recommendation letter from thesis advisor sample

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Graduate School Letter of Recommendation Examples 2022-2023

Grad school recommendation letters are an essential part of every graduate school application package–even in this (almost) post-COVID era of remote work and Zoom classes. Nearly all applications to graduate school still require at least two recommendation letters from individuals who can discuss your abilities, competencies, and personal character in a coherent way and recommend you for admission to graduate school.

Many referees have difficulty writing these recommendations themselves (for language issues or simply because they are busy) and some rely on the applicant to pen the draft of the letter and receive confirmation before submitting it to the graduate school. But regardless of who is writing the letter, there are a few key elements the recommender needs to include to craft a stellar recommendation for their graduate candidate.

Who should write a recommendation letter for graduate school?

Choosing which professors, supervisors, or advisors to request a graduate school recommendation letter from can be somewhat overwhelming. Should you choose someone who does not know you personally but who has connections to your target graduate school? If a famous professor writes you a grad school recommendation letter, will this automatically give you an advantage with the admissions committee? 

In general, graduate recommendation letters should come from people who know you well, who respect you enough to say glowing things about you as a student and researcher, and who hold positions in school or work that are above your own. At least one letter of recommendation should be submitted from a past or current professor or academic advisor. 

Another could be from someone in a slightly different role, including an employer, a research adviser, a senior colleague, or a professor from a different department or kind of class (e.g., a discussion class professor instead of a lecturer). No matter who it is, the recommender should know the applicant and recognize their accomplishments. It also helps if the recommender understands some details about the program to which their candidate is applying.

Here are some guidelines to follow when choosing who to ask for letters of recommendation for graduate school. Select someone who:

• Knows you well and can answer positively. Choose an individual who you have spent time with outside the classroom if possible. They should also be familiar with your career goals and hold a favorable view of you. 
• Has known you for quite a while. A recommendation letter for graduate school carries more influence if the person has known you for months or years instead of months. If you can, find someone who knows you from various contexts, such as a professor who is also your advisor. 
• Can speak to your strengths in relation to your graduate program. Choosing a finance professor to write your recommendation letter for an MBA program would be a good idea because they can write about the qualities that will aid you in pursuing an MBA (qualities you can also include in your MBA essay ) and a broader career in business. 
• Has substantive stories to share about you. Who was fortunate enough to see you succeed in an academic, extracurricular, or professional setting? Having someone write your LOR who has good stories to share about you is certainly going to benefit you more than someone whose class you took with two hundred other students. 

How to Request a Letter of Recommendation for Graduate School

Knowing how to request a letter of recommendation for graduate school can directly impact the quality of the letter your referee writes for you. Show respect and consideration for the time that your recommender is taking to write a glowing review that will get you into graduate school and positively impact the rest of your life. 

With this in mind, it may seem obvious that the very best way to ask for a letter of recommendation for graduate school is to do so in person. While this isn’t possible for all students (due to availability or schedule), it is the best route if you want to ensure that your LOR is not only written on time, but includes all the positive information about you that admissions committees want to see in a graduate candidate. When you cannot ask in person, sending an email is an appropriate second-best option. But remember to always be cordial and polite when making this request. 

What information should be included in a graduate recommendation letter?

Your referral letter should cover a range of skills, from academic abilities to research experiences, to applied experiences in and out of class. As the recommender, your letter should clearly answer some specific questions:

Your letter of recommendation should cover a range of skills, from academic abilities to research experiences, to applied experiences in and out of class. As the recommender, your letter should clearly answer some specific questions:

• What is your relationship with the student?
• Why should the graduate faculty listen to your opinion? (include your status, title)
• What makes this student special? (discuss their characteristics, qualities, traits)
• What specifically did this student do to impress you? (discuss their accomplishments, habits in class)
• What makes this student qualified for graduate school and for this program? (include specific courses or interests of the student in addition to abilities and traits)
• What do you know about the program the student is applying to?

What information does the LOR recommender need from me?

The recommender should be given sufficient time to write (and/or confirm) the letter. If it has been a while since you were last in contact, sending a background information file will make things easier. Include the following information so that the recommender can use a few details to bolster their letter:

• Classes the student has taken with the recommender
• Experiences you have shared
• Transcripts
• Research experience and internships
• Awards and achievements
• Academic/career goals
• Relevant professional experience

In addition to background information, make sure that the recommender has the necessary information to plan the writing in a timely manner and target the letter as much as possible:

• Graduate program application due date
• Copy of recommendation forms (if applicable)
• Instructions for submitting LORs (hard copy, soft copy, or direct to school)
• Details about the program and school the student is applying to

What style of writing should be used in a recommendation letter?

Although the letter of recommendation is more informal than academic writing, you should make sure that your language has no grammatical or mechanics errors and that it is of an academic level that reflects the author’s educational level and qualifications. Apply the following standards to the writing and the essay-drafting process:

• Make your language more personal in tone than research writing.
• Use the active voice and first-person point of view more often.
• Write chronologically, starting from important traits and then moving on to actions and achievements.
• Use lots of details—list course names, scores, and specific achievements of the student.
• Edit your letter before submitting it to the graduate admissions faculty.

How to Write a Grad School Letter of Recommendation Letter: LOR Outline

A well-structured recommendation letter (like any organized essay) will guide the reader logically towards an understanding of why this student is worthy not only of praise but of admission to graduate school. Grad school requires quite a few high-level scholastic attributes that not all students possess, and therefore it is important to focus on both the achievements of the candidate and on their personal character and potential to thrive in a difficult academic environment.

Use this outline as a letter of recommendation template in which to input your candidate’s achievements, skills, and traits. Note that the flow of information moves the reader into greater detail, using form phrases and transitions that increase the readability of the letter.

1. Greeting to the recipient

Dear {Name}, or To Whom It May Concern, To the graduate faculty of the {University / Department}

2. Opening paragraph: position; relationship to the applicant; general assessment of the applicant

It is my absolute pleasure to recommend {Name} for admissions to {Program} at {University}… I am a professor of {area of study} in the department of {department} at {University}.

3. Second paragraph: positive skill or trait; evidence of trait or skill; anecdotes demonstrating this skill

Jane has excellent communication skills. Her written work is both clear and concise, as well as interesting to read…

4. Third (up to fifth) paragraph: Other skills or traits; evidence of character and skills; detailed anecdotes

At a personal level, Jane is a well-disciplined, industrious student with a pleasant personality. She went well beyond the course expectations…

5. Final Paragraph: clear recommendation of the candidate to the specific school or program.

Jane is unquestionably an exceptional candidate for graduate study in {Program Applying for}. Jane’s work in “Developments in Anthropology” suggests that she would greatly benefit from the opportunities for intellectual development provided by a sustained period of graduate study…

6. Closing line: polite offer to be contacted if needed

If I can be of any further assistance, or provide you with any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Letter of Recommendation Template and Useful Phrases

Admission essays often contain template phrases or “form phrases” that allow the writer to plug in their specific information while not spending too much time deciding how to compose every single aspect of the writing. This can be especially useful for ESL authors because conventional expressions used in academic and essay writing can be difficult to learn and memorize. Use the following form phrases to help craft a more professional letter of recommendation.

Introducing yourself

• My name is  {Author}  and I have been a Professor of Math at  {University}  since  {date} .
• I write to you today to proudly express my support for  {Student}  in applying to your prestigious university.

Discussing your relationship with the applicant

• I first came to know  {Student}  while teaching him/her in my  {Course Name}  course…
• I was  {Student} ’s thesis advisor during his/her senior year.
• I have known  {Student}  for several years now and can attest to his/her strengths and quality of character.

Discussing the student’s general positive traits

• {Student}  has excellent communication skills and displays them regularly in class discussions.
• He/She is a highly intelligent and competent student who excels in many areas.
• Not only is  {Student}  hard-working and thoughtful, but he/she also demonstrates kindness and generosity towards his/her peers.

Demonstrating evidence of student’s character and skills

• She/he has shown herself/himself to be a true leader who is able to successfully develop plans and implement them in his/her work.
• {Student}  demonstrated his/her independence daily, completing difficult lab exercises by researching outside of class.
• During his/her internship,  {Student}  consistently managed his/her work responsibilities diligently and learned quickly. For example…

Discussing the school/program the student is applying to

• As  {University}  is renowned for its  {Program} , I believe this is an ideal place for  {Student}  to solidify his/her abilities and cement his/her knowledge of  {area of study} .
• The learning environment that  {University}  is famous for creating excellent opportunities in which  {Student}  to apply his/her skills.

Final endorsement and offer to be contacted

• For the above reasons, I am confident that  {Student}  will make an excellent addition to your graduate program, and I wholeheartedly support him/her for admission to your program.
• Thank you for your time and attention in reading my endorsement.

Further Tips for Writing Admissions Essays

• Highlight your self-motivation, competence, and potential in this essay
• Emphasize everything from a positive perspective and write in the active voice.
• Demonstrate through examples; don’t just write that you are a “persistent person”—show it!
• Approach every topic with continuity and focus.

The Final Step: Editing Your Recommendation Letter

As any good writer knows, it takes more than one draft to create a strong and compelling work of writing. After you have written your recommendation letter draft, there is still a lot of room for revision. One way to ensure that grammar mistakes and style errors do not get in the way of a strong letter is to let the admissions experts at Wordvice’s Admissions Editing Services edit and proofread your (of your candidate’s) letter of recommendation or other application essays, raising the chances that your candidate will be admitted to the program of their choice.

With a full suite of professional proofreading services , we edit thousands of admission documents each year for all kinds of authors of academic and admissions documents just like you. Furthermore, our application essay editing services , recommendation letter editing services , personal statement editing services , CV editing services , cover letter editing services , and SOP editing services are tailored to the needs of your specific admissions essay.

For more articles on writing and editing your essays and academic work, visit Wordvice’s Academic Resource page . 

Asking for a recommendation letter from a PhD supervisor

Letters of recommendation are required for many applications, and PhD supervisors are often asked to provide these letters to PhD students. How you ask your PhD supervisor, what support you provide, and how you deal with a difficult supervisor relationship, matters for the quality of recommendation letters.

Reasons to need a recommendation letter from a PhD supervisor

Asking for a recommendation letter from a phd supervisor in person, asking for a recommendation letter from a phd supervisor via email, offering to provide a draft when asking for a recommendation letter from a phd supervisor, dos and don’ts when asking your phd supervisor for a recommendation letter, dealing with a difficult relationship when needing a recommendation letter from a phd supervisor.

There are various reasons to need a recommendation letter from a PhD supervisor. First, there are job applications.

PhD supervisors usually are some of the people who work most closely with a PhD student. Therefore, their opinion and feedback are valued for both academic and non-academic job applications.

