A letter of recommendation is a strong asset for a student on the hunt for a job. Additionally, having personal recommendations gives support that you’re a qualified applicant and are a strong addition to any organization. Whether you are a student who is preparing to enter the job market or are a contact of the student providing a recommendation for them, we believe that these examples and tips can be useful in either situation. So if you’re looking for a letter of recommendation for students’ examples, look no further.
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What is a Letter of Recommendation for Students?
A letter of recommendation is actually exactly what it sounds like. This is a letter written by someone who has extensive knowledge of your skills, abilities, and experience. It can be someone you worked with or for, or it could be a professor. Additionally, this letter contains an acknowledgment of specific skills, personal character, projects, and anything else that is relevant.
Why is it Important?
When searching for a job today, it can be quite competitive depending on the industry. Marketing yourself as a strong asset to an organization is key to your success in a job hunt. And a letter of recommendation from a qualified individual can make all the difference in standing out as an applicant.
Who Should Be Selected to Write a Letter of Recommendation?
Who you select to write your letter of recommendation depends on a few factors. You’ll want to consider the job/career you are pursuing, and what skills/experience you need to support that you have. From here, you can decide who in your social circle can help connect your abilities to said position.
For example, you’re applying to become a data scientist at a large corporation. For this, you’ll want to display your proficiency in fields of math, computer science, analytics, etc. If you had a good connection with one of your computer science professors, you could ask them. If you had a summer internship as a Data Analytics intern, you could contact your manager for a recommendation as well.
Generally, a professional who has worked directly with the student will write a letter of recommendation. This is because this person will know you best, professionally.
What Should Be Included?
- Contact Info: When writing a formal letter, be sure to include relevant info for an organization to contact you.
- Greeting: Include a personal and professional greeting, as you would any letter.
- Introduction: Open the letter about who you are writing for. Explain your relationship and connection with the person in question.
- Body: This is the main section of the letter, and should speak on behalf of the person’s experience. You can include anecdotes, stories, or hard-accomplishments to help the recipient understand the qualifications of who you are writing for. This section will help to prove that your contact is the right person for the position.
- Conclusion: Let the recipient know you are happy to speak more about this person if they wish. Closeout the letter by speaking well of this person, and making a statement on how they would be a good fit.
Letter of Recommendation Example
Dear Mr. Green,
I am writing on behalf of my former colleague, John Smith. I was made aware he has an interest in your Data Analyst position, and I would like to give my support to him and explain how I believe he would be a strong asset to your organization.
During Mr. Smith’s time at our organization as a summer intern, he always showed a strong commitment to his work, and a passion for learning and growing as an employee. His skills and knowledge of data analytics were promising for his age, and I believe he will continue to grow.
I highly recommend Mr. Smith for the role of Data Analyst and think he would be a fine addition to your company.
Please feel free to reach out to me if you would like to discuss Mr. Smith more. He was a pleasure to work with and I would be happy to give my thoughts on his abilities.
Sincerely,
James Adams
More Job Tips
In conclusion, all of this info should help you understand how to get the most out of a letter of recommendation for students in need.
And if you are a student on the hunt for a job after college, start connecting with recruiters by creating your free ZipRecruiter account. They are by and far the easiest to use job searching tool, and will likely be where you find your next opportunity.
