How to write a reference letter for a friend.
You know how great your friend is; now it’s time to let everyone else know. Learn how to write a character reference letter for a friend to help them achieve their goals.
There are many reasons for someone to ask their friends for a reference letter. Whether they want to join a club, nail a job interview, apply to a school, or countless other reasons, make sure everyone else knows how amazing your friend is with a well-crafted, professional reference letter.
What is a friend character reference letter?
A reference letter is a professional letter, written to a potential landlord, employer, admissions officer, or any other decision maker, describing a person’s experience, skills, and characteristics to help them achieve their goal or a specific objective . These types of letters should come from someone who has a close personal or professional relationship with the person:
- Longtime friend
- Neighbor
- Coworker
- Business contact or client
- Mentor or coach
- Fellow club or organization member
What the letter is for will inform you who might be the best person to write it. For example, if you’re applying to be a renter in a new apartment building, a landlord reference letter from a previous landlord would probably be more effective than a friendly reference letter from your childhood friend.
It takes more than just repeatedly saying how great your friend is to write a helpful reference letter for a friend. You need to make sure it’s well-crafted and covers all the essential details that a hiring manager, landlord, judge, dean, or any other decisionmaker will want to know.
Here are four steps to help you learn how to write a reference letter for a friend:
Step 1: Understand the goal.
The first step to writing a character reference for a friend is understanding the goal. Is your friend applying for a job, hoping to get into their dream university, or trying to land that luxury apartment in the sky?
Talk to your friend about what they hope to achieve with your reference letter. For example, if it’s for a job interview, ask about what role they applied for, what the responsibilities might look like, and whether the work is more independent or team-oriented.
These details will tell you what to include in your friend character reference letter for maximum effectiveness or even if you’re the right friend for the job. It’s important to note that not every friend can write any type of reference letter. If you never worked with your friend or even saw them at work, perhaps you’re not the right person to write a job reference letter.
Step 2: Include all the important information.
Once you know everything about your friend’s goal, it’s time to get writing. Be sure to include at least the following information as you craft your character reference for a friend:
- Introduction – State your name and mention the background of your relationship with your friend. How do you know them? If you know the decisionmaker by name, use that in the address to make the letter more personal.
- Skills and qualifications – What makes your friend perfect for the job, apartment, school, etc.?
- Goals and progress – What has your friend done to work toward their goals and what they hope to achieve in the future, especially as it relates to the overall goal?
As you’re writing, remember to keep the goal in mind. For example, if your friend is applying for a job, employers might not really be interested in their time in the middle school band. They would, however, be interested in your friend’s work and volunteer experience.
Step 3: Put your reference in letter format.
You want your reference to look professional, so put it into a letter format. Start by addressing the intended recipient. Every friend reference letter should start with “Dear [name].” If you don’t know the recipient’s name, you can use “to whom it may concern,” but addressing the recipient personally is always more effective.
At the end of your letter, add a short conclusion and finish it off with your signature and contact information. Your contact details are important if anyone wants to reach out for more information about your friend.
Step 4: Save as a PDF.
PDFs are seen as the standard document type in the professional world because they maintain their formatting on any device and they’re harder to tamper with. So always save your friend reference letter as a PDF before sending it off.
You can save your document directly as a PDF or easily convert Word to PDF online right from your web browser. You can also convert a PDF back to Word if you ever need to make quick edits.
Once you’re happy with your reference letter, add your final stamp of approval with a signature. If you don’t want to bring printers and pens into the mix, you can easily sign a PDF online with a few clicks of the mouse.
Then all that’s left to do is press send and watch your kind words help your friend achieve their goals.
Frequently asked questions.
Can a reference letter be from a friend?
Yes. Reference letters can come from anyone who knows someone well enough to endorse their skills and attributes.
However, make sure your relationship is relevant to the goal. For example, if you need a reference for a job interview, it would be better to ask a colleague from a former job to write your reference letter, rather than your friend from high school who you never worked with. Keep the goal in mind when choosing who you want to write your reference letter.
How long should a reference letter be?
It’s always best to keep your reference letter short and to the point. Ideally, it should fit on one page.
Are reference letters sent directly to the recipient?
Yes, you should aways send your friend reference letters directly to the hiring manager, landlord, or other decision maker, rather than to your friend. It’s more authentic if a letter comes directly from the reference.
Should you mail a hard copy of a reference letter?
Different decision makers have different preferences about how they receive letters. Some might prefer hard copies, while others are fine with emails. If you’re unsure about their preferences, it’s typically safe to send your reference letter as an email.
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Content as a Service - acrobat-hub - Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at 08:45