Sample Letters and Emails to Ask for a Reference.
Requesting a letter of recommendation from a previous employer. Dear (name), I am reaching out to ask if you would be willing to write a letter of recommendation for me. I am currently applying to (company name) for the role of (job title), and they have requested a letter of recommendation from a former employer. I learned a lot during my time.
A college recommendation letter from an employer or teacher is a common requirement of a college admission packet. Consider the people that know you the best and ask them, in advance, to write a letter of recommendation for college admission. Be sure to thank your references with a handwritten note.
Previously an editor for The Muse, Alyse is proud to prove that yes, English majors can change the world. She’s written almost 500 articles for The Muse on anything from productivity tips to cover letters to bad bosses to cool career changers, many of which have been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, Inc., CNBC's Make It, USA Today College, Lifehacker, Mashable, and more.
Recommendation letters are an essential part of the graduate school application because they represent faculty evaluations of your competence and promise for graduate study. As applicants first consider the process of soliciting recommendation letters, many initially lament that they have no one to ask.Usually, this is not the case.
Sure, asking for a letter of recommendation can feel awkward, like you're putting someone in a weird position, but believe it or not, most people will be happy to write something on your behalf. “With people who have worked with me in the past, if they ask me for a letter, I am more than willing to write them one,” says Peggy McKee, CEO of Dallas-based Career Confidential.
A letter of recommendation is written only when it is specifically requested for by someone. The recommendation letters are submitted only when specifically asked for. Hence an organization or a person who needs a letter of reference has to request it of someone superior to him in rank or designation. Generally, a recommendation letter is required when applying for a scholarship, job.
Before you write your recommendation, ask your friend who the letter should be addressed to. If they don’t have a specific name, consider addressing it to the company’s hiring department, or use “To Whom It May Concern.” In addition to personalizing your letter, a proper address ensures your message reaches the correct person.