Letters of Recommendation and References

Once of the best things you can do to make an employer’s hiring decision easy is to have a letter of recommendation or provide quality professional references.

If you are laid off from an employer and you have a good relationship with your boss, ask for a letter of recommendation. Tell him or her what kind of position you’ll be applying for in the future and then ask for your boss to comment on your past responsibilities pertaining to this new position. Keep a file in a secure place or on your computer desktop with these valuable testimonials.

If your boss is slow to respond to your request, offer to provide a sample letter of recommendation and suggest that he or she can adjust to fit their needs. If you enter the words “letter of recommendation example” into a search engine, several options will pop up. Download the best example and then tailor this letter to your specific needs.

It’s also a good idea to have references handy when you go on an interview. Sometimes references are requested on the employment application. Other times references will be requested after a positive interview. Keep references handy in both hard copy and email attachment form.

Just like a restaurant, a hotel, or a car dealership, it’s always best to hear something or someone is good to work with from a third party. Letters of recommendation and references can go a long way toward helping you secure your next job.

Tim Cotroneo