Drafting a letter of recommendation is a skillful task. Candidates need to plan, prioritize and format the reference letter well to make the letter effective in impressing the recipient. However, it may happen that in spite of planning and executing each step accurately, the letter fails in achieving its purpose. Hence, it is essential to verify the effectiveness of the letter. To help all the candidates in this important task, here is a list of things to check before presenting the letter of recommendation for a job.
Referrer's Details
Verify if the letter includes all of the referrer's details like his name, designation, work history and achievements. If a person with an impressive profile recommends the candidate, it is more effective in convincing the recipient of the candidate's abilities. In addition, if the recipient wishes to do background verification of the candidate, such details are necessary for his reference. Hence, ensure the letter includes all of referrer's details accurately.
Candidate's Details
The letter of recommendation speaks about a candidate's credentials and abilities. Hence, ensure that all the details related to the candidate's qualifications, work experience, key skills and achievements are included in the reference letter. If the candidate misses certain details, it may harm his chances of getting selected. Hence, before submitting the letter to the concerned person, check if the letter contains all the required details.
Goal Oriented
The letter should clearly indicate its objectives. Each word of the letter should contribute to the meaning and the purpose of sending out the letter. If the recipient finds the language or the tone of the letter vague and unclear, he will get confused regarding the candidate's career objectives. The recipient may not consider the candidate, thinking him to be confused and aimless. Hence, aim the letter contents towards its targets to ensure the recipient's attention.
Suitability
It is important to match the candidate's profile with the expectations of the recipient to prove them suitable for the position. Relate the candidate's qualifications, experiences and skills with the requirements of the recipient. If the profile mentioned in the letter does not meet the recipient's expectations, he will reject the candidate. Hence, portray the candidate's profile as per the recipient's expectations to stand out among competitors.
Errors
Ensure the reference letter is free of all errors and mistakes. Check the letter contents to find any mistakes in spellings, grammar or punctuations within the reference letter. If the recipient notices any mistakes within the letter, he will consider the candidate as incompetent and careless. The recipient may feel discouraged from considering the candidate in spite of his worthy credentials. Hence, ensure an error free recommendation letter.
Letter Format
Draft the letter in a professional format. Arrange the different letter headings like date, sender's name, receiver's name, main letter body and signature as per the set format. The format should contribute in fulfilling the purpose of the letter. It is important to divide the letter contents in proper paragraphs to ensure a steady flow and to give meaning to the letter. Hence, verify if the letter is formatted accurately or not.
Listed out here were the things to check before presenting the letter of recommendation for a job. Go through this checklist while preparing the final draft of your reference letter.