However, especially for academic applications (such as postdoctoral positions), the PhD supervisor’s assessment of the student’s academic quality tends to be highly valued by application committees.

Letters of recommendation are often required for scholarship, grant and bursary applications. As many PhD students rely on these funding sources, a good recommendation letter from the PhD supervisor is really important in these instances.

Often, the recommendation letter is, next to the PhD student’s motivation letter, a key factor of success that can accelerate or slow down a PhD student’s career.

Recommendation letters from PhD supervisors are important, and a lot is riding on them. So how do you ask for a letter? The best and easiest way is in person.

Things to consider when asking for a letter of recommendation in person:

• Timing: If you have a job or grant application in mind, it is important to mention it to your PhD supervisor well in advance. Avoid asking for a recommendation letter last minute at all costs!
• Requirements: Tell your PhD supervisor about your application plans, and ask if he/she is willing to write a recommendation letter. Be specific about the requirements (length, points to cover, deadline, etc.) of the letter, so that your PhD supervisor knows exactly what to expect.
• Content: Letters of recommendation should never be generic. Therefore, always suggest key points to include in the letter. Don’t be shy. Providing direction in terms of the content of the letter makes it easier for your PhD supervisor to complete the task, and ensures that each recommendation letter is tailored to the specific application. And it does not mean that your PhD supervisor has to take over all your suggestions.
• Email confirmation: PhD supervisors tend to be busy, and they may forget about your letter. Even after agreeing that your PhD supervisor writes a recommendation letter for you, make sure to put this agreement, including the deadline and key points to include, into writing by sending an email.
• Friendly reminder: If you have not received your recommendation letter and your deadline is approaching, send a friendly reminder. Acknowledge that your supervisor is probably very busy, thank him/her for supporting you, and once again offer to help with drafting the actual letter.

Not all PhD students see their supervisors regularly and have the opportunity to ask for a recommendation letter in person. You can also ask for a recommendation letter via email.

When asking for a recommendation letter via email, it is extremely important to be concrete and concise.

The main reason for this is that you cannot explain elaborately what the application is about, why you need to letter or answer any direct questions when you ask your supervisor via email. And you don’t want your request to drown in an essay-long email.

Things to consider when asking for a letter of recommendation via email:

• Email subject: Make sure to be explicit about your request in the email subject. For instance: “Kind request for a recommendation letter for x application”.
• Purpose: Start your email by explaining why you need a recommendation letter in 2-3 sentences. Instead of talking about all the details, you can attach the job description or call for applications to your email, and simply refer to it in text.
• Content: Letters of recommendation should never be generic. Therefore, be explicit about the requirements of the application, and suggest key points to include in the letter. Don’t be shy. Providing direction in terms of the content of the letter makes it easier for your PhD supervisor to complete the task, and ensures that each recommendation letter is tailored to the specific application. And it does not mean that your PhD supervisor has to take over all your suggestions.

If you are struggling to formulate such an email, have a look at 5 sample emails asking for letter of recommendation from a professor.

You may also like: Sample emails asking for letter of recommendation from a professor

Having students write their draft letters of recommendation is a widespread practice in academia. While it may seem weird at first, offering to provide a draft recommendation letter about yourself can be a good idea.

Some PhD supervisors are of course completely committed to their supervisees and will take the time to write a unique, tailor-made recommendation letter each time they are asked to do so.

In reality, however, PhD supervisors are extremely busy and get multiple requests for recommendation letters regularly. Not only from PhD students but also from bachelor bachelor’s and master’s students.

Providing a draft letter, or key points to include or highlight, can ensure that the recommendation letter is on point, and addresses all relevant aspects of the application.

Therefore, many supervisors will request a draft version from you anyways. Many others will appreciate your offer of writing a first draft. Editing and adding opinions here and there is much easier for PhD supervisors than writing a recommendation letter from scratch.

In my experience, the chance that a PhD supervisor agrees writing a recommendation letter is much higher when the PhD student offers the provision of a draft.

You may also like: 3 sample recommendation letters for brilliant students

To summarise the information above, here are the key dos and don’ts when asking your PhD supervisor for a letter of recommendation.

• Ask your supervisor for a recommendation letter well in advance of the application deadline
• Be clear about the purpose and requirements for the letter
• Offer to write a draft letter yourself, or to provide key points to include
• Give your PhD supervisor a concrete deadline
• Ensure that each recommendation letter is tailored to the specific application
• Ask your supervisor last minute, or too close to the deadline
• Be vague about the content that you’d like to have included in the letter
• Leave the content of the letter entirely up to your supervisor
• Expect your supervisor to remember the letter and the dates of submission
• Submit a generic letter of recommendation as part of your application

Not every PhD student has a good or convivial relationship with his or her PhD supervisor/s. Thus, there may be some difficult situations.

If you think that your PhD supervisor will not put a lot of effort into the letter (because of a lack of time or interest), you can often mitigate the situation by providing a good draft. Make sure to inquire first if they are okay with you providing a draft. You cannot control the content of the final letter, but you can certainly steer it.

If you think your PhD supervisor will provide a very negative recommendation letter, it is better not to ask for one. Most applications do not explicitly ask for a recommendation letter from the PhD supervisor. So try to ask someone else, for instance, a good colleague, the head of the department, or someone else you collaborate with.

If you have a bad relationship with your PhD supervisor but your application explicitly asks for a letter of recommendation letter from that PhD supervisor, you have two options:

• Do include the recommendation letter of the PhD supervisor, even if it is a negative one, and provide an additional explanation about your relationship. Furthermore, provide positive recommendation letters from other people, even if they are not required, to counterbalance the negative opinion of the PhD supervisor.
• Do not include a recommendation letter from the PhD supervisor, even if the application requires one. Explain why you decided not to include this specific recommendation letter, and provide alternatives.

The latter two scenarios are not ideal and should be a last resort.

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How to Write a Letter of Recommendation [With Tips & Template]

Every now and then, applying for a position will require that you also submit a letter of recommendation. 

Or, maybe, a coworker will ask you to write a recommendation letter for their new job application.

If you're not certain how to go about it, don't worry - nothing about recommendation letters needs to be complicated. Especially once you learn the nitty-gritty of the topic. 

This is exactly what this article is here to teach you!

What is a Recommendation Letter?

What should a letter of recommendation include.

• How to Write a Letter of Recommendation

3 Types of Recommendation Letters

• How to Ask For a Recommendation Letter
• Recommendation Letter Template

A letter of recommendation is a formal document confirming and recommending a person’s work, skills, or academic performance and potential. 

Typically, a recommendation letter is required for: 

• University admissions
• Fellowships or internship positions
• Job applications
• Volunteering opportunities

You should ideally write a recommendation for someone whose abilities and work ethic you are familiar with - for example, a colleague, student you taught, your employee, or someone you supervised at work.

Similarly, if you’re the one asking for a recommendation letter, you should ask someone who can attest to your professional or academic abilities. 

The types of recommendation letters are:

• Academic recommendation letters.
• Employment recommendation letters.
• Character recommendation letters.

Here’s what each type of recommendation letter is about:

#1. Academic Recommendation Letters

Academic recommendation letters are typically required to be submitted by students during the admission processes of graduate and undergraduate schools. 

Generally, each prospective student is requested to submit up to three references, which can be written by any education professional familiar with the candidate’s academic background. 

Academic reference letters include:

• Recommendation letter for undergraduate/graduate school
• Recommendation letter for a scholarship
• Recommendation letter for a fellowship program

#2. Employment recommendation letters 

This type makes up the most popular type of recommendation letter.

Sometimes, employers can ask you to submit up to 3 recommendation letters as part of your job application.

More often, though, a recruiter might ask you for recommendation letters if they already like your resume and want to learn more about you. 

Employment recommendation letters are written by former - or current - coworkers, employers, or supervisors.

If you can choose, pick someone with more years of experience than you. After all, the more senior they are, the more weight their recommendation carries.

Employment recommendations include: 

• Recommendation letter for a coworker
• Recommendation letter for a (former) employee

#3. Character recommendation letters

Character recommendation letters, also known as personal references, are used to describe an individual’s personality by someone who knows them well, including close friends, coworkers, or employers. 

Personal references serve many purposes, the primary ones being court cases dealing with criminal issues such as drunk driving offenses, or legal situations such as child adoption procedures. 

It is not uncommon, however, to have a potential landlord or even immigration officials ask for a personal reference. 

Personal references include: 

• Recommendation letter for a friend
• Recommendation letter for a tenant
• Recommendation letter for a patient

Recommendation letters follow a particular format and layout that make writing them significantly easier. 

In this section, we’ll cover how to do each the right way, starting with:

Letter of Recommendation Format

A letter of recommendation includes the following sections: 

• The salutation ; if you are addressing someone whose name you know or writing a personal recommendation letter, the salutation can be addressed to “Dear Mr./Mrs./Dr. Smith.” Otherwise, you may use the generic “to whom it may concern.”
• The introduction , which first and foremost includes your statement of recommendation (i.e. “ it is my pleasure to recommend… ”). It is common to also briefly state who you are and what your expertise is.
• The overview, or a description of the applicant’s top skills, attributes, and strengths.
• A personal story describing more of the applicant’s skills and qualifications.
• The closing statement , or the final call for action, is where you encourage the recruiter to contact you if additional information is needed.
• The signature , where you repeat your name and include your full contact information.

Letter of Recommendation Layout 

When it comes to the layout of the recommendation letter, all you need to do is follow some basic formatting rules. Here are the most important ones: 

#1. One page length. This rule applies to resumes too, but it’s even more essential for the recommendation letter. Recruiters go through hundreds of them, so chances are they appreciate concise, to-the-point letters that don’t waste their time. And besides, a good recommendation letter doesn’t have to be an essay to get the recruiter ‘hooked’ - especially if you follow the above format. 

#2. Single-spaced lining, with space between paragraphs . This also keeps your reference letter within the limit by shortening the text. 

#3. Traditional font. Don’t go for something too creative - pick a classic that works. We recommend Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial, Ubuntu, Roboto or Overpass.

#4. 1” margins on all sides . This creates enough white space around the margins and makes the letter easy to read. Additionally, the text should be aligned to the left - although this is a standard alignment for most documents.    

#5. 10-12pt font size . This is the font size range that makes the document easy to read. Adjusting the font size is another good way to keep your recommendation letter within the length limit.

Recommendation letters usually follow similar layout rules as resumes. Learn more about font size and style from our article on the best resume font, size, and format . 

Recommendation Letter Template 

Struggling to write a recommendation letter? 

Just follow our tried-and-tested template! 

To whom it may concern: 

[Recommend the referee for the position they are applying for.]

[Briefly introduce yourself and state your position/ job title , as well as your work experience .]

[Tell how you know the referee and describe their top skills, qualifications, and strengths.]

