If someone comes to you with a request for a reference letter, it’s often with hopes that it will help them make the cut for a job, internship or academic program. Unlike a CV or cover letter, a reference letter isn’t written by the candidate. It’s written by a third person who is not going to benefit from the candidate’s success—yet vouches for their skills and abilities. It’s as if there’s a crowd of candidates gathered in the arena, each promising to be the perfect fit for a role. Then you walk up to the confused decision makers, point to a candidate, and say, “This one won’t disappoint you.”
This is how a good reference letter works—by giving an extra reason to the hiring team or admissions committee to prefer one candidate over others. But alas, here comes the biggest question: How do you write a great reference letter?
A strong professional reference letter can help a candidate get a job or admission into graduate school and more. In this article, we will discuss how to write one, along with simple tips and tricks to help make it stress free.
What Makes a Good Reference Letter?
Before we get into the specifics of writing a great reference letter, it’s worth asking: What makes one stand out? The strongest letters all share a few common characteristics:
- It states your relationship with the candidate – A good letter begins by clarifying who you are, your position and how you know the candidate. This establishes your credibility and makes the endorsement meaningful.
- It highlights relevant qualities – Decision-makers want to know why the candidate fits the role or program. Emphasize only the skills, traits and achievements that directly connect to the opportunity at hand.
- It provides concrete examples – Instead of vague praise, reference real situations where the candidate made a measurable impact or demonstrated standout performance.
- It shows sincerity – The tone should come across as genuine and professional. Readers can sense when a letter feels exaggerated or forced.
- It follows proper structure – A strong letter is clear, well organized and concise, usually no longer than a page. This makes it easy for busy reviewers to absorb.
- It reflects preparation and research – Reviewing the job description or program details ensures your recommendation aligns with what the hiring team or admissions committee values most.
How to Start a Reference Letter
Like most formal letters, a reference letter has three parts: the introductory paragraph, the body, and the closing paragraph. The first paragraph should clearly establish the purpose of the letter and your credibility as the referee.
The Salutation
Start your letter with a proper salutation:
- You can use “Dear” followed by the recipient’s surname.
- If you don’t know their surname, mention their designation instead, such as hiring manager, admissions committee, program director, etc.
- If you don’t know the recipient at all, or if the letter is to be sent to multiple recipients with different designations, you can go with “To Whom It May Concern.”
The Introductory Paragraph
The first paragraph should clarify what the letter is about. You can start with a sincere and earnest statement recommending the candidate. Mention the role and the organization for which you are recommending them. Briefly mention key details like:
- Your relationship with the candidate
- How long you have known them
- Your present/past designation
To sum up, this paragraph should clearly establish why your opinion on the candidate is believable and relevant. It sets the foundation for the rest of the letter. Here’s an example for reference:
“Dear Mr. Sullivan,
It is with immense pleasure that I recommend Ms. Sophie Taylor for the role of Senior Financial Analyst at Wayne and Co. As the financial manager at YZ Consulting, I have known Sophie since she joined us as an intern and directly managed her for three years during her time with us as a financial analyst. Based on my observations, I can confidently conclude that Sophie is among the top 10% of all the analysts I have managed in the last 10 years, thanks to the following reasons.”
What to Include in a Reference Letter
While the first paragraph introduces you (the referee) and your connection with the referred candidate, the rest of the letter is about the details. It’s time to back your recommendation with decisive examples and specific details that showcase why the said person is worth the recommendation and, ultimately, the potential role.
The Main Body Paragraphs
This is where you talk about the exact reasons you are recommending the person. This part can have two or even three paragraphs (though two is usually best).
Here are some essential elements you must include:
- Skills relevant to the aspired role: Relevance is key here. Only include those skills that will be useful for the applied role, program or opportunity. For example, someone might have a great sense of humor, but that’s not relevant for a product manager role.
- Practical examples: Include accurate descriptions about how the candidate exhibited their commendable skills under your observation. These can be specific instances when the candidate drove a positive result or showed remarkable performance in an area.
- Soft skills: Besides technical skills, soft skills are equally important in any professional or academic setting. So, if you have something to say on this aspect of the candidate, make sure to include it as well.
The Closing Paragraph
In the end, you want to sum up your stance on what you think of the candidate—and why. Summarize their skills and qualities and clearly endorse them with an unambiguous choice of phrases and words. For example, you can use phrases like:
- I give my unreserved recommendation to…
- I highly recommend [candidate’s name] without reservation…
- I wholeheartedly recommend…
Sign-Off or Complimentary Close
Like all formal letters, a reference letter closes with a sign-off phrase, such as “Best Regards,” Yours Truly” or “Sincerely Yours,” followed by the sender’s name and designation. You can often drop the “yours” in “Sincerely Yours.”
