Letters of Recommendation and Character References - Writing a Letter of Recommendation - Character Reference Letter Overview - Employment Guidance

Sep 15, 2026

Practical guidance on writing effective recommendation and character reference letters for employment and other opportunities. The material explains what to include in each paragraph of a recommendation letter, how to evaluate performance, describe strengths and shortcomings, and conclude with a clear recommendation level. It also covers how character reference letters differ from employment references, what qualities a writer may comment on, and best practices for tailoring the letter, providing specific information, and keeping the document concise.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time1 min

AccessFree to download

Writing a Letter of Recommendation

First Paragraph

Second Paragraph

Third Paragraph

Character Reference Letter Overview

Character References for Obtaining Employment

Character references vs. employment references

General Information about Letters of Recommendation/Character References

Writing the letter

Letters of Recommendation and Character References Writing a Letter of Recommendation First Paragraph--Start out by specifying in what capacity and for how long you have known the person whom you are recommending. If the person is an employee or coworker, indicate the term of employment, the responsibilities of the position, and any significant projects undertaken by the individual. You may wish to include a sentence about the nature of the business or the activities you were involved in. Here, you can also give a one-sentence summary or overview of your opinion of the recommended individual. Second Paragraph--In the next paragraph provide a more detailed evaluation of the person asan employee. Describe his or her performance on specific assignments and list any important accomplishments. What are the individual's strengths or shortcomings in the workplace? What was it like to interact with him or her? Tell a brief anecdote that encapsulates the person’s qualities and character. Third Paragraph--To sum things up you can make a more broad characterization of the individual and his or her demeanor. Overall, was the person responsible, polite, warm, disagreeable, lazy, spiteful? Finally, indicate the degree to which you recommend the individual for the position she or he is seeking: without reservation, strongly, with some reservation, or not at all. Character Reference Letter Overview A character reference letter is usually written for you by someone you know outside of work. This can be a friend, neighbor or relative. It can also be a person with whom you have shared an experience, such as a teammate or fellow volunteer. Also known as a personal reference or personal recommendation, a character reference documents your positive personal attributes. Character reference letters can also prove useful in landing jobs. Character References for Obtaining Employment A good character reference letter from someone you know can be helpful for job seeking when you • Lack favorable references from current or former employers • Are starting out and have no work history or have been out of the job market for a longtime • Have not attended college and cannot benefit from professor recommendations • Have a potential employer who wants to better understand your background or better understand what you're really like • Are seeking a position where particular personal characteristics are important With the advent of personal computers and printers and the widespread practice of networking, character references are more common than in the past. Nevertheless, they are more important than ever. Character references vs. employment references There are five distinctions between an employment reference letter (from your boss) and a character reference letter (from your friend) . Character reference letters are typically • Less formal • More personalized • Not focused on an economic relationship • Subjective in what they cover • More straightforward An employment reference is usually an official document on company letterhead. It is written ina formal tone and frequently follows a standard, rather impersonal format. Employment references are courtesies extended in the business community. They are "report cards" written from employers past to employers future. To have any use, they must objectively appraise your job performance. This means they must cover all relevant aspects of your work and address both your strengths and weaknesses. Character references usually describe your positive personal attributes. They are written by people who are loyal to you--friends, neighbors, school or church associates. The character traits discussed in these letters are objectively stated, but are subjectively chosen for inclusion. In other words, the good things go in and the bad things stay out. For the most part character reference letters do not pertain to an economic relationship. They are written less formally an

FAQs

What should the first paragraph of a letter of recommendation include?

Specify your capacity and how long you have known the person. For coworkers or employees, include the term of employment, key responsibilities, and notable projects, plus a one-sentence overview of your opinion.

How do character reference letters differ from employment reference letters?

Character reference letters are typically less formal, more personalized, not focused on economic relationships, and more subjective in what they cover. Employment references are official documents on company letterhead with a formal, standard format and an objective assessment of job performance.

What is recommended when writing a strong recommendation letter?

Use truthful but positive portrayals, avoid vague or unrealistic claims, tailor the content to the target position, and include specific details and one or two vivid examples. Keep it to three or four paragraphs and within about one page.

Sep 15, 2026

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