How to get the glowing recommendation letters for your job hunt

Does the prospect of asking your employer for a recommendation letter fill you with dread and make your palms go clammy? It’s okay, you’re not the only one. What if they say no, or even worse, they do a half-hearted job of it and give you a letter you can’t possibly use?

We can appreciate how daunting it is for fresh graduates with limited experience in these situations. We’ve all been there. It’s why we’ve put together this step-by-step guide to navigate you through the process. It can be relatively painless, as long as you get organised and approach it one step at a time.

Remember that your employer (or whoever it is you’re approaching) is just human, like you and I. If something is easy, we’re more likely to do it compared to a task that’s complicated and requires a lot of effort and time.

#1 Choose strong references

Identify potential references whom you have positive relationships with. It wouldn’t make sense to ask the CEO of your company for a recommendation letter if he’s barely spoken five words to you in the two years you’ve worked there. The strength of a recommendation letter stems from the quality of the connection you share with the reference, and how much they like and respect you.

The closer your relationship, the more likely they will be to write you a glowing recommendation. So choose your references wisely! Bear in mind that you’re not limited to professional references either. You should also identify character references who know you in a social or academic setting to provide different perspectives on your personality and character.

#2 Put your request in writing

Even though email is obviously the most common way to communicate these days, we would highly recommend putting your request in writing even if you see that person on a daily basis.

This achieves two things: Firstly, it gives them time to process your request before giving you an answer. It avoids putting them on the spot. Secondly, it allows you to present your case in a well thought out manner, where you can include all the necessary material in the email for the individual to use if he or she needs it.

#3 Acknowledge their qualifications

Don’t forget to acknowledge their credibility and qualifications in relation to the job you are applying for. It’s also important to express your appreciation of the weight of their recommendations. This gives you a strong case for their suitability as a reference, besides adding a nice touch of flattery. Who doesn’t like being paid compliments?

#4 Make it easy

As highlighted earlier, the key to securing rave reviews from your chosen references lies in making the process as easy as possible. In your email asking them for the recommendation letter, you should also provide them with your latest resume for reference, as well as a letter template and a list of bullet points they can incorporate into the letter should they choose to do so.

Give them all the necessary information at the same time so they can make their decision quickly and efficiently. They’ll respect you even more for being so organised and thoughtful in your request.

#5 Give them the final say

Assure them that it is completely their choice how they would like to write the letter. Offer to write the draft for them which they can edit, should they prefer this option. The bottom line is to make the process as painless and simple as possible. You’re asking them for a favour, after all. Last but not least, thank them in advance for their time while assuring them that there’s no pressure on them to do this.

Very often it’s not what we ask, but how we ask something of others. Our approach and tone of manner plays a key role in determining the end result. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and look at it from their perspective. Showing consideration and thoughtfulness achieves far better results than using smart words and overconfidence of manner.

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Your choice of character references can oftentimes determine your fate in the job hunting game. Share your stories below when your choice of references helped (or destroyed!) your chances at a job. No need to mention names - let’s keep things safe and civil!