What NOT to Include in a Reference Letter
As mentioned earlier, some reference letters can do more harm than good. This usually happens when the letter lacks details and contains generic praises and filler phrases. Moreover, statements that have a vague or mixed tone can also send a bad impression to the reader, as can over-exaggeration and apparent dishonesty.
Here are some examples of what to avoid in a reference letter:
1. Generic praises and fillers:
- “Mr. Harlow is a very disciplined professional and a nice person.”
- “Ms. Cunnings always gives her best in every endeavor.”
- “He/she is adept at several responsibilities.”
2. Vague or mixed statements:
- “He works well with many members of the team.”
- “Her performance has been relatively strong.”
- “She is developing in many areas.”
- “They have good potential to grow under the right kind of support.”
3. Overexaggeration or dishonesty:
- “He is the best employee I have ever worked with.”
- “Their work always stands out as perfect.”
- “She is flawless at every project with zero exceptions.”
How to Format a Reference Letter
A reference letter follows the standard format of other formal letters. It usually has the following elements in the same order:
- Sender’s name and contact details
- Date
- Recipient’s name and contact details
- Salutation
- The body
- Sign-off
Some organizations follow a standard format for letters, which might contain some differences, like having the sender info as a heading at the top. It’s perfectly fine and acceptable, too.
However, if you are writing an email, you don’t need to begin with anyone’s contact info or the date. Just start with the salutation and follow the above format till the sign-off before including your contact info in the end.
Font and Spacing
Professional letters usually follow a standard font, such as Times New Roman, Arial or Calibri. But there is no rule of thumb here, as long as your font is legible, not too light or too bold, and doesn’t follow a cursive script.
Make sure to include line spaces between two elements of the letter. There should be a space after the sender’s contact info, another after the date and so on. Follow standard spacing sizes so that the text doesn’t appear too cluttered or too far apart.
Example of a Great Reference Letter
Let’s continue the example of an employment reference letter for a candidate who has applied for the role of senior financial analyst at a reputed firm:
Barron Stanley
YZ Consulting
2830 Allen St.
Dallas, TX 75205
[email protected]
July 20, 2025
Harvey Sullivan
Hiring Manager
Wayne & Co.
31 Bushwick Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Dear Mr. Sullivan,
It is with immense pleasure that I recommend Ms. Sophie Taylor for the role of Senior Financial Analyst at Wayne & Co. As the financial manager at YZ Consulting, I have known Sophie since she joined us as an intern and directly managed her for three years during her time with us as a financial analyst. Based on my observations, I can confidently conclude that Sophie is among the top 10% of all the analysts I have managed in the last 10 years, thanks to the following reasons.
Besides being adept at the technical skills mentioned in her CV, Sophie is a critical thinker who knows how to balance precision and speed. Her financial models and forecasts consistently helped our company optimize revenue growth during the time she worked here. They were a crucial reason we could extend our runway by three months and reduce the burn rate by 35%. Her insights on investment decisions are always backed by sharp data analysis—a quality that made her someone I could repeatedly rely on.
Along with her standalone abilities, Sophie also stood out as a great team player at our workplace. Her collaborations with the sales and data science teams were instrumental in preparing some key growth strategies, which helped improve our LTV/CAC ratio by 20% and contributed to a 25% increase in ARR over two quarters.
Given these commendable qualities, I am confident that Sophie will excel in her role as a Senior Financial Analyst at Wayne & Co. I eagerly recommend her for the same position without any hesitation. Feel free to contact me for any additional queries about Sophie.
Sincerely,
Barron Stanley
Financial Manager, YZ Consulting
Writing a Reference Letter That Makes an Impact
All things considered, a reference letter should have the maximum impact on the reader. So make sure you choose words and content that clearly communicate your preference without confusing the reader or making them doubt your credibility. As Dale Carnegie famously wrote, be “hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise.”
Yet, be honest with whatever you say, as a dishonest or false recommendation will damage your credibility before the candidate’s. Keep in mind that it’s better to politely decline a recommendation request than to write a half-hearted or made-up recommendation letter.
Armed with this simple guide, you can write a reference letter you can feel good about and that provides a strong recommendation for the candidate. By knowing what to expect and with a little preparation, you can write a powerful, honest reference letter with ease.
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