Acknowledgement
I would like to express my gratitude towards HR Spot for providing me with this opportunity to write this research paper. Further, I would like to thank all the trainers for guiding me on the HR Courses topics and enhancing my knowledge on the practical aspects of HR function.
Research Methodology
This research has been conducted based on a detailed study of numerous articles to understand the current practices in the industry.
The different templates and samples that are mentioned here have been drafted in a manner so that they can be applicable across all sectors and industries.
The use of different ‘Letters of Recommendation’ in different contexts has been studied here.
The research paper is intended to present all the relevant content that is mentioned in different types of Letters of Recommendation (LOR) and also to highlight the importance of LORs.
Apart from employees, Letters of recommendation can be written for students or teachers as well; however, in this paper, we have focused on its applicability in the case of employees only.
Introduction
A Letter of Recommendation for an Employee is a document that is given by the employer to any of its former employees to attest to the individual’s skills, experience, and character.
It is generally provided by the HR department of the organisation to the employee to demonstrate his/her desirable skills or abilities, which in turn determines the individual’s suitability for any specific job profile.
It captures the behavioural and professional traits that the individual has exhibited during his tenure in the organization, along with his strengths and achievements.
Purpose of the Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
For Employees: An LOR from the previous organisation works as a testimony to the employee’s dedication and commitment towards their work and increases their chances of getting selected in the company they are applying for the job.
For Employers or Organizations: In many cases, if the employee is getting a LOR, it indicates he/she has been a good resource to the company, and the company might want to rehire them in the future if the opportunity arises. Providing an LOR helps to maintain a good relationship with them.
If employers include providing LORs as a part of their employee exit process, it gives the employees a good experience and increases the goodwill of the company.
For hiring companies, an LOR endorses the individual’s desirable qualities and mentions his experiences and professional achievements, which helps the companies in assessing whether he or she is the right fit for the opening in their organisation.
There are various types of Letters of Recommendation that are used for different purposes. The most commonly used ones are discussed in the next part.
Types Of Letters Of Recommendation
Character Reference Letter
Character Reference Letter – This is also known as a personal letter of recommendation, and it is written by colleagues, friends, family, or acquaintances. Personal reference letters emphasize a person’s personal qualities and their positive attitude rather than their work experience.
These letters are required in legal matters such as court hearings, visa applications, the emigration process, or adoption procedures.
Template of Character Reference Letter :
Name of the person referring,
His Job title,
Company name and address
Date
Body:
To Whom It May Concern,
1st Paragraph – Mention of how the person referring is related to the employee, for example, how many years they have worked together, how his insights are useful to understand the personality of the respective employee.
2nd Paragraph: Mention of his desired skills and attributes that make him stand out in a team
3rd Paragraph: Mention of instances where the employee has shown the skills and exhibited the characteristics
4th Paragraph: Endorsing the employee, highlighting his suitability for any organization that will hire him.
5th Paragraph: Mention of the contact details of the person referring (email ID and contact number of the person referring) for any further information about the respective employee.
Sincerely
(Name of the person referring)
Sample of Character Reference Letter:
Anisha Roy,
Senior Sales Manager, ABC Company,
29 Casata Road, Kolkata-101
Date:1st February 2025
To whom it may concern,
I am writing this on behalf of Mrs. Sumana Ray, with whom I had the privilege of working for 6 years in ABC Company. I believe that after sharing such a long time as colleagues, I have become well aware of certain fine qualities of Sumana.
Sumana is an extremely enthusiastic and helpful person. She had always shared cordial relations with all her colleagues and has been true to her work commitments and ethics. Her excellent communication skills have helped her to build a good rapport with everyone in the office.
Sumana had always been one of the first ones to be given any confidential project due to her honesty and loyalty towards her company. She has always been very keen to help out people whenever needed and support them in times of need.
I believe Sumana will be a good asset to any company that hires her.
Please feel free to contact me at my email id – anisha@abccomp.in or at my phone number 978607867 for any further clarification or details.
Sincerely, Anisha Roy
Standard Letter of Recommendation for Employee
Standard Letter of Recommendation for Employee- This is also known as a professional or employment reference letter, and it mentions the person’s work-related skills, performance at work, and professional achievements.
It is usually drafted by his/her colleague, manager, or HR professional with whom the person has shared workspace.
This type of recommendation letter is typically used for job applications.
Template of Standard/Professional Letter of Recommendation:
Name of the person referring, His Job title,
Company name and address, Date:
Body:
To Whom It May Concern,
1st Paragraph – Mention of how the person referring is related to the employee, for example, how many years they have worked together, how his insights are useful to understand the personality of the respective employee.
2nd Paragraph: Mention of his strength and accomplishments, along with relevant incidents or examples that demonstrate their skills and abilities
3rd Paragraph: Mention of qualities that set the employee apart from the others, along with any areas where the employee has shown remarkable growth or improvement
4th Paragraph: Endorsing the employee, highlighting his suitability for any organization that will hire him.
5th Paragraph: Mention of the contact details of the person referring (email ID and contact number of the person referring) for any further information about the respective employee.
Sincerely,
(Name of the person referring, Job Title,
Company name)
Sample of Standard Letter of Recommendation
Dipesh Roy, HR Manager, ABC Company,
29 Casata Road, Kolkata-101
Date:1st February 2025
To whom it may concern,
I am writing this on behalf of Ms. Riya Das, with whom I had the privilege of working for 3 years in ABC Company. It is my pleasure to recommend her for employment in your organization.
