Should you agree to write the letter?

Accept when you know the person's work and can offer a positive, specific endorsement. If you cannot, decline politely. UW Bothell advises against writing a weak recommendation simply because saying no feels uncomfortable. Guidance on declining.

Before replying, name a task you watched the person complete. Then ask yourself what you could explain if the recipient contacted you. If you have no example beyond a friendly conversation, suggest someone who has worked with the applicant more closely.

A polite refusal

Thank you for asking me. I haven't worked closely enough with you to write the specific recommendation this application deserves. A supervisor or project colleague who knows your work would be better placed to help.

This is suggested wording, not a quotation from a real exchange. Adjust it to your relationship and reply promptly enough for the applicant to approach someone else.

Writing as a coworker

For a letter of recommendation for a coworker, describe the shared project and your role. Do not imply that you managed the applicant. Coursera includes coworkers among potential recommenders and advises explaining the relationship clearly. Who can write and what to explain.

What should you collect before drafting?

Ask for the opportunity description, application materials, submission instructions, and deadline. The University of Chicago also suggests requesting relevant assignments or work samples and any questions the recipient wants addressed. Preparation checklist.

• The job description or academic program requirements.
• The applicant's current resume and relevant application statement.
• A reminder of work you completed together.
• The recipient's name, where available.
• Required length, format, submission route, and deadline.
• Any separate assessment questions you must answer.

Send one request for this material instead of asking for each item separately. Read the opportunity description first. Mark the requirements you can discuss from experience, then leave the others out unless you have a sound basis for addressing them.

Do not copy a resume achievement into your letter as though you witnessed it. Ask yourself which part you supervised or reviewed. If the applicant supplies a result you cannot verify, describe the work you actually saw instead.

Which examples make the recommendation specific?

Choose examples that connect observed behavior to the opportunity. Coursera recommends concrete details rather than general praise, while Chicago suggests developing strengths through specific anecdotes. Advice on specificity; Advice on supporting examples.

Use this planning table before writing paragraphs. Every example below is hypothetical. Replace it with something you personally observed, and do not add a business result merely to make the sentence sound impressive.

Find the task behind the adjective

For a hypothetical marketing applicant, review work such as a social media audit or a customer content project. Identify the applicant's contribution: gathering evidence, organizing material, or explaining a recommendation. Discuss the contribution you saw.

For a hypothetical operations applicant, consider tasks involving cash flow planning or reviewing business costs. Describe how the person checked information or communicated an uncertainty. Do not attribute the company's financial performance to them without a basis.

If you supervise people, use your notes from conversations about employee motivation as a memory prompt. Select an observable action, rather than turning your general impression into a claim about the person.

How should you structure the letter?

Use an introduction, evidence paragraphs, a closing recommendation, and your signature. Chicago recommends identifying relevant strengths at the start, illustrating them in the body, and restating your support at the end. Suggested outline.

Letter of recommendation template

This is an adaptable template, not a completed endorsement. Replace every bracketed field. Remove any sentence that you cannot honestly support.

[Date]
Dear [recipient or selection committee],

I recommend [applicant] for [opportunity]. I am [your role] at [organization], and I worked with [applicant] as [relationship] during [period]. Our work together involved [relevant responsibilities].

One strength I observed was [relevant skill]. During [specific task], [applicant] [observable action]. I reviewed or supervised [your connection to that work], which gave me an opportunity to assess [relevant quality].

I also valued [second strength]. For example, [brief description of another observed situation]. This experience is relevant to your requirement for [specific responsibility or skill].

Based on our work together, I support [applicant]'s application for [opportunity]. I would be happy to discuss the work described here. You can contact me at [appropriate contact details].

Sincerely,
[Name]
[Title and organization]

Adapt it for an employee or student

For a letter of recommendation for an employee, choose work you supervised and strengths you observed. For a student, use coursework, a project, or another academic interaction you can describe. Coursera recommends concrete examples for both situations. Employee and student guidance.

Hypothetical student example: a tutor describes how an applicant revised a project after feedback and explained the changes. The tutor should identify the course or project, then connect that observation to the program. Avoid inventing a class ranking to make the example stronger.

How long should a recommendation letter be?

Aim for one page unless the recipient specifies otherwise. That is Chicago's suggested target for most letters. Keep the strongest evidence and remove repeated praise before making the text smaller to fit. Length guidance.

How do you ask someone to recommend you?

Explain the opportunity and ask whether the person can provide a positive recommendation within the deadline. Supply useful materials and allow reasonable time. Chicago explicitly says writers should not feel obliged to accept an unreasonable timeline. Timing and supporting materials.

Hello [name], I'm applying for [opportunity]. Would you feel comfortable writing a positive recommendation based on our work on [project]? The deadline is [date], and the letter must be submitted through [method].

I've attached the requirements, my resume, and a short reminder of our work together. Please let me know if the timing is difficult or someone else would be better placed to help.

This message is suggested wording. Replace the placeholders before sending it. Include facts that refresh the writer's memory, such as your role and the assignment, while leaving the assessment to them.

What should you check before sending?

Follow the recipient's instructions for format and delivery. Chicago recommends a PDF named for the applicant unless another format is specified. It also notes that some employers or programs request an additional questionnaire. Submission requirements.

• Check the applicant's name, role, and dates.
• Confirm that your relationship is accurately described.
• Check every example against your own knowledge.
• Remove unsupported comparisons and borrowed achievements.
• Replace names left over from another letter.
• Confirm your title and contact details.
• Open the final file and check the submission destination.

Read the letter once from the recipient's position. Can you identify what the applicant did, how the writer knows, and why it matters for this opportunity? If a paragraph answers none of those questions, revise it or remove it.