FREE 36+ Recommendation Letter Format Samples in MS Word | PDF

Numerous instances require us to submit our applications to an entity or another organization. Corporations, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations—basically all type of organizational entities impose rigorous standards for applicants to fulfill. That is why, if you are applying for a job, a scholarship, or internship, you need to ask another person to write a recommendation letter on your behalf.

Numerous instances require us to submit our applications to an entity or another organization. Corporations, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations—basically all type of organizational entities impose rigorous standards for applicants to fulfill. That is why, if you are applying for a job, a scholarship, or internship, you need to ask another person to write a recommendation letter on your behalf.

Whether you are a previous professor, manager, or employer who is given the enormous responsibility of writing a recommendation letter for someone else, you need to write a well-crafted and effective one. In order to do so, we are providing you with a variety of recommendation letter templates that you may download for free. Scroll down below to view our templates!

College Recommendation Letter Formats

Recommendation for College Admission

Sample College Recommendation from Teacher

Personal Recommendation Letter Formats

Personal Letter Format for Application

Letter for Personal Job Application

What Is a Recommendation Letter?

A recommendation letter is otherwise known as a reference letter. This letter is written with the purpose of increasing an applicant’s chances of getting accepted or approved for whatever grant, slot, or job he/she may be apply for. Naturally, a recommendation letter contains an assertion of an applicant’s laudable qualities and character.

What Is It Used For?

Recommendation letters are useful in the following arenas:

• educational institutions
• corporations/companies/businesses
• nonprofit organizations
• profitable organizations
• government agencies

 

Some of the most common uses of recommendation letters are the following:

• It is used in order to increase a job applicant’s chances of getting hired in a job position that he/she is applying for.
• It is used in order to help a prospective intern get accepted in a company or organization that he/she wants to practice her internship in.
• It is used to help students acquire a scholarship grant that can help them complete their academic goals.
• It is used to help prospective students get accepted in a course program that they want.

 

Whatever the impetus for writing a recommendation letter, it should be written according to a proper recommendation letter format. To learn how to write in the proper format, refer to our recommendation letter samples on this page.

Academic Recommendation Letter Formats

Academic Advisory Letter Format

Academic Recommendation Letter Format

Scholarship Recommendation Letter Formats

Scholarship Letter for Student

Scholarship Letter Format

Business Recommendation Letter Formats

Recommendation for Business School

Sample Business Recommendation Format

Formal Recommendation Letter Formats

Formal Recommendation for College

Formal Letter for Graduate School

Tips for Writing an Effective Recommendation Letter

Writing a recommendation letter is not an easy task. The following are some tips you should follow if you want to write an effective recommendation letter:

• The primary step in writing a recommendation letter is researching. You can do your research either by calling relevant individuals, surfing the Internet, or making inquiries at the business premises per se. In researching, the following questions must be addressed:
  • What is the nature of the grant or thing that the applicant is applying for?
  • What is the nature and culture of the organization (company, university, etc.) that the applicant is applying to?
  • What is the brief description of the position, grant, or permission that the applicant is applying for?
  • What are the qualifications required in the thing applied for?
  • What is the name of the person who processes the application?

• After doing the research, converse with the person who asked you to write a recommendation letter and create a list of his/her qualities that you think you can emphasize in your recommendation letter. Make sure that you conscientiously examine the characteristics in such a way that it fits the qualifications required of the thing or right applied for.
• Check out the Internet for samples or templates that can guide you in writing a properly formatted recommendation letter.

 

Aside from the recommendation letters on this page, we also have collections of Promotion Recommendation Letters and Internship Recommendation Letters that you may access by clicking on their corresponding links.

Professional Recommendation Letter Formats

Professional MBA Recommendation Format

Letter Format for Professional Employee

Recommendation Letter Format for Job

Sample Letter Format for Job

Personal Recommendation Format for Job

Recommendation Letter Formats for College

College Recommendation Letter from Teacher

College Application Letter Format

Recommendation Letter Formats for Colleague

Simple Recommendation for Colleague

Sample Format for Colleague

Recommendation Letter Formats for a Friend

Character Recommendation for a Friend

Sample Letter of Recommendation from a Friend

What Is a Recommendation Letter for Employment?

A recommendation letter for employment is a type of professional letter. This letter is written in behalf of a job applicant in order to help him/her to get the job. Contrary to self recommendation letters that are written in order to recommend one’s self, a recommendation letter for employment must be written by another person. He/she must have adequate authority and prestige to do so. More often than not, the person who must write this letter can be any of the following:

• a previous employer
• a previous manager
• a previous team leader
• a previous internship adviser
• a previous professor

 

A recommendation letter must cover the following:

• The manner of with which the recommender has previously interacted with the job applicant.
• The job applicant’s attributes or characteristics that are directly related to the qualifications required by the job position applied for.
• The specific instances in the past when the applicant has displayed the qualifications narrated.

 

What to Write in a Scholarship Recommendation Letter?

If you are writing this type of recommendation letter, make sure that you cover the following information:

• Explain the financial status or condition of the student-applicant.
• Provide concrete proofs of the student-applicant’s trustworthiness.
• Describe the applicant’s exemplary academic achievements and intellectual capabilities.

Letter of Recommendation Reference Formats for Teacher

Recommendation for Teacher of the Year

Sample Format for College Teacher

MBA Recommendation Letter Formats

Sample Letter for Professional MBA Student

Simple Letter for MBA Recommendation

Army Letter of Recommendation Formats

Military Army Recommendation Format

Recommendation Format for Army Retention

Internship Recommendation Letter Formats

Sample Internship Letter from Employer

Internship Recommendation Format Example

Doctor Recommendation Letter Formats

Medical School Recommendation Format

Doctor Letter Format in PDF

Employee Recommendation Letter Formats

Sample Employee Letter

Letter for Employee Job

Faculty Recommendation Letter Formats

Faculty Recommendation for Job

What Are the Guidelines for Writing a Recommendation Letter?

If you are planning to write a recommendation letter, the following are guidelines that you should observe:

• As mentioned, research first on all the necessary information you might need in order to write a well-informed and effective recommendation letter.
• After the research, determine which type of recommendation letter you are writing. It is vital that you know which specific content is appropriate for the type of recommendation letter you are writing. For example, a professor recommendation letter for employment purposes would contain the job applicant’s characteristics that are directly related to the qualifications of the job position he/she is applying for. Meanwhile, a college recommendation letter would demonstrate the student applicant’s academic skills.
• Observe the proper format in writing formal letters.
• Address your letter-recipient using their complete names and accurate titles if there are any.
• Make sure that your letter is not too long. Avoid exaggerations.
• Emphasize only those qualities or attributes that are directly related to the thing that the applicant is applying for.