Riya has been working here in this company as an Executive- Administration. She has been very sincere in completing all her assignments and work on time. She had received the employee of the month award twice for her good performance in our organization. During her tenure with us, she had successfully organized a lot of company events in a very cost-effective way.
Riya has been very dedicated to her work, and her particularity regarding deadlines always puts her in a good light in front of the management. Riya had been well-liked by her colleagues and displayed a genuine ability to create a supportive and productive work culture.
I believe Ms. Riya Das will be a good resource to any organization that hires her.
Furthermore, if you want to receive any additional information regarding her work profile, please feel free to contact me at my email address – dipesh@abccomp.in or at my phone number 93325689.
Sincerely, Dipesh Roy, HR Manager, ABC Company.
Recommendation Letter For Promotion
A Letter of Recommendation for promotion is generally written by the respective employee’s manager or supervisor, who puts forward the employee’s candidature for a promotion in their role in the company.
It highlights the employee’s capability to take on further responsibilities by mentioning their achievements in the recent past, focusing on their ability to perform well and develop themselves in a new role.
Template of Letter of Recommendation for Promotion:
Name of the person referring, His Job title,
Company name and address, Date:
Body:
To the name of the colleague to whom the letter is being addressed,
1st Paragraph – Mention the purpose of the letter and how the person referring has witnessed or supervised the work of the employee he is referring for promotion
2nd Paragraph: Mention of instances where he has shown his capability to take up additional responsibilities and can execute them efficiently.
3rd Paragraph: Endorsing the employee for a promotion, highlighting his suitability for an upgraded role
4th Paragraph: Mention of the contact details of the person referring (email ID and contact number of the person referring) for any further information about the respective employee.
Sincerely,
(Name of the person referring, Job Title
Name of the company)
Sample of Letter of Recommendation for Promotion
Dalia Roy,
Senior HR Manager, ABC Company,
29 Casata Road, Kolkata-101
Date:2nd February 2025 Dear Mr. Gagan Roy,
I am writing this to recommend the promotion of Ms. Garima Das, Senior Executive – Talent Acquisition, to the role of Assistant Manager – HR. I have been her supervisor for the last 5 years and find her fit for an upgraded role.
Garima has been working here in this company in the Talent Acquisition role. She has, till date, closed all opening roles within the designated period of time. Apart from her work profile, she shares an excellent rapport with her colleagues.
Since she has been here for such a long time, she is well versed with our policies and work techniques, the kind of hire that would suit our requirements. I have seen her take an active role in all employee engagement activities.
During the time when we did not have any other person in the department, Garima took care of the attendance tracking part as well and got it streamlined with our organization’s policy.
Considering her past record and consistent good performance, I am putting forth her name for the promotion as I feel she has the capability to take up the additional responsibilities that come with this role.
Further to discuss this in detail, please feel free to contact me at my email id – dalia@abccomp.in or at my phone number 92824567.
Sincerely, Dalia Roy,
Senior HR Manager, ABC Company.
Simple Letter Of Recommendation
Simple Letter of Recommendation: These types of letters are more generic in nature and can be used for both professional and non-professional purposes.
It can be used to confirm that the particular employee has been employed in the respective organization for a particular period of time. A Simple letter of recommendation reaffirms their employment in an organization and does not provide much detail regarding their performance and abilities.
Template of Simple Letter of Recommendation:
Name of the person referring, His Job title,
Company name and address, Date:
Body:
To whom it may concern,
1st Paragraph – Verification of employment, work tenure of the employee
2nd Paragraph: Responsibilities the employee undertook during his tenure in the organization
3rd Paragraph: Mention of the contact details of the person referring (email ID and contact number of the person referring) for any further information about the respective employee.
Sincerely,
(Name of the person referring, Job Title
Name of the company)
Sample of a Simple Letter of Recommendation
Dalia Roy,
Senior HR Manager, ABC Company,
29 Casata Road, Kolkata-101
Date:2nd February 2025 To whom it may concern,
This letter is to verify the employment of Mr. Rabi Pal at ABC Company, who has been employed in this organization from 6th June 2022 to 12th September 2023 as Junior Associate- Human Resources.
During his tenure with us, his job responsibilities included
- Processing of invoices related to HR Expenses
- Drafting of Joining Announcement mails for new joinees
- Maintenance of Employee Records
- Taking care of the joining formalities
For more insights, please feel free to contact me at my email id – dalia@abccomp.in or at my phone number 92824567.
Sincerely, Dalia Roy,
Senior HR Manager, ABC Company.
Conclusion
A Letter of Recommendation is an important tool for hiring candidates as it provides detailed insights into his/her professional potential.
It acts as evidence that the applicant had a good and clean employment record.
The person’s past professional achievements help to assess whether they will be able to fit into the shoes of the current role.
While applying for a job, a good Letter of Recommendation adds weightage to the person’s candidature.
Along with the qualifications and work experience, if a person holds an experience letter speaking highly of themselves and their skills, it increases their chances of selection.
These letters highlight the employee’s leadership skills, his/her ability to work in a team, and other positive attributes like commitment to work ethics.
It provides a third-person perspective into one’s professional achievements and provides a kind of reassurance that the respective person will be a good asset to any organization he/she join.
A good letter of recommendation from one’s previous employer boosts one’s morale and makes one more confident to face any upcoming challenges in his next employment.
