| Reference letters and recommendation letters are a | | | | excites you and say how you feel about being asked |
| major component of a successful job search. Every | | | | to write this reference letter. |
| job seeker knows that in addition to their own ability to | | | | |
| sell job skills and qualifications, they also will need | | | | 5. Identify which 2 or 3 specific behaviors and qualities |
| support from qualified people who are willing to support | | | | which, in your opinion, are most meaningful to the |
| their candidacy. To draft a good reference letter for | | | | employer. Be sure to use key words and phrases |
| a job seeker, these nine components must be included. | | | | that show the job seeker as someone who is always |
| | | | | willing to go above and beyond, is reliable and |
| 1. Stay positive, honest and personal. Use personal | | | | dedicated who influences others positively, |
| stories or observations about your work experiences | | | | demonstrates exemplary behavior and achieves |
| with the job seeker. Of course objective facts are | | | | outstanding outcomes. |
| important, but they must be balanced with personal | | | | |
| reflections about the candidate. | | | | 6. Why would the job seeker be a good fit for the |
| | | | | organization in question? How could they bring value |
| 2. Qualify yourself early in every reference letter you | | | | to the bottom line? Here is your opportunity to write |
| write. Say what qualifies you to give such a | | | | about specific job skills that would be of value to the |
| reference and testament to the caliber employee this | | | | company. You could identify a past work experience |
| job seeker would be. Be sure to write about when | | | | with the job seeker that would be a specific example |
| you met and how long you have known the job | | | | of the type of contribution the job seeker could make. |
| seeker. | | | | |
| | | | | 7. Write about your willingness to work with the job |
| 3. State the nature of relationship you have had with | | | | seeker again. |
| the job seeker. Were you a boss, a mentor, a | | | | |
| colleague or a peer? What was the chain of | | | | 8. Share your availability for follow up. Let the |
| command? Did you report to them? Did they report to | | | | employer know how to contact you directly in order to |
| you? Were you on a project team together? Many | | | | follow up. |
| people make the mistake of thinking that they can only | | | | |
| ask people who were senior to them for reference | | | | 9. When writing a reference letter, it is not the time to |
| letters. | | | | err on the side of brevity. Be superfluous and be long |
| | | | | winded. Be relevant. |
| 4. State why the opportunity to support this job seeker | | | | |