[Share a personal story with the referee where you highlight their strong points and key achievements .]

[Add a few more of the applicant’s skills and positive traits, preferably fitting the job description.]

[Show your availability to provide additional information for the referee if needed.]

Best Regards

[Your full signature and contact information]

How to Ask for a Recommendation Letter 

Need to ask someone for a recommendation letter? Here’s what you need to know.

The go-to person for your recommendation letter will depend on the type of reference you’ll need. 

For example, if you need an employment recommendation letter , your top choices should involve people who are familiar with your work ethic and professional abilities, but with whom you’ve also had a positive professional relationship. For example:

• Your team lead
• Department head
• CEO of the company
• Direct manager
• A coworker you’ve worked with together on a project

If you are a recent graduate with little work experience, you can ask a mentor or college professor to write you a professional reference. 

In case you need an academic recommendation letter , consider asking a professor with whom you’ve worked closely and can positively attest to your academic potential and achievements.

Your thesis advisor, for example, would make a good choice to ask for an academic reference. If you never wrote a Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis, any professor who knows you as more than just a face in a sea of students should do the trick. 

Finally, keep the following in mind when the time comes to ask for a recommendation letter: 

• Whoever you end up asking, talk to them about it in advance . Then, follow up with a formal email that should contain all reference-related information, such as the submission details and deadline. The email can also include a description of what you’re currently doing (professionally, academically, or independently), what qualifies you for the position, and some relevant skills, achievements, or noteworthy facts.
• If you’re asking for a professional recommendation letter, make sure to also include your resume and the job description in the follow-up email. This way, the person writing the letter will know more about you and your new position and will be able to write a more relevant recommendation by tailoring your skills to the job, or by mentioning some of your (relevant) achievements.
• Notify the contacts you’ll be asking - considering that in most cases recruiters ask for up to three recommendation letters - at least two weeks in advance. This will give them enough time to prepare and write a good recommendation letter. This is especially important for academic references because professors are usually writing several recommendation letters simultaneously.
• Consider attaching a recommendation letter template such as the one provided in this article to your email. The template will considerably ease or guide them through the process of writing the letter.
• Follow up by sending thank you notes to everyone who writes you a recommendation letter. Sending a letter of appreciation is a courtesy act that will let them know you are grateful for the time and effort they took to recommend you positively.

If you’re also looking to update your resume or create one, head over to our guide on how to write a resume in 2024 !

5 Tips on How to Write a Letter of Recommendation

There’s more to writing a recommendation letter than just following the layout instructions or sticking to the format.

We’re referring to content quality, which happens to be the trickiest part of the process. 

In this section, we’ll teach you how to write a recommendation letter that will impress the recruiter and help your referee!

Tip #1. Write an Attention-Grabbing Introduction  

First things first - the introduction.

This is where you need to grab the reader’s attention and get them interested in reading the recommendation letter. 

How to go about it? Before formally (and briefly) introducing yourself, aim to write an attention-grabbing recommendation statement, instead of a generic one the recruiter probably knows by heart already. 

Let’s explain this more practically: 

Dear Mr. Smith, 

I am pleased to recommend Sarah McKay for the Communications Assistant position.

Nothing wrong with this introduction at first glance, right? It’s a standard way of opening a recommendation letter after all. 

Well that’s exactly what’s wrong with it - it’s way too common. No, this probably won’t get your application disqualified, but it won’t impress the recruiter either.

Want yours to strike the right note? Try something like this instead:

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am sincerely glad to be the one recommending Sarah McKay for the Communications Assistant position.

This recommendation statement is not significantly different from the previous one, except for one thing: it gives the reference letter a head start by implying that recommending Sarah is an honor. And that’s more likely to get the recruiter’s attention - or, at least, curiosity. 

In case you’re struggling to come up with an attention-grabbing introduction, simply mention one of the following points, and you’re good to go: 

• A little-known fact about the candidate. 
• Your general consideration of the candidate’s qualities.
• A remarkable achievement or award the candidate might have won.  

Tip #2. Establish a Meaningful Relationship With the Candidate 

All recommendation letters explain what the relationship with the referee is before listing their skills and qualifications. 

To make the recommendation more meaningful, you should show the recruiter you are just the right person to attest to the candidate’s abilities. And that’s not something you can convey by simply stating how you know them. Take the following example:   

I have taught Jake Political Science for four years. 

Does this example tell the recruiter how you know the applicant? Sure, it does. 

But it does so in a boring way and without establishing a convincing relationship with them. For all the recruiter knows, Jake is just one out of a thousand students you’ve taught over the years.

It has been a pleasure for me to teach Jake for four years and guide him through his remarkable Bachelor’s thesis in Conflict Resolution.

Notice the difference? This example specifies the writer is Jake’s thesis advisor, which makes the recommendation all the more meaningful. 

Tip #3. Tailor Your Recommendation to the Application 

Want to put in the extra effort and make sure your referee truly stands out?

Tailor the recommendation letter to the job / university program they’re applying for.

Tailoring your letter to the candidate’s application is easiest when you’re recommending someone for employment (you can just check the job requirements), but it works for any type of recommendation (incl. academic). All you need to do is match the referee’s skills and strengths to whatever they’re applying for. 

Let’s assume, for example, that you’re recommending a co-worker for a marketing manager position.

Some of the job requirements are: 

• +5 years of professional experience in marketing
• Experience developing marketing campaigns 
• Excellent communication skills 
• Project-management and multi-tasking skills 

To tailor your recommendation to the job requirements, all you need to do is mention them as your referee’s best qualities. For example: 

Even after seven years working together, Ema’s skillful way of effectively communicating with clients and co-workers alike doesn’t cease to amaze me. It only comes second to her multi-tasking abilities, which I’ve witnessed throughout the many marketing campaigns we have developed and managed. 

As you can see, there’s not much to it. 

All you need to do is check the job requirements, pick several skills and qualifications, and make them part of your referee’s top skills, strengths, or personality traits.  

Tip #4. List the Candidate’s Achievements 

Mentioning some of the candidate’s achievements is another great way to help your referee really stand out.

After all, skills, strengths, and character traits are awesome, but they can also come across as meaningless if you can’t back them up with facts. 

What do we mean by this?

Let us explain:

Here’s how a typical personal story in a recommendation letter looks like:

I came to truly appreciate Eric’s work ethic, passion, and attention to detail the first time I assigned him to do a report on child trafficking. Eric was respectful of journalistic ethics but also willing to chase the story relentlessly, believing in its value and importance. 

Sure, this is a perfectly acceptable personal story. 

However, it doesn’t do much more than just list the referee’s skills, traits, and work experience through a subjective lens. 

What we’re saying is, it doesn’t really sell the candidate.

Now, let’s compare it to the following:

Eric’s ability to chase after difficult stories first became apparent when I assigned him a report about child trafficking. Despite the challenging topic, Eric not only pulled through but achieved more than expected by a) identifying a trafficking ring that put more than 50 minors into forced begging, b) interviewing 10 of the older minors and managing to bring that trafficking network down once the reportage went public and c) increasing the TV Channel’s ratings by 40% in 3 weeks. 

By mentioning those achievements, your account of the candidate’s experiences is a lot more “factual,” as well as impressive for the recruiter.

Not sure which achievements to include? Check out these 101+ achievements to list on your resum e !

Tip #5. Polish Up Your Recommendation Letter

Finally, here’s 5 more simple tips to get your recommendation letter ready:

• Maintain positive rhetoric . At no point throughout your reference letter should the recruiter sense a hint of doubt regarding the applicant’s skills and qualifications.
• Don’t overdo the positivity. Extremes are never good - which means being overly positive might also come across as a bit suspicious or weird (even if everything you're saying is true). 
• Follow the submission instructions . A bunch of employers, but also educational institutions, will provide instructions on how to submit the recommendation letter. We recommend you ask the candidate to double-check them and give you a heads up, because if you submit the recommendation letter wrong, the candidate might lose their chance.
• Use a business tone . Even when you’re being creative, your writing tone should maintain a business tone - polite, and as formal as possible.
• Mind your grammar and spelling . This is another tip that goes for all things application-related. You won’t compromise the referee’s chances with a typo, but your recommendation won’t matter much either if it’s filled with simple grammar/spelling mistakes. Run your letter through a grammar and spell-check app once you’re finished with it, just to be on the safe side of things.

Recommendation Letter FAQ

Still have some questions on how to write a letter of recommendation?

Find your answers below!

1. What is a professional letter of recommendation?

A professional letter of recommendation - also called an employment recommendation letter - refers to an official document that is typically required when you apply for a job and which describes the applicant’s professional skills, experiences, and qualifications. 

Professional letters of recommendation are typically written by current or previous employers or supervisors. A coworker can also write you a professional letter of recommendation, but it’s not as optimal as a coworker is not really an authority figure (and might just be a friend doing you a favor instead of being honest).

2. What should be written in a letter of recommendation?

Letters of recommendation generally follow the following format: 

• A formal salutation
• An introduction (which includes a recommendation statement and your professional title)
• An overview of some of the applicant’s skills, strengths, or qualifications, which you can tailor to the application
• A personal story where you can mention some of the applicant’s achievements
• A closing statement and call for action
• A signature , with your contact information

3. Who should I ask for a letter of recommendation?

If you’re asking for an academic letter of recommendation, you can ask:

• Current or former professors
• Academic mentors
• Thesis advisors

If you’re asking for a professional recommendation letter, though, you can ask:

• Current or former employers
• A supervisor or professional mentor
• Former professors
• Experienced coworkers

4. How do you start a recommendation paragraph?

To keep the recruiter reading your recommendation letter interested, you should start with an attention-grabbing introduction - specifically, an interesting recommendation statement. 

This statement is the opening sentence of the letter and it should optimally express your conviction to recommend the applicant in a non-generic way. 

If you’re struggling with coming up with something creative, just start with one of the following:

• A little-known or impressive fact about the candidate
• Your general consideration of the candidate’s qualities
• A remarkable achievement, or an award the candidate might have won

5. How do you end a letter of recommendation?

A letter of recommendation concludes with a call to action or a request towards the recruiter   showing your availability and willingness to provide additional information if needed. After mentioning that you remain available to discuss the candidate’s qualifications, you may finalize the letter with your signature - your name, title, and company.

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! We hope this article will make the process of writing a recommendation letter easier for you. 

Let’s go over some of the main points we covered: 

• A letter of recommendation is a formal letter confirming and recommending a person’s work, skills, or academic performance and potential.
• Recommendation letters follow a particular format and layout. The format typically consists of 1) the letterhead and full contact information, 2) a salutation, 3) an introduction, 4) an overview, 5) a personal story, 6) a closing sentence and 7) your signature.
• The three types of recommendation letters are employment, academic, and character recommendation letters.
• Who to ask for a recommendation letter depends on the type of reference you need. As a rule of thumb, pick someone who knows your skills and strengths well and whom you’ve had a positive experience (professional or academic) with.

