Writing Letters of Recommendations

Career Services

Room 54, Cartwright Center

UW– La Crosse

www.uwlax.edu/careerservices

Presented by: Brenda Leahy

Prior to Writing

Be honest about your ability to write a letter for this individual

Ask the candidate for a resume and/or personal statement

Find out if general reference or specific position

Find out due date

Guidelines To Writing

Indicate the capacity by which you know the individual (classroom, employee, student intern, graduate assistant, or community activity) as well as the length of time

Frame your comments within the purpose of the letter (admission to school, jobs, scholarships, or awards)

Give honest and factual information Give specific examples

Guidelines to Writing

Offer a “big picture” of the candidate’s overall promise and potential

Try to highlight the candidates specific and individual strengths

Don’t be too brief – provide relevant information and examples of candidate’s successes

If possible, use quantifiable qualifiers – “Sara is in the top 10% of all interns I have worked with”

Guidelines to Writing

Be very careful with or avoid templates Encourage the employer to contact you if they have

questions about the candidate’s performance Consider a strong statement, such as: “ I recommend

this candidate without reservation”, or “ If I had an opportunity to hire I would ”

Be aware of the letter’s appearance, be neat, check spelling and grammar

Try to keep letter to one page

Guidelines to Writing

Don’t use characteristics that can be the basis of discrimination– Race– Religion or political preference– Age– Any disability– Marital or parental status

Guidelines to Writing

Beware the power of words– Watch words with positive or negative connotations

Avoid bland words– Nice – Good– Fairly– Satisfactory– Very

Beware of Double Meanings

For the chronically absent:"A man like him is hard to find.""It seemed her career was just taking off.“

For an employee with no ambition:"He could not care less about the number of hours he had to put in.""You would indeed be fortunate to get this person to work for you."

For an employee who is so unproductive that the job is better left unfilled:"I can assure you that no person would be better for the job.“

Guidelines to Writing

Use appropriate powerful words– Articulate– Dependable– Effective– Mature– Cooperative– Creative– Imaginative

After Writing the Letter

Consider providing candidate a copy Keep a copy of the recommendation for your

records Ask the student to update you on the process

Common Problems Found

Specific references not understood by general public Incorrect spelling of student’s name Multiple names in body of the letter A nickname without first introducing students’ legal

name Not on letterhead Missing writer’s signature and/or contact information

Common Problems Found

Contain unsupported, over-enthusiastic or generic endorsements, instead of offering useful, balanced insights

Concentrates on the writer with brief reference to the student

Unauthorized disclosure of personal circumstances Lack of clarity regarding the nature of relationship

Common Problems Found

Illegible letters

Suggestions on Content

Description of Graduate Assistantship Performance Interpersonal Skills Professional Qualities

SAMPLE

To Whom It May Concern:

 

I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation for Michael Scott. I have known Michael for one and a half years in his capacity as a student employee for the UW-La Crosse Residence Life Information Services (RILS) staff. In addition to other duties, RLIS provides hardware and software support to the staff of Career Services. I serve as the liaison between Career Services and RLIS, so I have had substantial contact with Matthew.

While Michael has significant technical skills and a solid academic record (in a challenging program), what really impresses me are his interpersonal skills, his work ethic and his determination. He has the ability to quickly establish rapport with those he meets and to communicate effectively about technical problems with end users. I regard him as one of the “go to” members of the RLIS staff. If there is a problem with a computer in Career Services, I want Matthew to work on it because I know that he won’t be satisfied until it is resolved and that he will keep me informed of the status until it is resolved. I highly value his technical acumen and the professionalism he displays in this position.

I recommend Michael without reservation. However, should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 608.785.8624.

Sincerely,

Tim Tritch

Senior Student Services Coordinator

Ethical Issues/Legal Issues

Make sure you mean what you write– Can impact professional relationships– Can impact future references

Legal Issues– FERPA– Wisconsin Act 441

1995 Wisconsin Act 441

An employer who, on the request of an employee or a prospective employer of the employee, provides a reference to that prospective employer is presumed to be acting in good faith and, unless lack of good faith is shown by clear and convincing evidence, is immune from all civil liability that may result from providing that reference.  The presumption of good faith under this subsection may be rebutted only upon a showing by clear and convincing evidence that the employer knowingly provided false information in the reference, that the employer made the reference maliciously or that the employer made the reference in violation of s. 111.322.

Other Reference Situations

Reference Calls

It is okay to say you don’t know them in that capacity

Share examples Be careful not to share too much information