How to Write a Letter of Recommendation (Templates)
A letter of recommendation is a formal document written by someone who knows a candidate well enough to vouch for their character, skills, or achievements — typically for a job, academic program, scholarship, or immigration application. It adds credibility to an application by providing a third-party perspective that the applicant cannot provide themselves. This guide explains how to write a letter of recommendation step by step, with format guidelines, templates for different situations, and a worked example.
For guidance on the letters candidates send on their own behalf — without a recommender — see our guide on how to write a letter of interest.
What to include in a letter of recommendation
A complete letter of recommendation covers:
- Your relationship to the candidate — how you know them and for how long
- The candidate’s relevant skills and strengths — specific to the opportunity they are applying for
- A concrete example or anecdote — one or two specific situations that illustrate the candidate’s qualities
- Your assessment of their potential — why you believe they are suited to the role or program
- A clear recommendation — a direct statement that you recommend this person
- Your contact information — so the recipient can follow up with questions
Letter of recommendation format
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| Date | Full date at the top |
| Recipient’s address | Name, title, organization (if known) |
| Salutation | ”Dear [Name]:” or “Dear Hiring Committee:“ |
| Paragraph 1 | Who you are, your relationship to the candidate |
| Paragraph 2 | The candidate’s key strengths, with a specific example |
| Paragraph 3 | Why you recommend them for this specific opportunity |
| Closing | Direct recommendation + offer to be contacted |
| Signature | Your name, title, organization, email, phone |
Length: one page. Three to four short paragraphs is standard. A longer letter rarely helps — a shorter, more specific letter is more effective than a vague one of any length.
How to write a letter of recommendation
Step 1: Ask the candidate for context
Before you write, ask the candidate to share:
- The specific position, program, or award they are applying for
- Their resume or relevant accomplishments you should highlight
- Any particular skills or experiences they want emphasized
- The deadline and submission method
You cannot write an effective recommendation without knowing what you are recommending them for. A generic letter that does not reference the opportunity tells the reader nothing useful.
Step 2: Open by establishing your relationship
The first paragraph answers: who are you, how do you know the candidate, and in what capacity?
I have had the pleasure of working with Priya Shah for three years as her direct manager at St. Michael’s Hospital, where she served as a Research Coordinator on our clinical trials team. I am writing to recommend her without reservation for the position of Clinical Research Manager at Forma Institute.
Include:
- Your name and title (briefly)
- The nature of your relationship (supervisor, professor, colleague, etc.)
- How long you have known the candidate
- A clear, early statement that you recommend them
Step 3: Describe specific strengths with an example
The second paragraph is the most important. It must be specific — qualities stated without evidence are unconvincing.
Weak: “Priya is a very hard-working and dedicated employee who always goes above and beyond.”
Strong: “Priya’s most notable quality is her ability to manage complexity without losing precision. In 2025, she took over coordination of three overlapping Phase II trials after a colleague’s unexpected departure. Without increasing headcount, she restructured the documentation workflow, introduced a shared tracking system, and enrolled all three trials on schedule. Our principal investigator described her approach as ‘the clearest thinking I’ve seen on a trial of this complexity.’”
Choose one or two qualities that are most relevant to the opportunity, and support each with a specific situation, action, and result.
Step 4: Connect the candidate to the opportunity
The third paragraph explains why this person is right for this specific role or program — not just why they are good in general.
The Clinical Research Manager role at Forma Institute calls for someone who can lead multi-site studies while maintaining regulatory compliance. Priya has demonstrated both: she has managed four sites simultaneously and has a spotless GCP compliance record across five years. I believe she is exceptionally well-suited to the scope and pace of your research environment.
This paragraph should reference something specific about the opportunity — a phrase from the job description, the school’s research focus, or the scholarship’s stated criteria. Generic language here signals a form letter.
Step 5: Close with a direct recommendation and contact offer
End with a clear statement of recommendation and an invitation to contact you directly. Vague closings (“I think she would do well”) undermine an otherwise strong letter.
I recommend Priya Shah without reservation and am confident she will bring the same focus, reliability, and intelligence to your team that she has brought to ours. Please feel free to contact me directly at the email below — I would be happy to speak further about her qualifications.
Letter of recommendation templates
Template: recommendation letter for an employee or coworker
[Date]
Dear [Name or Hiring Committee]:
I am [Your name and title], and I have worked with [Candidate name] for [X years] as their [relationship — supervisor, colleague, etc.] at [Company]. I am writing to recommend them for [specific position or program].
[Candidate name] is [one key quality]. [Specific example that illustrates this quality — situation, action, result. Two to four sentences.]
[Second quality, if relevant, with another specific example. Two to three sentences.]
