Three types of recommendation letter to know.

A woman sitting at a desk next to a large open window uses entries from a notebook to write a letter of recommendation on a laptop.

Learn about common types of recommendation letters and send words of praise.

At some point in your personal or professional life, someone will almost certainly ask you to write a letter of recommendation on their behalf. At its simplest, this letter is just written documentation that speaks favorably of someone. However, three types of letters are most commonly used. Being familiar with each type is helpful so you can provide the best reference letter when that time comes.

Why the right letter of recommendation types matter.

To write a favorable letter of recommendation, understand which relevant details matter in the letter for the person you are recommending. You may need to include details about work ethic, character, or academic achievements. Your recommendation could help this person get a promotion, university admission, or even housing, so be sure to understand the goal of the recommendation.

A recommendation letter can also provide information unavailable in the application materials, so it may be significantly more meaningful for those you recommend than other application factors.

Becoming familiar with the different types of recommendation letters can improve their chances and help them achieve their goals.

3 most common types of recommendation letter.

When someone asks for a letter of recommendation, chances are it’s for one of three purposes: Academic, professional, or character. This purpose is helpful information so you can tailor the letter to the needs of the person asking, whether a friend, colleague, student, or employee.

1. Academic letters.

Many admissions programs will require students to submit up to three letters of recommendation. This standard practice is part of most graduate and doctoral programs, but these letters can also be helpful for general high school or college scholarship applications. You can write a reference letter for a friend about a student’s academic background, extracurricular activities, internships, and other experiences.

2. Professional letters.

This letter attests to an employee or colleague’s skills, accomplishments, and work experience. You may also highlight a person’s admirable business-related traits, such as adaptability, eagerness to learn, or superior team-building skills.

3. Character letters.

The final type of recommendation is relatively straightforward — it’s simply a statement about a person’s character and is helpful in various situations. Landlords may ask for a landlord reference letter, for example, before renting an apartment. Adoption agencies often use them to evaluate potential adoptive parents. They even show up occasionally in court cases.

Do all types of letter of recommendation have the same structure?

All types of letters of recommendation have a similar structure. However, the relevant details will vary depending on the kind of recommendation letter.

The recommendation will be in a letter format, but you may highlight different details about the person you are recommending. For example, if you’re recommending a past student for university admission, highlight their academic achievements. In comparison, you may reference specific employment history if you’re recommending a past employee for a new position.

All types of recommendation letters will be no more than a page long. They each include relevant information like relationship length, positive characteristics of the recommended person, and your contact information.

If you find yourself writing frequent letters of recommendation ― for example, a teacher or an employer ― consider creating an electronic template to save time. That way, you can skip formatting every time and focus on personalizing the information to help the person you’re commending to shine. To finish, simply insert your digital signature to sign PDF documents and send them on their way.

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