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Sample Recommendation Letter

College Admissions

Writing recommendation letters is hard work! If you don’t know where to start or are finding it challenging to organize your thoughts, reading a sample recommendation letter can help you figure out your next steps. Keep reading to learn more about why these letters matter, plus see a sample recommendation letter and find out what makes it the perfect example.

Sample Recommendation Letter by a Professor for a Student

Jeong Kyoon, Ph.D

Wuhan International Educational Center

No. 10-1 Boxue Road, WEDZ

Wuhan, Hubei, PRC 430056

Dear Dr. Kyoon,

It is my great pleasure to provide this letter of recommendation for Sarah as she pursues anEnglish as a Foreign Language teaching position with Wuhan International Educational Center in China. As an associate professor of English Literature at ABC University, I taught Sarah in four classes and served as her thesis advisor during her senior year. Sarah continues to impress me with her adventurous spirit, passion for knowledge, and love of helping others. With her background in English, experience living abroad and time spent tutoring ESL students, I am confident Sarah will make an excellent addition to your school.

I taught Sarah during her sophomore, junior, and senior year in Comparative Methods in the Humanities, The Global South Asian Diaspora in Literature and Film, Gender and Literature in South Asia, and Empire and Intimacy: Race and Sexual Fantasy in European Literature. I also worked closely with her on her senior thesis, which explored Marxism’s impact on Chinese Literature. Sarah was awarded the distinction of summa cum laude, because of her dedication and commitment to learning. She is a talented writer who offers an impassioned perspective in essays, class discussions, and personal conversations. I firmly believe Sarah possesses the mental dexterity, verbal skills, compassion, and depth of thought to be an engaging teacher.

Sarah is passionate about connecting with people from different cultures, something I  have had the joy of witnessing multiple times as she explores new ideas through world literature. I recall one insightful paper Sarah wrote for which she interviewed international students about their perspectives on various Western classics. It was very clear from this paper that she was passionate about cross-cultural exchange. She also spends her time volunteering with ESL students in local high schools, out of the pure desire to help others. As an English teacher with the Wuhan International Educational Center, I am confident Sarah will foster a similar passion in her students.

In addition to her studies and volunteer work with ESL students, Sarah has spent two semesters studying abroad with a host family in Shanghai. She speaks very highly of her host family, their dinners and daily conversations in Shanghainese, and their patience with her as she mastered this dialect. She is visiting her host family again this summer for her host sister’s birthday and contacts them regularly through email. Sarah enjoys meeting new people, learning about different cultures, and traveling as an engaged participant. These experiences and passions make Sarah the perfect fit for the opening with the Wuhan International Educational Center.

Sarah has my wholehearted and unequivocal support in her search for an English teaching position with your institution. She is thoughtful, passionate, and open-minded; with a clear commitment to teaching and helping others understand different cultures. I have no doubt that Sarah will make an outstanding English as a Foreign Language teacher at Wuhan International Educational Center. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Andrea LaLonde, Ph.D

Associate Professor of Comparative Literature

ABC University

[email protected]

123-456-7890

‍ What Makes This Sample Recommendation Letter Works

‍ When students graduate from college, job hunting is usually their top priority. Since most graduates don’t have a lot of previous employers to reach out to, they opt to ask their professors for letters of recommendation or support . In our example, Professor LaLonde taught Sarah in a subject closely related to the position she’s applying for which is one of the reasons why this letter works.

Professor LaLonde clearly states her support for Sarah’s application to an English teaching position in China. She discusses Sarah’s specific academic interests, how they relate to this opening, and essentially make Sarah working for them the next logical step. Professor LaLonde also takes the time to characterize Sarah as someone with a dedication to learning about and exploring other cultures. She achieves this by specifically mentioning Sarah’s study abroad experience in China, her relationship with her host family, and that she spends her time volunteering with ESL students in her community. Combined, these experiences have prepared Sarah for her work as an English teacher.

So even though Sarah’s professor has not personally supervised her student teaching others, she can offer insight into Sarah’s strengths on a personal and intellectual level. This perspective is very valuable, because Professor LaLonde has worked with Sarah during four classes and on her senior thesis paper. Because of all this time spent with Sarah, Professor LaLonde is able to assure the prospective employer that she is an ideal candidate for this position.

Keep that in mind when you’re writing a letter of recommendation or support for one of your students: tie it back to the position they’re applying for. It’s a bit like writing a short paper where your main idea is that this student is perfect for this job and you need to supply evidence to back up your claim.

Be sure to click here if you need to read over a few more examples before writing your own!

Letters of recommendation can be scary to ask for and sometimes even scarier to write. Looking for examples is a great way to give yourself an idea of how to organize your thoughts. Breaking down why each example works will help you write a letter of recommendation or support that your students will be proud to show off.

Are you having trouble writing a letter of recommendation? Do you have any other tips or tricks to share? Comment below and let us know!

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• 20 July 2020

Writing the perfect recommendation letter

Andy Tay is a freelance writer based in Singapore.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Undergraduates need them for graduate-school applications; PhD students and postdocs use them to apply for fellowships and jobs; senior scientists often have to have them to apply for awards and promotions. But writing an effective and personal recommendation letter can be time-consuming, especially for academics who must juggle grant applications, manuscripts, teaching and student supervision. And some might struggle to say the right things to support a former employee or student in their career move, while sounding original and unique.

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Nature 584 , 158 (2020)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-02186-8

These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

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Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for PhD Students (with Sample) - Need, Parts, Qualities

Letter of Recommendation for PhD Students: For PhD students, a letter of recommendation is a crucial component of the application documents. While other admissions materials, like transcripts and test results, are factual, a letter of recommendation for PhD students integrates the plans and facts of a CV and statement of purpose. A résumé is a summary of your accomplishments, transcripts are evidence of your achievements, and an SOP describes the significance of the course and your readiness for it. A reference letter for a PhD is an unbiased opinion on everything mentioned above. TOP EXAMS : IELTS | TOEFL | GRE | GMAT Country Guide : UK | Ireland | Australia | Canada

What is the need for a letter of recommendation for PhD students

Types of lors for phd, select the right person to write recommendation letter for phd, letter of recommendation for phd students: qualities to focus on, parts of a lor for phd students, elements of letter of recommendation for phd students.

A PhD application usually requires at least two letters of recommendation for students from their professors. This allows the admission committee to know the applicants as people with skills that would otherwise be difficult to know from their resumes, transcripts and SOP. A letter of recommendation for PhD students should mention at least three qualities of the applicant – a social quality and at least two technical or subject-related qualities.

Moreover, as a PhD is an advanced specialised programme, the subject-related quality should be focused on projects carried out and specialised courses that will aid his/her PhD research. Read the complete article to know all the details about PhD letter of recommendation, PhD reference letter samples, and more.

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B.Sc (Hons)/BA (Hons) Business Administration, is an International BBA programme offered at MET Institute of International Studies, Mumbai

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A recommendation letter for PhD student from professors holds much more importance than those applying for undergraduate or master's courses. Grades and GRE scores play a big role in receiving admission from a university. The LOR for PhD admission is usually the deciding factor when choosing between candidates with similar credentials. Go through the key points to be included in the reference letter for PhD students from the professor to gain an understanding of what it is before you ask your professor to write a PhD reference letter for you.

A PhD candidate must provide two letters of recommendation (LORs). Nevertheless, to ensure caution, it is recommended that the candidate should prepare a minimum of three LORs. Various universities may have different requirements for LORs from recommenders.

Academic Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for PhD

Usually, universities require applicants to submit two or three Letters of Recommendation (LORs) for PhD from their previous educational institution. For undergraduate programs, these LORs can be obtained from teachers at your high school, while for masters or PhD, professors from your university can provide them.

Professional Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for PhD

A Professional Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for PhD from a Supervisor differs from an Academic LOR by emphasizing certain content related to the applicant's teamwork skills, industry knowledge, and leadership qualities.

Before asking someone for a recommendation letter for PhD application, you should know whom to ask. PhD is purely an academic degree and therefore you need to have a recommendation letter for PhD from those who can vouch for your academic inclination and strengths. PhD recommendation letter should be written by academicians with whom you have worked or someone who has supervised or taught you. If you are aspiring for a PhD programme or want a lor for PhD post-doctoral research, you should ideally ask your master's project guide or PhD guide to be one of the referees for your letter of recommendation for PhD students.

Your faculty must go through a sample recommendation letter for a PhD from a professor before sitting down to write one recommendation letter PhD for you. Other letters of recommendation for PhD students from teachers and professionals can be taken from persons who are from the same field or specialization in which you intend to do your PhD. You can also take your recommendation letter for doctoral programs from your supervisor who has an understanding of your academic capabilities.

Friends and relatives are not supposed to write your LOR for PhD admission for a number of reasons; first, they do not have first-hand information about your academic capabilities. Second, as they have not professionally or academically worked with you, they would not be able to present relevant information in the PhD letter of recommendation about you. Also, the recommender might not have in-depth knowledge of the discipline you intend to do a PhD. Last but not least, relatives cannot be objective about your qualities. That's why it is not a great idea to take your student recommendation letter from them. So a letter of recommendation for PhD students from teachers, professors, supervisors, coaches, etc., is only applicable.

The person who is writing a letter of recommendation for PhD students would be a professional who has known the applicant academically for no less than one year. The recommender should not only know you as one of the students in the department, but they should also know you as a person, your capabilities as a student, as well as your control over the subject they have been teaching. They should also be aware of your plans.

Recommendation letters for Ph.D. students from supervisors, and professors are very subject-specific. Referees should speak of strong subject knowledge as well as analysis traits. A Letter of recommendation for student should show the student as possessing positive qualities like intelligence, self-motivation, responsibility, and amiableness. Emphasis should be given to passion and dedication as well.

Advanced study like a Ph.D. is often a challenging and demanding program. Therefore, the LOR for PhD admission should also display perseverance, competitiveness and the ability to work independently. Courses and knowledge related to PhD programme-related packages, extra courses, and statistical analysis techniques should be exemplified in the letter of recommendation for the PhD program.

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A student recommendation letter for a PhD will typically be between one to two pages. The document of recommendation letter for PhD student should be well differentiated into 5–6 paragraphs. The LOR for PhD should begin with an introductory paragraph about the recommender and his/her association with the applicant. You must read a PDF of the PhD recommendation letter sample before you ask your recommenders to give you one.

The next 3 to 4 paragraphs in the letter of recommendation for PhD program should outline the different academic and social qualities of the applicant with suitable substantiation. No quality should be mentioned without a suitable example. Finally, the concluding paragraph will sum up the above with a line recommending the applicant for the programme.