[Name] would bring [specific value] to [organization/role]. Based on my experience working with them, I recommend them with full confidence.
Please contact me at [email] or [phone] if you have any questions.
Sincerely, [Your name] [Title], [Organization]
Template: recommendation letter for a student
[Date]
Dear [Name or Admissions Committee]:
I am [Your name], [title] at [Institution], and I have taught [Student name] in [course/program] for [X semesters/years]. I am writing to recommend them for admission to [program] at [school].
[Student name] stands out among the students I have taught in [specific way]. [Example — a project, discussion, performance, or contribution that illustrates this. Two to three sentences.]
Their academic potential is matched by [character quality — intellectual curiosity, resilience, collaborative spirit]. [One brief example.]
I recommend [name] without reservation and believe they will make a strong contribution to your program. I am happy to speak further at [email].
Sincerely, [Your name] [Title], [Department], [Institution]
Template: recommendation letter for a friend
A personal recommendation letter (for housing, immigration, character references, or informal situations) is less formal but follows the same principles: specific relationship, specific qualities, specific examples.
[Date]
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing on behalf of [Name], whom I have known for [X years] as [relationship — neighbor, longtime friend, etc.].
In the time I have known [Name], they have demonstrated [quality]. [One specific example of this quality in action. Two to three sentences.]
I have found [Name] to be [character quality] and [character quality]. I recommend them with confidence and am happy to be contacted at [email] if you have any questions.
Sincerely, [Your full name] [Contact information]
Template: letter of recommendation for immigration
Immigration recommendation letters often focus on the applicant’s character, community ties, and contributions. They are typically written by employers, teachers, community leaders, or long-time acquaintances.
[Date]
To: [Immigration Authority or “To Whom It May Concern”]
I am writing to support the immigration application of [Applicant name]. I am [Your name], [Title/role], and I have known [Applicant name] for [X years] in my capacity as their [relationship].
During this time, [Applicant name] has [demonstrated specific contribution or quality in the community]. [Example. Two to three sentences.]
[Applicant name] is known to me as a person of [good character / strong work ethic / community commitment]. I support their application fully and am available at [email or phone] if further information is needed.
Sincerely, [Your name] [Title], [Organization or address] [Contact information]
What to avoid
- Generic praise — “She is a wonderful person” tells the reader nothing. Every detail must be specific.
- Exaggerating — “the best employee I have ever had in 30 years” is a claim that damages credibility. Be genuine, not hyperbolic.
- Writing a letter you cannot support — if you do not know the candidate well enough to write specific examples, decline. A weak letter is worse than no letter.
- Omitting your contact information — recipients often follow up. Make it easy to reach you.
- Missing the submission deadline — ask well in advance (at least two to three weeks), and confirm the deadline when you agree to write.
Use AI to review your draft
Once you have written a draft, paste it into our free AI text summarizer to get a compressed read-back of the key points — your relationship to the candidate, the main quality you described, and your recommendation. If the summary does not reflect a specific, credible endorsement, the letter needs more concrete detail before it is sent.
Frequently asked questions
What is a letter of recommendation? A letter of recommendation is a formal document written by someone who knows a candidate personally — a supervisor, professor, colleague, or acquaintance — vouching for their qualifications, character, or suitability for a specific opportunity.
How long should a letter of recommendation be? One page — three to four short paragraphs. A longer letter is rarely more persuasive. Specific, well-chosen details in a shorter letter are more effective than generalities in a longer one.
How do you write a letter of recommendation for a coworker? Use the same structure: establish your relationship, describe one or two specific qualities with concrete examples (situation, action, result), connect them to the opportunity they are applying for, and close with a direct recommendation and your contact information.
How do you write a letter of recommendation for a friend? A personal recommendation letter is less formal but follows the same logic: state who you are and how you know the person, describe a specific quality with a specific example, and close with a direct endorsement and your contact information. Avoid vague praise — specific observations carry far more weight.
What should a letter of recommendation for immigration include? It should establish who you are and your relationship to the applicant, describe specific qualities or contributions you have observed (community involvement, work ethic, character), and close with a clear statement of support and your contact information for follow-up.
How do you write a letter of recommendation for a scholarship? Focus on the qualities the scholarship values — academic achievement, leadership, community service, financial need (if relevant). Use specific examples from your experience with the candidate. Close by connecting those qualities directly to the scholarship’s stated purpose.
Is it okay to decline writing a letter of recommendation? Yes — it is better to decline than to write a lukewarm letter. A letter that damns with faint praise or contains nothing specific can hurt the candidate’s application. If you cannot write a genuinely strong letter, say so honestly and give the candidate time to find another recommender.