Based on my experience over the years writing literally thousands of letters covering just about every situation imaginable, I would have to say that among the most difficult of all letters to write is the “letter of recommendation”.
I’m referring here to the letter of recommendation in all of its various forms: recommendation letter, letter of recommendation, reference letter, letter of reference, commendation letter, letter of commendation, and performance evaluation letter.
Of course, it gets extra tricky when you realize that letters of recommendation are needed for a number of different life situations and purposes including: employment, college/university, business, institutional, government, and community service.
So, what I have done here is put together this central “letter of recommendation resource page” containing links to the various recommendation letter writing resources that are hidden away in various places on my Writing Help Central Web site.
For each resource link, I’ll briefly describe what you will find there, followed by the link.
LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION RESOURCES
Letters of Recommendation Explained
This article tries to reduce some of the confusion surrounding the whole subject of “letters of recommendation”. From an overall perspective, it defines the different “types” of recommendation letters and explains their purpose.
http://writingprompts.com/article-letters-of-recommendation.html
Recommendation Letter Writing Strategies
Letters of recommendation are very situational by their very nature. This page contains a number of guidelines to follow when considering whether you will write a recommendation letter, and what your approach might be.
http://writingprompts.com/recommendation-strategies.html
Recommendation Power Phrases
All letters of recommendation are comprised of three key components: opening statements, assessment statements, and closing statements. This article explains those components and provides examples.
http://writingprompts.com/recommendation-power-phrases.html
Letter of Recommendation Examples
This page focuses on true “recommendation letters” and defines exactly what makes them different from “reference letters”. Links to three typical “letter of recommendation” examples are also provided.
http://writingprompts.com/recommendation-letter-definition.html
Reference Letter Samples
This page focuses on true “reference letters” and defines exactly what makes them different from “recommendation letters”. Links to three typical “letter of reference” samples are also provided.
http://writingprompts.com/reference-letter-definition.html
The information at the above links should give you a pretty clear idea of the specific type of letter of recommendation you are dealing with, and what are the main considerations.
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Number One letter of recommendation writing resource on the planet (that’s right!). Here it is:
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