Also Read, Best Country to Study Abroad for Indian Students

Below is a LOR for PhD sample from a professor. Candidates can consider it as a letter of recommendation format for PhD and refer to it while writing their LOR for PhD.

Reference letter sample for PhD student

Like there is a letter of recommendation for PhD students from professors, you can also read about PhD reference letter sample pdf, sample LOR for graduate school from coworker pdf, letter of recommendation for PhD in computer science, sample recommendation letter for employee, etc which will give you a fair idea what a recommendation letter is all about.

A recommendation letter for PhD students from a professor or supervisor gives a human touch to the applicant’s profile. A reference letter for PhD student from a professor is the only document that can present the applicant’s social side to the admission committee. Therefore, choose a referee who can not only substantiate your academic strengths but also cite appropriate examples of your social qualities in your recommendation letter for PhD students.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

It is crucial that the person writing your recommendation letter is someone who is familiar with your academic abilities. The most frequent writers of letters of recommendation are academics; professors or supervisors, but, other experts who are familiar with you and have overseen your academic or research work may also be suitable candidates.

The reference letter should be 1-2 pages long with 5-6 paragraphs.

PhD suggestions are highly specialised. Referees should emphasise both analytical skills and in-depth topic understanding. Letters of recommendation for students should highlight their intelligence, initiative, responsibility, and interpersonal skills.

Yes, PhD, postdoc, and scholarship applications typically require two to three letters of recommendation. These letters should come from professors who know your work and can detail your possibilities.

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Data Administrator

Database professionals use software to store and organise data such as financial information, and customer shipping records. Individuals who opt for a career as data administrators ensure that data is available for users and secured from unauthorised sales. DB administrators may work in various types of industries. It may involve computer systems design, service firms, insurance companies, banks and hospitals.

Bio Medical Engineer

The field of biomedical engineering opens up a universe of expert chances. An Individual in the biomedical engineering career path work in the field of engineering as well as medicine, in order to find out solutions to common problems of the two fields. The biomedical engineering job opportunities are to collaborate with doctors and researchers to develop medical systems, equipment, or devices that can solve clinical problems. Here we will be discussing jobs after biomedical engineering, how to get a job in biomedical engineering, biomedical engineering scope, and salary. 

Ethical Hacker

A career as ethical hacker involves various challenges and provides lucrative opportunities in the digital era where every giant business and startup owns its cyberspace on the world wide web. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path try to find the vulnerabilities in the cyber system to get its authority. If he or she succeeds in it then he or she gets its illegal authority. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path then steal information or delete the file that could affect the business, functioning, or services of the organization.

GIS officer work on various GIS software to conduct a study and gather spatial and non-spatial information. GIS experts update the GIS data and maintain it. The databases include aerial or satellite imagery, latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, and manually digitized images of maps. In a career as GIS expert, one is responsible for creating online and mobile maps.

Data Analyst

The invention of the database has given fresh breath to the people involved in the data analytics career path. Analysis refers to splitting up a whole into its individual components for individual analysis. Data analysis is a method through which raw data are processed and transformed into information that would be beneficial for user strategic thinking.

Data are collected and examined to respond to questions, evaluate hypotheses or contradict theories. It is a tool for analyzing, transforming, modeling, and arranging data with useful knowledge, to assist in decision-making and methods, encompassing various strategies, and is used in different fields of business, research, and social science.

Geothermal Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as geothermal engineers are the professionals involved in the processing of geothermal energy. The responsibilities of geothermal engineers may vary depending on the workplace location. Those who work in fields design facilities to process and distribute geothermal energy. They oversee the functioning of machinery used in the field.

Database Architect

If you are intrigued by the programming world and are interested in developing communications networks then a career as database architect may be a good option for you. Data architect roles and responsibilities include building design models for data communication networks. Wide Area Networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), and intranets are included in the database networks. It is expected that database architects will have in-depth knowledge of a company's business to develop a network to fulfil the requirements of the organisation. Stay tuned as we look at the larger picture and give you more information on what is db architecture, why you should pursue database architecture, what to expect from such a degree and what your job opportunities will be after graduation. Here, we will be discussing how to become a data architect. Students can visit NIT Trichy , IIT Kharagpur , JMI New Delhi . 

Remote Sensing Technician

Individuals who opt for a career as a remote sensing technician possess unique personalities. Remote sensing analysts seem to be rational human beings, they are strong, independent, persistent, sincere, realistic and resourceful. Some of them are analytical as well, which means they are intelligent, introspective and inquisitive. 

Remote sensing scientists use remote sensing technology to support scientists in fields such as community planning, flight planning or the management of natural resources. Analysing data collected from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a significant part of their work. Do you want to learn how to become remote sensing technician? There's no need to be concerned; we've devised a simple remote sensing technician career path for you. Scroll through the pages and read.

Budget Analyst

Budget analysis, in a nutshell, entails thoroughly analyzing the details of a financial budget. The budget analysis aims to better understand and manage revenue. Budget analysts assist in the achievement of financial targets, the preservation of profitability, and the pursuit of long-term growth for a business. Budget analysts generally have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a closely related field. Knowledge of Financial Management is of prime importance in this career.

Underwriter

An underwriter is a person who assesses and evaluates the risk of insurance in his or her field like mortgage, loan, health policy, investment, and so on and so forth. The underwriter career path does involve risks as analysing the risks means finding out if there is a way for the insurance underwriter jobs to recover the money from its clients. If the risk turns out to be too much for the company then in the future it is an underwriter who will be held accountable for it. Therefore, one must carry out his or her job with a lot of attention and diligence.

Finance Executive

Product manager.

A Product Manager is a professional responsible for product planning and marketing. He or she manages the product throughout the Product Life Cycle, gathering and prioritising the product. A product manager job description includes defining the product vision and working closely with team members of other departments to deliver winning products.  

Operations Manager

Individuals in the operations manager jobs are responsible for ensuring the efficiency of each department to acquire its optimal goal. They plan the use of resources and distribution of materials. The operations manager's job description includes managing budgets, negotiating contracts, and performing administrative tasks.

Stock Analyst

Individuals who opt for a career as a stock analyst examine the company's investments makes decisions and keep track of financial securities. The nature of such investments will differ from one business to the next. Individuals in the stock analyst career use data mining to forecast a company's profits and revenues, advise clients on whether to buy or sell, participate in seminars, and discussing financial matters with executives and evaluate annual reports.

A Researcher is a professional who is responsible for collecting data and information by reviewing the literature and conducting experiments and surveys. He or she uses various methodological processes to provide accurate data and information that is utilised by academicians and other industry professionals. Here, we will discuss what is a researcher, the researcher's salary, types of researchers.

Welding Engineer

Welding Engineer Job Description: A Welding Engineer work involves managing welding projects and supervising welding teams. He or she is responsible for reviewing welding procedures, processes and documentation. A career as Welding Engineer involves conducting failure analyses and causes on welding issues. 

Transportation Planner

A career as Transportation Planner requires technical application of science and technology in engineering, particularly the concepts, equipment and technologies involved in the production of products and services. In fields like land use, infrastructure review, ecological standards and street design, he or she considers issues of health, environment and performance. A Transportation Planner assigns resources for implementing and designing programmes. He or she is responsible for assessing needs, preparing plans and forecasts and compliance with regulations.

Environmental Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as an environmental engineer are construction professionals who utilise the skills and knowledge of biology, soil science, chemistry and the concept of engineering to design and develop projects that serve as solutions to various environmental problems. 

Safety Manager

A Safety Manager is a professional responsible for employee’s safety at work. He or she plans, implements and oversees the company’s employee safety. A Safety Manager ensures compliance and adherence to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines.

Conservation Architect

A Conservation Architect is a professional responsible for conserving and restoring buildings or monuments having a historic value. He or she applies techniques to document and stabilise the object’s state without any further damage. A Conservation Architect restores the monuments and heritage buildings to bring them back to their original state.

Structural Engineer

A Structural Engineer designs buildings, bridges, and other related structures. He or she analyzes the structures and makes sure the structures are strong enough to be used by the people. A career as a Structural Engineer requires working in the construction process. It comes under the civil engineering discipline. A Structure Engineer creates structural models with the help of computer-aided design software. 

Highway Engineer

Highway Engineer Job Description:  A Highway Engineer is a civil engineer who specialises in planning and building thousands of miles of roads that support connectivity and allow transportation across the country. He or she ensures that traffic management schemes are effectively planned concerning economic sustainability and successful implementation.

Field Surveyor

Are you searching for a Field Surveyor Job Description? A Field Surveyor is a professional responsible for conducting field surveys for various places or geographical conditions. He or she collects the required data and information as per the instructions given by senior officials. 

Orthotist and Prosthetist

Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Veterinary Doctor

Speech therapist, gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Are you searching for an ‘Anatomist job description’? An Anatomist is a research professional who applies the laws of biological science to determine the ability of bodies of various living organisms including animals and humans to regenerate the damaged or destroyed organs. If you want to know what does an anatomist do, then read the entire article, where we will answer all your questions.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story. 

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or  MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.  

Corporate Executive

Are you searching for a Corporate Executive job description? A Corporate Executive role comes with administrative duties. He or she provides support to the leadership of the organisation. A Corporate Executive fulfils the business purpose and ensures its financial stability. In this article, we are going to discuss how to become corporate executive.

Multimedia Specialist

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

Information Security Manager

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

ITSM Manager

Automation test engineer.

An Automation Test Engineer job involves executing automated test scripts. He or she identifies the project’s problems and troubleshoots them. The role involves documenting the defect using management tools. He or she works with the application team in order to resolve any issues arising during the testing process. 

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15 Sample Recommendation Letter Examples For Students

Every college student craves the moment when they will graduate and enter the workforce. At this point, they need a good recommendation letter to open the door to the right job and kick off an exciting career .

School students need a recommendation letter when applying for graduate school, university, or scholarship. They also need it when applying for a job that requires a reference or when enhancing their application.

Additionally, it’s a great privilege and honor to be asked to write such a letter for a student.

In this article, I’ll show you some examples of recommendation letters; however, before moving on to that, let us first understand what a recommendation letter is.

A recommendation letter is a document that highlights peoples’ character traits and work ethic. It is a document in which you attest a student’s experience, qualifications, and dedication to help them secure their desired position.

Now that we know what a recommendation letter is, let’s get straight to the samples.

Sample Recommendation Letter Examples For Students

1. sample recommendation letter from a teacher.

Image: furkanfdemir

Att. Katie Houghton

Re: Emma Johnson

Dear Ms. Houghton,

I am writing this recommendation at the request of Emma Johnson, applying for the Student Volunteer Program at St. Jude Hospital this summer.

