A recommendation letter is a document in which the referrer describes and evaluates the positives of the candidate for the recipient in view of a particular objective. Each recommendation letter is true in this sense of definition. However, there are different types of recommendation letters, depending upon the purpose of drafting the letter. All details of the letter, namely the referee, referrer, contents and format, change as per the purpose. The referee can be a person, product or a service. Find below the types of recommendation letters, depending upon the referee.
Recommendation Letter for a Person
Each person is required to submit a reference letter at different stages of his career. Depending upon the purpose, the main types of reference letters are
Academic Reference Letter
This type of letter is written to ensure the candidate gets selected for a position in an education institute. Candidate's professors, headmasters, departmental heads, project heads draft this letter. The letter mentions details about the candidate's sincerity and love towards his field of study. It aims at convincing the recipients that the candidate is hardworking, ambitious and deserves gaining the position at the institute.
Employment Reference Letter
The referrer drafts this letter to help the candidate get job or promotion and hence the name employment letter. Mostly, the referrer is the candidate's senior at work, his departmental head or the manager etc. The letter stresses on the candidate's work efficiency. It includes qualities like task, management, time management, leadership, communication skills. It helps to convince the reader that the candidate has the required abilities and hence should get the position.
Character Certificate
The purpose of this type of letter is to prove the virtues and morals of a candidate. It can be submitted for variety of reasons, namely court hearings, child adoptions, to win awards or competitions, to rent an apartment, loan proceedings etc. Any person who has known the candidate for long can write the letter, depending upon the purpose. The letter helps to prove the candidate as serious and sincere towards life and responsibilities. The letter aims at giving the candidate the opportunity by proving him capable and deserving for the same.
Recommendation Letter for a Product
In this type of reference letter, the referrer gives his feedback about a product. The referrer can be a professional product reviewer, the manufacturer or a customer. The letter includes details of the product's make, its features, utility and advantages to its users, unique qualities and the ways in which it beats its competitors. A product reference letter is written with the purpose of improving sales of the product by convincing the clients about the product's efficiency. The letter aims at creating a positive buzz for the product. It helps to draw a comparison between two similar products.
Recommendation Letter for a Service
A reference letter for service speaks about the competence of an organization in providing a particular service. It includes a review of the manner in which the service personnel suggests remedies to client's problems or requirements. It evaluates their ability of effectively communicating and applying knowledge to find feasible solutions, promptness in resolving issue, knowledge competence, etc. This letter helps to make a particular service popular in the market by stressing on the unique and positive aspects of the service.
These are the most common types of recommendation letter. Though the core objective of any reference letter remains same, each letter type differs in its purpose, referrer, referee and the contents. Hence, to make the letter effective, understand the purpose thoroughly and draft the letter in its accord.