Writing Letters of Recommendation

Source: https://careeradvancement.uchicago.edu/career-toolkit/faculty-and-staff-resources/writing-letters-of-recommendation/ Parent: https://careeradvancement.uchicago.edu/

Thank You!

Thank you for agreeing to write a letter of recommendation on behalf of a student. Your support plays a critical role in our student’s success in the classroom and beyond!

This guide provides an overview of best practices for writing effective letters of recommendation. While the guide offers general advice, faculty and staff should feel free to write their letters in a way that aligns with their expert judgment and experience.

Pre-Writing: Materials to Request from the Student

It can be helpful to ask students for the following materials if they did not include them with their initial request:

• Documents that the student is submitting to the employer or graduate program - these may include resume/CV, cover letter/personal statement, transcript, etc.
• Links to the specific jobs, internships, or graduate programs the student is applying to
• Specific information (if any) that the employer or graduate program wants you to address in the letter
• Copies of assignments the students completed for you in previous courses or work experiences
• Instructions on where and how to submit the letter

• Deadline to submit the letter

• It is the student’s responsibility to request a letter of recommendation within a reasonable amount of time before the deadline. Faculty and staff should not feel obligated to write letters on an unreasonable timeline.

What Employers and Graduate Programs Want to Know

Employers and graduate programs will be very interested in your assessment of:

• How the student compares to their peer group
• The student’s skills and qualifications
• The student’s professionalism and “soft skills” (leadership, teamwork, communication, etc.)

Length and Sections

1 page is a good target length for most letters of recommendation unless otherwise specified by the employer. To organize the letter, one strategy is to use the following section outline:

• Salutation: if the student has requested a letter for one specific opportunity, you can address your letter to that organization. If the student plans to use the letter for multiple opportunities, you can simply address the letter "To whom it may concern."
• Introductory paragraph: introduce yourself, your relationship to the student, and how long you’ve worked with them. Identify 2-3 strengths or skills that make the student a strong candidate for this specific job, internship, or graduate program.
• 2-3 body paragraphs: elaborate on the student’s strengths, providing 1-2 specific examples and anecdotes from your work with them. If appropriate, compare the student’s performance to others in their peer group.
• Closing paragraph: briefly restate the student’s strengths and reiterate your support for their candidacy. If you feel comfortable, invite the reader to contact you with any questions.
• Signature: include your name and title. If you’re comfortable with it, you can also list your e-mail and phone number.

Submitting the Letter

• Once you've completed the letter, save your file as a PDF (unless otherwise specified by the employer)
• Include the student's name in your file name so the reader can easily match it with their application
• Upload or e-mail your letter to the appropriate place
• Some employers or graduate programs may also ask you to complete a questionnaire on the student's abilities and how they compare to their peers
• Notify the student that you've submitted the letter

Sample Letters of Recommendation

Faculty and staff are welcome to download these sample letters of recommendation to use as models for their own:

• Sample 1: Internship
• Sample 2: Graduate School

Questions?

Please contact careeradvancement@uchicago.edu with any questions about preparing a letter of recommendation for a student.