I have known Emma for three years as I worked in the capacity of a teacher at Smoothville Middle School.

I took Emma through English and French classes, where she excelled with superior grades. I’d rate her performance as outstanding based on her grades, class participation, and attendance.

Emma has desirable strengths that I believe will be valuable to your organization. She is always interested in supporting others.

For instance, early this year, when our class conducted a community service project, Emma helped me collect and organize food for the food pantry. She was also at the forefront of ensuring that the elderly had their food before anybody else.

I highly recommend Emma Johnson because I believe that she will be a valuable asset to your organization. If you need any additional information, feel free to contact me at 555-5555 or email at [email protected] anytime.

Brian Smith

Teacher, Smoothville Middle School

2. Sample Recommendation Letter for College Student Peer Advisor

Image: Andrea Piacquadio

Recommendation for Emma Johnson

I have worked with Emma Johnson for three years as she served as a peer advisor in the academic achievement office at Brightstar College. Emma exhibited exemplary skills while building a record of outstanding performance in this role.

She mastered the often involving task of learning a vast collection of electronic and print resources and her diligence is commendable.

Ms. Johnson was unique in her emphasis on establishing rapport and reaching out to a range of customers from different backgrounds.

She attracted a good following of clients who purposefully sought her out since she was helpful to them (much like an excellent professional counselor does).

In my 20 years of professional experience, I’d say Emma stands out as one of the most resilient peer advisors who can cultivate client relationships. Emma is a good listener and conveys information clearly and effectively to individuals and groups.

You can tell that I hold Emma in very high regard. Therefore, I recommend her for graduate study to help tap the skills above. I’m confident that she has empathy, a caring nature, listening skills, and the intellectual capacity to become a fine professional counselor.

Feel free to contact me if further information may be needed regarding this outstanding young woman.

Erick Perkins

Tutor, Career Office

513-500-0000

[email protected]

Also Read : Best Student Strengths & Weaknesses Examples

3. Sample Character Recommendation Letter

Image: Mikhail Nilov

To Whom It May Concern :

I have had the pleasure of knowing Emma Johnson for five years. I have known her in many capacities as she has been helpful to many of my neighbors and me.

Since I had trouble getting around, Emma always came to my house to offer help in running errands. She would ask if I needed help mowing my lawn and her cheerful and friendly character made me appreciate her even more.

Emma has also helped me carry out various tasks at my retail business. She worked on inventories, our newsletter, mailing list, and our customer interface.

Emma never complains about work. For the various times we talked about her education, it was evident that she did well and garnered a high grade point average. She is intelligent, creative, and a good person who’ll do well in her chosen career.

I am happy and confident to provide this reference, and in case you have any questions or wish to know more about my experience with Emma, please feel free to call or email me.

Chloe Hailey

[email protected]

523-000-1111

Also Read : Best Goal Examples For Students

4. Sample Recommendation Letter for Undergraduate Students

Image: Karolina Grabowska

Attn: Dave Brown

I feel honored to recommend Ms. Emma Johnson to your school. As her law professor in her pre-law undergraduate degree, I have seen her demonstrate diligence and an impressive work ethic.

Emma is an extraordinary young woman who maintained excellent grades and graduated at the top of her class. I want to recommend her as her qualities are not only in written examinations but also because she’s equipped with organizational skills.

She also possesses the ability to complete multiple tasks and deliver favorable results regardless of deadline pressure.

In her semester project, Emma developed an innovative and collaborative novel with her classmates, which is now being considered for publication.

Her competence in public speaking propelled her to become the vice president of the student council in her college. As a lawyer, I believe these qualities are essential for career success.

I know that Ms. Johnson will gain the needed knowledge and skills to become an excellent lawyer by being a student in your esteemed institution. I would like to restate my strong recommendation for Emma Johnson and sincerely hope she will be accepted.

If you have questions regarding Ms. Johnson’s skills and abilities, please do not hesitate to use the contact information on the letterhead to reach out.

Respectfully,

Prof. Morris Fletcher

Check Out : What Is Hybrid Learning? A Guide

5. Sample Recommendation Letter to the Review Committee

Image: Ketut Subiyanto

Attn: Review Committee

I am pleased to recommend Emma Johnson, an honors undergraduate student in our program. I have known Emma for over three years, and she’s always stood out as a dedicated and resilient student.

I interacted with Emma more as a student in my Economic Geography course. During the summer, I hired her to work on an NSF-sponsored research project on Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, where she delivered exemplary results.

From discussions with my colleagues and various graduate students in my department, we all believe that Emma is an exceptional student and that she will be a dedicated student and a competent professional. I highly recommend her without reservation.

Christie Lewis

Professor of Geography

Explore : Best Free Plagiarism Checkers For Students

6. Sample Recommendation Letter for Graduate School for PhD

Image: Anete Lusina

Dear Madam,

I recommend Ms. Emma Johnson for your institution’s Ph.D. position in Research Studies. I have taught Emma for the past two years in the area of Economics, and it gives me much joy to see her excel in this field.

Emma completed a research project on Sustainable Economy under my supervision, cleared the entrance examination for your institution’s researchers, and was at the top of her class last year.

Emma is very interested in her studies and keen to join the St. Gregory Economic Service to serve the nation. I have witnessed her work efficiency, curiosity, and critical thinking ability, and I am sure she will realize her dreams soon with her hard work.

I will be delighted if my recommendation helps her obtain admission to the Research Study program at your institution.

If you have any queries regarding academics, research, and other areas of Emma’s candidature, don’t hesitate to contact me by phone or email, as shared below. I am usually available on the phone Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm.

Dr. Sam Moore

Brightstar College

555 6111 200

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7. Sample Recommendation Letter for Admission Committee

Image: Michael Burrows

Dear Admissions Committee:

I am writing this letter to support Emma’s application to the online master’s program in education offered at Princeton Ivy College. Emma has been a student in online courses and enrolled in the Introduction to Education (ED 100) online course in the summer of 2019.

As you are aware, online courses require high motivation and concentration, mainly because of the lack of face-to-face interaction.

The study was structured so that for each unit, students were required to read their textbook and lectures that I had written, hold discussion forums where they converse with other students about issues raised through the readings, and complete one or two essays.

During the fall of the same year, Emma enrolled in the Early Childhood Education (ED 211) online course, where she continued with her above-average performance, earning a final score of 87 points.

Throughout the courses, she consistently submitted her work on time and actively participated in discussions with other students.

I might not have met Emma face-to-face, but from our online interactions, I can attest to her ability to complete the academic requirements of Princeton Ivy College’s online master’s program in education.

Prof. Tom Cage

8. Sample Recommendation Letter for Scholarship 

To the Harrison Scholarship Selection Committee:

I am writing this letter on behalf of Ms. Emma Johnson, an international studies student at Princeton Ivy College applying for the Harrison Scholarship. Emma, without a doubt, is one of the most vital undergraduate students I have had the pleasure to work with at Princeton Ivy College.

I am Emma’s co-advisor for her honors thesis, and she has enrolled in several of my classes. Recently, Emma was the sole undergraduate student in a graduate seminar I taught called Qualitative Methods. Her performance was exemplary.

I enjoyed watching her push her way through some complex readings in the area of social theory. Additionally, she was a discussion leader where she grounded complex theories that helped alleviate initial nervousness among students in her class.

From her discussions, I noted that she is one of the rare students who can operate at an advanced theoretical level while firmly rooted in an empirical realm.

Having reviewed Emma’s performance, I can affirm that her work is top-notch and is on par with the graduate students in the geography department. Finally, Emma has a strong understanding of political theory and a solid intellectual facility.

She is a prowess writer, a rare and gifted scholar with my most vital support. She is one in a million.

Christine Thomson

Assistant Professor of Geography and Women’s Studies

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9. Sample Postgraduate Recommendation Letter

Image: Nicola Barts

Dear Mr. Michael Jenkins,

I am writing this letter to recommend Ms. Emma Johnson for the post-graduate law course at your law school.

As the head of the law department at Princeton Ivy College, I understand that your law school is one of the top-rated ones in the United States, and I believe that Emma deserves a place in it.

I have known Emma for four years as I was not only the department head at Princeton Ivy College but also taught her two significant subjects during the graduation program.

Ms. Johnson comes out as a strong-headed, intelligent, dedicated, and hardworking student with a natural knack for the field of law and puts her best at whatever she does. Her passion for law and zest for becoming a corporate lawyer makes her a perfect choice for this course.

I believe she can be an asset to the university if given a chance.

Patricia Morgan

570 935 0011

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10. Sample Academic Recommendation Letter

Image: Ivan Samkov

Dear Admissions Committee Members:

With great pleasure and enthusiasm, I write to you to support the candidacy of Emma Johnson for admission to the English Department’s Graduate Program at Princeton Ivy College.

I first met Emma when she enrolled in my sophomore-level course in Victorian Literature at Townbridge University. Here, she demonstrated writing analysis talents beyond most of her peers.

Her enthusiasm for critical analysis led her to complete other advanced Victorian studies classes with me, and it was an honor to serve as an advisor for her honors project.

Emma’s focused mind allows her to grasp the basics of our curriculum and formulate original, persuasive, and interpretative arguments.

She demonstrates excellent organizational and leadership skills and is one of our most highly esteemed undergraduate teaching assistants in our English 101 courses.

She is also an engaging speaker and has presented two well-received papers at the annual Victorian Studies conference at the University of TX.

I am thus convinced that Emma will prove herself to be a valuable contributor to your English Department, both as a graduate student and as a Teaching or Research Assistant.

Emma deserves any financial assistance you may offer to help her complete her Master’s and Doctoral degrees.

Kindly let me know if there is a need for additional information I can provide to support the decision-making process.

Dr. Richard Craig

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11. Sample Skills Recommendation Letter Supporting Admission Application for the Entry Class

Dear Admission Committee:

With great pleasure, I write to recommend Emma Johnson as a beautiful and promising person. I taught Emma Math through her high school years, and she was a student full of drive with a winning attitude. Emma is kind, attentive, and always engaged with the class.

Ms. Johnson was a top performer in her final high school year and was among the top five students in two previous years. Emma can understand complex problems and solves them faster than an average student.

Emma manages her time well and is always willing to give a helping hand to her fellow students. She possesses the qualities of a leader but remains humble in her interactions.

While math is her main focus, she also performs well in music. She plays saxophone in our jazz band and knows how to balance math and music. With the attributes that Emma possesses, I am confident that any college would be happy to enroll her.

I will be glad to answer any other questions you may have concerning Emma’s skills and abilities.

Teacher Gregory

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12. Sample Recommendation Letter for a Former High School Student

To Whom It May Concern ,

I have known Emma Johnson for the past three years. Having served as her teacher of English and Arts at Bakehand High School, I believe that Emma will be an excellent addition to your institution.

