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A Character Reference Letter Can Last Forever So Be Very Careful How You Write It

Just about anybody can write character reference letter however the more credibility the author has, the more credibility the letter has. It's best written by the likes of a close acquaintance of high moral & social standing, a previous employer, someone of authority, a member of the clergy, a well known law abiding individual, etc.

The impact that any character reference letter has is largely based on the author's status, position, title, credibility and the manner in which it has been written. If you're asked to write one, here's some tips to get you started.

For What Purpose is the Letter Being Written?

Before we move on I guess your first consideration should be whether you actually want to write one for the particular person requesting it. No good having your name on a document recommending an armed robber for bank teller's job.

The key is to ascertain is the purpose of the letter so that you have an idea of the most appropriate format to use. It could be required for any number of situations including a letter to confirm a person's honesty & reliability, a character reference letter for employment, membership to a club or association, entrance to a specific school or college, or for legal matters.

Don't Write One If You're Not Comfortable Doing It, After All They Do Last Forever.

Your credibility, and to some degree your reputation, is on the line when you write a character reference letter so if you're concerned that the person may have some issues then it's thanks, but no thanks. If you are comfortable writing the letter, get the recipient's details upfront so that you can personalize it.

You will need the contact's name & title (if applicable), the name of the company that the letter is going to (if applicable), and the address that the letter is to be sent to. Use "To Whom It May Concern" as the salutation if the letter is to be included as an attachment to another document.

Include Your Personal Contact Details in The Header of Body.

For the letter to have any impact, sometimes it is important for the recipient to contact you or at least verify that the letter really is from the correct person so always include your contact details. And you may wish to include something like "Please feel free to call me anytime on 1234 5678 to discuss the matter further"

And Don't Forget To Be Positive.

A character reference letter should focus on, and highlight, the positive aspects of the person you're writing it for. Any negatives are best left out. So rather than "white lie" about negative points, simply leave them out.

For example, if you're going to write it for a previous employee that was an excellent worker, but couldn't seem to get to there on time, don't write that they sometimes late, rather say that the individual was an excellent worker with constant high productivity.

You just leave the negative bits out if you feel comfortable doing that.

You may find it easier to use a template so the formatting is right. A personalized character reference letter can be created using a standard business letter template or if it's being sent say as an attachment, to a number of recipients, a generic letter will more than likely do the job.

Using a business letter format will ensure it's professional and written within acceptable business guidelines.

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