Letter of Recommendation Generator and Template

Committees and hiring managers read many recommendations, and most of them say the candidate is "hard-working" and "a pleasure to work with". What makes a letter stand out is evidence:

• A clear relationship: "I supervised Maria for three years" carries more weight than "I know Maria".
• A focused strength: one or two qualities that match what the program values.
• A specific example: a situation, what the candidate did and what changed as a result. The template asks for this as a full sentence because it is the part only you can write.
• A link to the opportunity: why those qualities fit this program or role.

A short letter with one vivid example is more persuasive than a long letter of general praise.

The formal template follows a standard layout that works for most programs:

1. Your name, title, organization and contact details, then the date.
2. The recipient and the organization.
3. An opening that names the candidate and the program and says how long and in what capacity you have known them.
4. A paragraph on their main strength with the specific example.
5. A paragraph that connects these qualities to the program.
6. A closing line with your contact details, then your signature.

Some universities and scholarship schemes use an online form with their own questions instead of a free-form letter. If so, answer their questions; you can still copy your example paragraph from the generator into the form.

For a job

Write to the hiring manager and focus on the work: what the candidate was responsible for, the result in your example, and how it relates to the new role. If the employer simply wants employment confirmed, a reference letter is the better format.

For graduate school

Admissions committees look for academic and research potential. Professors and supervisors should describe the candidate's thinking, independence and persistence, with an example from a course, thesis or research project.

For a scholarship

Scholarship panels often look for impact and character as well as ability. Name the scholarship in the program field and choose an example that shows initiative or service. The candidate's own motivation letter will cover their goals; your letter supports it with an outside view.

If you are the candidate, make it easy for your referee. Ask early, share the program name, the deadline and the submission method, remind them of one or two projects you did together, and offer a draft. You can fill in this template with the facts and a suggested example, download it and send it to them as a starting point. They should rewrite it in their own words and only sign what they believe.

This example uses the formal tone with the sample details: a former manager recommending a team member for a master's program, with one concrete story at its center.