Emma is a bright young lady who demonstrates her intelligence and capability as a student with great potential. She has always been at the top of her class, and I am confident she will thrive in any academic program she chooses to pursue.

Emma greatly enriched our high school life by engaging in extracurricular activities. She initiated a Bridge Club where students met to teach each other the ins and outs of the card game. I am convinced that Emma Johnson will make a valuable contribution to your university.

If you have further questions regarding Emma, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Annabel Johns

Bakehand High School

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13. Sample Recommendation Letter for Engineering Students

Image: RF._.studio

Dear Admissions team,

I am Scott Brown, the Branch Manager-BKV Chemicals. I recommend Emma Johnson, one of our employees, for a place in the M.Eng Chemical Engineering Course offered by Princeton Ivy College.

Emma completed her B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from Brightstar College, where she excelled with first-class honors.

She later joined BKV-Chemicals in 2019 as a trainee chemist, completed her training successfully, and has since grown into a full-fledged chemical production supervisor.

Emma is honest, hardworking, and aspires to complete a post-graduate course in chemical engineering to boost her competence.

For the period I have worked with her, she has been instrumental in helping our company exceed the turnover targets for two years in a row. She possesses excellent communication skills and is a proven team leader who motivates her team to excel.

She dreams of pursuing her post-graduate course in the United States, and Princeton Ivy College is her best choice.

I recommend Emma for the M.Eng Chemical Engineering Course and wish her the best in her studies.

Scott Brown

Branch Manager

BKV-Chemicals

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14. Sample Recommendation Letter Student Council

Image: Yaroslav Shuraev

It gives me great pleasure to write to you to recommend Emma Johnson to be named as a certified student leader through the student leadership program.

In addition to meeting the required criteria, Emma has demonstrated to be an outstanding leader committed to the student council.

I have had the pleasure of working with and observing Ms. Johnson. For the past two years, I have witnessed her outstanding leadership in action.

One incident that illustrates her strong leadership skills is when she assisted in the local blood drive, where she rallied over 300 students to volunteer for the campaign and recruited others to be part of the drive.

For these and other compelling reasons, I recommend Emma Johnson for the honor of being recognized as a distinguished student.

David Scott

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15. Sample Recommendation Letter for Internship

Image: RODNAE Productions

Dear station manager,

I feel compelled to write this letter to recommend Emma Johnson for your communication internship. I believe that Emma’s passion for communication, recording, and broadcasting makes her the ideal candidate for the position.

Emma started as a news writer at our school radio station and quickly became the station’s student manager. She has attended several broadcast seminars and represented the school well.

The feedback I often get about her is that her dedication to broadcasting and sense of responsibility makes her a solid asset to any team.

Emma is a responsible young lady who hardly misses her time at the station. In my Broadcast communication class, she is the top student among all her peers. I urge you to accept her for your internship and watch her work for your benefit.

If you need any information regarding her character and qualifications, please don’t hesitate to contact me by email at  [email protected] .

Walter Kingston

Broadcast Communication Tutor

Princeton Ivy College

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Final Thoughts

While the above samples are about different aspects of recommendation with different interests and values, they all share fundamental features. They communicate enthusiasm; they have back-to-back examples and outline students’ personal and academic strengths.

As you recommend, ensure that you include these features and work closely with the students you recommend to give a holistic view of their strengths.

Tom loves to write on technology, e-commerce & internet marketing. I started my first e-commerce company in college, designing and selling t-shirts for my campus bar crawl using print-on-demand. Having successfully established multiple 6 & 7-figure e-commerce businesses (in women’s fashion and hiking gear), I think I can share a tip or 2 to help you succeed.

Advice for requesting letters of recommendation

Do you want a recommendation letter from me or someone else for a PhD program? Follow the excellent advice of a Brown CS professor (transposing CS to physics, of course, but not much else): http://cs.brown.edu/~sk/Memos/Reco-From-Me/ Note especially his description of a "brag sheet" and its purpose. Consider supplementing this by saying to a particular writer "I hope you will be able to speak to my experience at mentoring other undergrad researchers" or "I hope you will be able to remark on my ability to design and build an experimental setup" (just examples.)

The same principles hold for letters for other purposes (internships, coterm programs, postdocs, faculty positions, industry jobs) though obviously what's expected at different stages and for different roles is different.

See also that same Prof's excellent advice to letter-writers for PhD program applications. Read it, follow its guidance on selecting a complementary collection of letter-writers rather than ones who all speak to just one aspect of your capabilities, and consider sharing it with your writers (in a non-pushy way), especially if they may not be experienced at writing for this purpose or this level of institution. 

http://cs.brown.edu/~sk/Memos/Grad-School-Recos/

A personal story: When I was applying for Ph.D. programs and fellowships, I had a research advisor with whom I had done substantial work. I knew my relationship with him was not perfect, but I asked him for a letter -- I couldn't imagine not asking him. He replied that he expected others could write me more effective letters. Decades later I remain deeply grateful to him: I got into an excellent Ph.D. program and even was awarded fellowships. Probably none of these would have happened had he written one of my three letters luke-warmly (or worse.) I was fortunate to have others who could step in to write for me. I take from this several lessons I'd like to share.

1. When someone asks me for a letter and I don't feel I can write a letter that will help them toward their goal, if possible I suggest that they consider having someone else write for them. This scenario doesn't happen often, but my practice gives people a chance to be judged by their best sides, which is important especially early in studies and career. Of course, if one of my primary Ph.D. thesis advisees or postdoc advisees is applying for a faculty position, it may be practically necessary for them to get a letter for me. This is only one reason to maintain good communications between advisor and advisee.

2. If you want a letter from someone, you can't rely on this degree of candor from your proposed letter-writer. Instead of asking "Can you write me a letter?", consider instead "I'm considering applying to XXX. Do you think you could write me a letter that would help me be selected / be seriously considered?" This gives a reasonably gracious way for them to suggest that you ask someone else. They'll probably even appreciate that -- few of us like the feeling of writing a less-than-positive letter. In my experience, if the rest of one's portfolio is strong one can be successful in obtaining Ph.D. admission, postdoc positions, and even interviews for faculty positions based on one or two stellar letters, combined with other letters that are positive but more generic.

3. Months or even years before you'll want a letter, think about who might be possible letter-writers. Develop and maintain the relevant relationships -- not primarily for the sake of the letters!

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Letter of Recommendation Sample

SALUTATION:

Dear [Name of Employer] or [To Whom it May Concern]

PARAGRAPH 1:

This reference letter is provided at the request of [name of student] , who has asked me to serve as a reference on [his/her] behalf. I have known [name of student] for the past [years, semesters] as [he/she] has taken the following courses that I teach: [list courses, give brief description of content of courses]

PARAGRAPH 2:

I was initially impressed with [student’s name] [type of skills] skills when I met [him/her] in [name of class] [his/her] first class under my instruction. [He/she] took charge of the class project and served as an excellent example to [his/her] fellow classmates. [Student’s name] is a highly motivated individual who always puts forth [his/her] best effort in all assigned tasks. [His/her] enthusiasm for the field of [academic major] is remarkable and served [him/her] well as President of the [academic major club] . Recently, [his/her] passion for the field was further demonstrated in my capstone class as [he/she] related practical skills developed from [his/her] internship to theoretical knowledge obtained from the classroom.

PARAGRAPH 3:

I also had the opportunity to serve as [student’s name] academic advisor for the past three years. I have witnessed [student’s name] take advantage of opportunities both in the classroom and through extracurricular activities offered by the university. In conclusion, if [his/her] performance in [my class, organization] is any indication of how [she/he’d] perform in your organization, [student name] would be a positive addition to your staff.

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5 Outstanding Recommendation Letter Samples (+ How to Write Your Own)

• by Rebecca Safier

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. But rest assured that all opinions remain my own. You can read my full affiliate disclaimer here .

Writing a recommendation letter for an employee or a coworker is a big responsibility, as your letter could make or break their job application. So how can you write an effective letter of recommendation that will impress a hiring manager?

This article will explain how to write a recommendation letter for a job, as well as provide five recommendation letter samples to guide you through the process.

Use the table of contents to jump straight to the samples, or keep reading for tips on how to write an excellent letter of recommendation.

• Recommendation letter sample 1
• Recommendation letter sample 2
• Recommendation letter sample 3
• Recommendation letter sample 4
• Recommendation letter sample 5

Why are recommendation letters important?

Before diving into the recommendation letter samples, let’s consider what role recommendation letters play in the job application process. Why do hiring managers ask for letters of recommendation? What purpose do reference letters serve?

Powerfully advocate for the job seeker

Well for one, you can powerfully advocate for a candidate in your letter. By throwing your support behind them, the hiring manager will see that this person has successfully worked with a boss or colleague in the past.

Add personality to a job application

Your letter can also help personalize someone’s application. A hiring manager might read through lots of resumes, but your letter will help the candidate come to life by shedding light on their personality and work style.

Point out past achievements

By discussing specific achievements a candidate has made, you can also help prove the job seeker will make similar accomplishments in the future. They say past behavior points to future behavior, so sharing anecdotes in your letter will help the hiring manager see what the job seeker would be like if they got hired.

Help the job seeker get hired

If you write a generic, vague letter, it might not do much to sway a hiring manager’s opinion. Or it could easily be outshined by someone else’s letter of recommendation, where the writer took the time to get personal and specific.

But if you take the time to craft a strong, thoughtful letter, it could help push the job seeker’s candidacy over the edge and land them the job — or at least a job interview !

6 ways to make your letter of recommendation effective

Assuming you want to help the job seeker as much as you can, how can you craft a letter that will help their application stand out? Here are a few ways to make your letter of recommendation powerful.

1. Customize your letter to the job at hand

Just as a job seeker should customize their cover letter to each job they apply to, so too should you customize your letter of recommendation to the job at hand. If you send off a general letter without mentioning what job the candidate is applying for, it will look weak compared to one that was written specifically for the role.

Let’s say you’re recommending an employee who worked in marketing and is now going after a director role. If you simply describe what it was like to work with that employee, your letter will fall flat.

Instead, you should talk about why you’re recommending them to become a director; discuss what makes them ready to move into a managerial role.

In your letter, name the new job and company to show that you understand what job the candidate is applying for and wholeheartedly recommend them for the specific position. Remember, the hiring manager is looking for someone who would be a good fit; your letter can go a long way toward persuading them this is the person they’ve been looking for.

2. Use 2-3 specific examples

While calling the candidate motivated, accountable, or creative is all well and good, you want to back up these descriptors with actual examples. Let’s say you’re talking about how the candidate is great at creative problem-solving.

