5 Vital Tips for Writing a Persuasive Reference Letter

Knowing how to write a reference letter for someone can be a daunting task. After all, you know that it plays a big part in that person’s chance of getting accepted. Luckily, this article is here to provide you with tips on how to write a persuasive reference letter that will leave people satisfied.

1) How do you know the person in question?

Here’s the first vital step on how to write a reference letter - it is important to state your relationship with the candidate - how you know him or her. Are you a teacher, a colleague or even a former supervisor?

It is also important that you indicate how long you have known that person. There’s a big difference in knowing a person for three months and knowing a person for three years.

2) Back up positives with specifics.

Even if you sing praises about the candidate, having no specific example to back them up will do you no good. Perhaps it is a wise idea to ask for a list of the person’s accomplishments (in case you don’t remember any). This is a tremendous plus in any reference letter.

3) Don’t write anything negative.

Not everyone is perfect. However, that should not be reflected in your reference letter at all. Stick to the positives and let the candidate answer for his or her weaknesses during his or her interview with the employer.

Listing the person’s not-so-brilliant qualities might only prevent him or her from getting short-listed.

4) Separation is key.

When knowing how to write a reference letter, you must recognize what separates the candidate from the rest of the applicants.

This is one of the more crucial points of the letter that employers really want to know. Write down characteristics that make the person stand out (in a positive way) from the rest.

5) Proofread.

When writing a reference letter, it is highly important that the message contain no typographical or grammatical errors. One single misplaced vowel can have dire consequences for the candidate.

Being asked to write a reference letter is really an honor. And it’s easy to know how. It shows that the person in question has a profound respect of your opinion. It is only polite that you do your best to write it well.