, your position, and your institution's name.
  2. State your purpose for writing the letter and say immediately whether you are recommending your employee or not.
  3. Support your recommendation by citing the employee's character, strengths and weaknesses.
  4. Close the letter by thanking the recipient for their time.

SAMPLE LETTER

[Senders Name]
[Address line]
[State, ZIP Code]

[Letter Date]

[Recipients Name]
[Address line]
[State, ZIP Code]

[Subject: Normally bold, summarizes the intention of the letter] -Optional-


Dear [Recipients Name],

Good day! I am Dave Clark, manager of the FastPrint Publishing House.

I am writing this about George Wright's application for your training on book designs. I, together with the rest of our staff, highly recommend Mr. Wright to be among your participants.

Mr. Wright has been with us since we started two years ago and his dedication to his work has remained constant. He is now overseeing the binding operations, and he has always been diligent in his work. Aside from honing his expertise, whatever he will be learning from your training will undoubtedly benefit our thriving company. Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,

[Senders Name]
[Senders Title] -Optional-

[Enclosures: number] - Optional -
cc: [Name of copy recipient] - Optional -

Reference letter from an employer's perspective. Sample letter.

Further things to consider when writing reference letters to whom it may concern

Further things to consider when writing reference letters to whom it may concern

Reference Letters

Reference letters are letters written to endorse someone's general character and personality. A reference letter differs from a recommendation letter in that the latter supports the person's application for a specific job or education program and is usually addressed to a particular person. A reference letter is more general in nature, refers to the overall character of the person, and is not addressed to anyone in particular. It is normally addressed as "Dear sir/madam," or "To whom it may concern." The person who writes the reference letter is known as the referee, and he/she could be a close friend or colleague.

For you to write good reference letters, you need to know the candidates well to be able to express their best character. Start off with a salutation and the name of the person the letter is about. Write a sentence or two explaining how you know the person and for how long. Mention the strong qualities, characteristics, and strengths of the person in question. Giving brief examples, discuss why you feel the person will be a great addition to office and work culture. Use strong verbs but do not exaggerate. Conclude with your contacts and signature.

Letters to Whom It May Concern

Letters to whom it may concern are letters addressed to unknown recipients. The term "To whom it may concern" is, basically, a letter salutation that has been used over the years in business correspondence when a sender doesn't have a specific recipient or doesn't know the name of the recipient. This may happen many times during your job search. For instance, you may be sending a recommendation letter, cover letter or any other job application material to someone you don't know. It is also appropriate to address a letter to whom it may concern if you're making an inquiry but don't know who to address your letter to.

Although sending letters to whom it may concern has been a common practice, other options such as, "To hiring manager", "To customer service manager", etc., can be used at the start of a letter. Of course, you should make an effort to find the recipient's name. You can look it up on the recipient's company website, LinkedIn or other professional social sites, or contact the office and ask the assistant for advice. However, when this is not possible, you can still use "To whom it may concern".

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