Choose a specific time when a problem came along and talk about how the candidate solved it. By providing two to three specific anecdotes, you can prove the candidate really has the qualities you say they do.

Plus, your letter will come to life, rather than simply being a repeat of what’s already on the candidate’s resume . If it’s just a list of titles and certifications, it doesn’t add anything extra to the application.

Since you worked with the candidate in the past, you can shed light on their past achievements. By identifying a few specific accomplishments, your recommendation letter will become even more valuable and convincing.

Bonus points in the accomplishments you highlight match up to a core competency of the job description. For instance, if the new role wants someone who takes initiative, choose a story where the candidate took initiative in the past.

3. Speak to the candidate before you write

Writing a letter of recommendation is a tall order, and you don’t have to do it all on your own. Before you sit down to write, speak with the job seeker about their plans.

Let them tell you what the new role is and why they’re excited about it. They might even share their cover letter and application materials, so you can make sure your letter complements the story they’re presenting in their application.

You might even ask the candidate to provide two to three specific anecdotes they’d like you to include in your letter. If you worked closely with this person, you can probably come up with these on your own.

But sitting down to chat will help you get insight into their goals and craft an effective letter.

4. Explain why your opinion matters

Let’s face it, a recommendation letter from someone’s mom isn’t going to hold as much weight as one from their manager. A hiring manager wants to see the letter comes from a reputable source who has worked closely with the candidate in the past.

So somewhere in the beginning of your letter, explain who you are and what makes you qualified to recommend this person. That way, your reader will understand where you’re coming from and know to take your opinion seriously.

5. Start with enthusiasm

Another good way to grab your reader’s attention is to start your letter with a strong statement of support. Some strong openers include,

• As Juan’s former manager at XYZ Company, it’s my great honor to recommend him for the role of…
• It’s my great pleasure to recommend Laura for the position of…

Although it’s easy to start with “I’m writing to recommend…,” that opener will look lukewarm next to something more powerful. So try to hook your reader with enthusiasm right away.

6. Format your letter correctly

Although some companies are more formal than others, it’s still important to format your letter in an official manner. Use official letterhead if possible, making sure to include your name, position, workplace, and contact information.

At the top, include the contact information for the hiring manager (see samples below). Address your letter to a specific person, if possible.

Your letter will probably be three to five short paragraphs with spaces in between, and it doesn’t have to be longer than a page.

At the end, invite the reader to follow up with you via email or phone for any further information.

5 recommendation letter samples

Now that you have a sense of what makes a strong recommendation, check out these practices in action in these five recommendation letter samples. While your letter should be unique, these examples can act as recommendation letter templates and guide you as you write your own.

Recommendation letter sample #1: Teaching job

Ms. Lila Sullivan Principal Alpine High School 1 Swiss Road Townton, Anywhere USA

Dear Ms. Sullivan,

It’s my great pleasure to recommend Stacy Nichols for the position of English teacher with Alpine High School. As the principal of Mountain High School, where Stacy has taught for the past five years, I’ve been extremely impressed with Stacy’s skills as an educator, commitment to her students, and creativity in the classroom. I have no doubt she will bring the same enthusiasm, rigor, and dedication to her new role in your school.

Along with her enthusiasm, positive energy, and attentiveness to students’ needs, Stacy brings a special talent to curriculum design. She led a committee last year to revamp the 11th and 12th grade curriculum, adding new books that better fulfilled our mission of inclusivity and diversity. She also helped revise our senior thesis project to bring in multimedia and make it more relevant to current events.

As a Google-certified educator, Stacy leads the way when it comes to bringing technology into the classroom. She’s also taken the time to train other teachers on how to incorporate technology as an effective vehicle for learning. This year, for instance, she led three trainings for the English department on how to incorporate the Google suite of tools into classroom lessons. 

Finally, Stacy is special for her ability to connect with students and be sensitive to their needs. At the end of last year, I had several parents contact me directly about what a positive impact Stacy and her class had on their sons and daughters. This positive impact was obvious by the surprise party her students threw her on the last day of the semester!

While the team and I would love to keep Stacy here forever, we have to bid her farewell when she moves across the country next month. Although we’ll miss having her as part of the team, we’re 100% confident she’ll make an incredible addition to your English department at Alpine High School.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me for any more information at 617-716-7566 or by email at [email protected] .

Sincerely yours,

Rachel Smith Principal Mountain High School

Recommendation letter sample #2: Remote content writer job

Roberta Moor Director of Marketing Facegramchat 55 Market St. Anywhere, USA

Dear Ms. Moor,

I’m writing to wholeheartedly recommend David Sanchez for the role of content writer with Facegramchat. As the director of marketing for Instabooksnap, I hired David when he was fresh out of college with his degree in English and communications.

David has grown tremendously over the years and has become one of the most valuable and prolific writers on our team. Although we’ll all be sad to see him go, I understand his to desire to work in a remote role, an arrangement our company unfortunately cannot offer him at this time.

David is a talented wordsmith, researcher, and editor who has a way with words. He’s extremely skilled at naturally incorporating keywords throughout his articles and has an intuitive sense of how to write SEO-optimized articles that rank well in organic search.

In fact, his article on XYZ is consistently the highest driver of traffic to our site with more than 5,000 unique visitors per day. Along with SEO-optimized articles, David is skilled at pitching original ideas, reporting on news, and interviewing sources to add original commentary to his pieces.

He’s also been a tremendous contributor to our team internally, crafting process documents to help our team run more smoothly and leading trainings in our weekly meetings. In the past month, David created a training document on best practices for competitor analysis for new writers, as well as led a training on the subject. These training documents will be an excellent addition to our onboarding guide for new team members.

David is extremely accountable to deadlines and skilled at working independently, while at the same time is proactive about contributing to the team and collaborating with his colleagues. Because he’s so accountable and communicative, I have no doubt that David will excel in a remote role with a distributed team.

As I’m sure you can tell from David’s portfolio, the quality of his writing speaks for itself. As his manager for four years, I can attest that David is an impressive, reliable, consistent, and creative employee who supports his colleagues, takes initiative, and is an absolute pleasure to work with.

Please feel free to contact me at 555-525-5252 or [email protected] for any more information.

Best regards,

Bob McIntire Director of Marketing Instabooksnap

Recommendation letter sample #3: Remote sales job

Victor Snow We Sell Stuff Co. 5 Seller’s Lane Townplace, USA

Dear Mr. Snow,

It’s my pleasure and honor to recommend Brian Danson for the account manager position with We Sell Stuff Co. Brian and I worked together for the past five years, where I was his manager at Sellers Gotta Sell, Inc.

Throughout his time with our sales team, Brian proved himself to be a hard-working, motivated, ambitious, charismatic, and reliable employee. His honesty, dependability, confidence, and excellent communication skills helped him become the top salesperson two years running, surpassing his quarterly goals by an incredibly impressive 22%.

Positive testimonials about working with Brian have poured in from our clients. Our team also holds Brian in the highest regard, not just because he’s a great person but also because he’s taken a proactive role in organizing office parties and celebrations.

While Brian’s next sales role will be remote, I have no doubt he’ll continue to make a positive impact on his teammates, wherever they’re located. He’s a talented salesperson and overall great person to be around. While we’ll miss having him on the team, I have no doubt he’ll exceed all expectations as a member of We Sell Stuff Co.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions at 677-776-6767 or [email protected] .

Kim Commercio Director of Sales Sellers Gotta Sell, Inc. 5 London Lane Los Angeles, CA

Recommendation letter sample #4: Customer service job

Kathy Rosenstein Director of Customer Support Glossy Glasses Co. 1 Clients Way Anywhere, USA

Dear Ms. Rosenstein,

It’s my great pleasure to recommend Jill Harrison for the position of customer support representative with Glossy Glasses Co. Jill has worked as a customer support representative for our company for the past two years. As her direct supervisor, I’ve been incredibly impressed with her warmth, personability, and commitment to our customers.

Jill is a true people person who loves speaking with customers and resolving their questions and concerns. She truly embodies our mission to put the customer first and help solve issues in any way we can.

Positive reviews have flooded in from customers that have spoken with Jill about the customer service they received, with most recommending her for our top monthly incentive prize of an Amazon gift card (satisfied customers can also choose a free coffee or lunch).

Along with providing excellent support to our customers and helping build long-term relationships with our client base, Jill has been proactive about improving our team processes. She volunteered to outline our procedures and answers to common questions, creating documents that are a great help to our current team members and will be extremely useful when onboarding new hires.

Jill stands out for her kindness, commitment, and initiative, and I’m completely confident she will surpass all expectations when joining your customer service team.

Thanks for your time, and please feel free to contact me at 888-888-8888 or [email protected] .

Elizabeth Ward Director of Customer Service Moda Moda

Recommendation letter sample #5: Remote web designer job

Melanie Davos Director of Engineering Coding XX 9 Computer Way Austin, TX

Dear Ms. Davos,

It’s my absolute pleasure to recommend Julie Brown for the role of web designer with Coding XX. Julie has worked with our company Outdoor Gear Inc. on a freelance basis for the past three years. From her work with us, as well as our Slack chats and video meetings, I’ve gotten to know her as a highly skilled and passionate web designer with a knack for visual design.

In her work with us, Julie redesigned our web page to our specifications while contributing great ideas herself on how to make our website user-friendly and beautiful for our users. Since her redesign, we’ve seen our time on page and conversion metrics increase by five times what they were with our old site.

Julie also ensured her new, elegant designs are consistent across all our branding platforms, including email newsletters, social media, and our outreach efforts with other sites. Her contributions have been absolutely invaluable, and it seems there’s no challenge too big for Julie to tackle.

Julie is especially passionate about your company’s mission to teach girls and young women to code, so I’m excited for her to have the opportunity to join your team. I’m completely confident her skills and experience as a web designer, combined with her commitment to your important cause, will make her an invaluable employee who will drive your organization forward.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at 454-321-1234 or [email protected] .

Steven Programmer Engineering Manager Outdoor Gear Inc.

Writing the best letter of recommendation you can

Now that you’ve read through the sample recommendation letters, you have a general recommendation letter template to guide your writing.

• Start with the name, job title, and company address of the hiring manager, and address your letter to a specific person.
• In your intro, explain why you’re writing and what your relationship to the job candidate is.
• In two to three short paragraphs, describe what’s so special about the candidate, and do your best to provide specific anecdotes to back up your assertions.
• Finally, conclude with a final message of support, and invite the hiring manager to contact you via phone or email with any questions.

Make your recommendation letter positive but accurate, and think of ways to make it stand out from others that might be in the pile.

And don’t forget to customize your letter to the specific job. Maybe the new company has a mission that the job seeker is especially passionate about, for instance, or perhaps you know the job seeker would excel in a remote role where they can have a flexible schedule.

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