[tab name=’Guidelines’]

Guidelines : For a Suitable Employee

Supplying References for Suitable Employees

Guidelines and Alternate Phrases

• Recommend the person immediately.
• I am pleased to offer you my highest recommendation for Bill Eaton.
• For approximately 22 months I’ve had the privilege of working beside Bill Eaton, and I can heartily recommend him to you.
• Without reservation, I highly recommend Bill Eaton to you for any engineering position.
• I’m thrilled to be asked to write this recommendation for Bill Eaton.
• As Bill Eaton’s immediate supervisor for the past six years, I can offer only the highest recommendation for his experience, his skill, and his personal integrity.
• It is a pleasure to recommend Bill to you.
• With eagerness and all sincerity, we can recommend to you Gerald Forde for the position as geologist.
• We can offer only the highest recommendation for accountant Carol Lyons, who was previously employed at our firm for six years.
• I heartily recommend Bill Frazier to you. We would eagerly rehire him if a vacancy developed.
• Detail the individual’s association with your organization–length of employment, skills displayed on the job, and personal attributes that will contribute to his or her success. The more specific your comments are, the more helpful and more credible the recommendation. If you don’t know the individual well or can’t offer a high recommendation, you may choose to comment only vaguely.
• Bill’s loyalty and integrity have been above reproach. Bill’s commitment to helping people has been in the highest tradition of the social work profession.
• Bill’s willingness to work long hours and his ability to manage time extremely well allowed him to run the department almost single-handedly.
• Bill proved to be a capable engineer and was able to diagnose and solve mechanical problems with ease.
• Charles has been active in the community, participating frequently in civic fund-raisers with great success.
• Bill was career-motivated and self-motivated in achieving the goals he set for himself as well as those we set for him.
• Bill was loyal to the company and his superiors.
• Bill has a gentle but persuasive management style that motivates employees, but he can be firm and straightforward in difficult employee situations.
• Bill understands budgeting and can live within the budget guidelines set for him.
• Bill communicates well–he was very effective with both customers and with new employees who looked to him for training.
• Bill was very gracious in accepting different shifts when such scheduling became necessary.
• Bill’s technical skill and judgment are thorough and sound.
• I find Ms. Tate to be friendly, reliable, and diligent.
• While he was with us, Mr. Baubaum carried out his responsibilities in a very forthright manner. He met our deadlines and easily achieved and exceeded the goals we set for him.
• She handles customers well–on the phone, in person, and in writing.
• Bryan has a fine family and is quite well known in financial circles because of his successful CPA practice here.
• Clair is amiable and completely trustworthy.
• Mr. Jones has now moved into a new line of sales, and we are no longer able to use his products or services. However, we are happy to recommend him and his new firm to you.
• Her sales skills would be enviable among the most successful in the nation.
• Bob is a responsible, conscientious employee.
• Tom performed satisfactorily while he was with us.
• Verify the reason for the termination.
• Bill resigned his position as a manager, giving appropriate notice and leaving us with a trained replacement.
• Bill left his employment here to accompany his wife to a new job.
• Bill left his employment here to accept a position with Highland Corporation.
• Bill’s employment here terminated as part of a major staffing reduction of almost 40 percent.
• Due to the economic situation in our industry, we had to lay off several of our valued employees such as Bill.
• Donna simply outperformed the job. Not even six months after we hired her, we realized her skills far exceeded the requirements of the job. We hated to lose her but didn’t want to stand in the way of her advancement.
• We had to eliminate Sharon’s department altogether as one of the economic realities of our declining market share.
• Ms. Jones left our company to accept a position with a larger CPA firm.
• Our records show Ms. Michaels left her engineering position here to move to California to be nearer her family.
• Close with a summary of your opinion of how the new employee will work out in the position.
• Bill will make a valuable contribution to your organization.
• If past performance is any indication of future success, Bill will be a superb employee in your organization. Bill will succeed anywhere he chooses to work.
• Bill has been and will continue to be a valuable employee–the kind that keeps customers and clients coming back.
• In my opinion, you will be lucky indeed if Bill chooses to accept a position with your company.
• Bill will be an asset wherever he is hired.
• Bill has my highest regard both personally and professionally.
• Bill should prove to be an excellent manager with your organization.
• Given Bill’s outstanding record here, we would not hesitate to rehire him. You will have made an excellent decision, should you offer him a position with your firm.
• Best wishes in filling the new position.
• We think Joan will prove to be a valuable asset to your organization.
• Don has my highest regard. You will be very lucky to have such an employee.
• We think you’ll be very pleased to see how Don James performs.

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[tab name=’Example 1′]

Example 1: Sample Letter of recommendation

Memorandum

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Reference for Henry Malone

Yes, I’d be happy to recommend Henry Malone as a member of your legal staff in Chicago. He has worked with me since June 19– and has provided legal opinions on just about every governmental regulation we’ve encountered. He’s self-motivated, thorough in his research, and knowledgeable in all aspects. Although not particularly articulate, Henry does communicate effectively in writing. I only wish there was a way to give him the promotion here he deserves; I hate to lose him.

I wish both of you the best when his transfer is approved.
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[tab name=’Example 2′]

Example 2: Sample references letters

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Weldon:

I am pleased to write to you concerning Dianna Frazier’s work history here at Fornsbury and Associates. From March 19– to June 19– she did a splendid job as administrative assistant to me, owner of the firm, and to our vice president.

To be honest, I’d have to say she was more than an assistant. In many cases, she managed the entire office of 23 professionals and kept us all free to deal with clients while she took on the problems of day-to-day operations. Specifically, she coordinated travel arrangements for 12 to 15 of us, selected and purchased office equipment, maintained our inventory of manuals and videos, prepared financial reports, and supervised a staff of three clerical support people. Dianna required very little direction in these duties and no day-to-day supervision, because she approached the job as if she were the owner and as if every problem client signed her paycheck.

Dianna resigned her position here to move to Miami to care for her elderly parents. However, if she ever returned to the area, we would be most eager to have her rejoin us.

I highly recommend Dianna to you and know, without a doubt, she will handle any administrative assistant or office manager position with great success.

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 3′]

Example 3: Reference letter for an employee character

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Sheraton:

I am eager to comment on Sharon Tatum’s performance as a senior professional in the training industry.

Sharon joined MacIntosh Company in May 19– to plan and implement a number of resource and organizational development programs, which were badly needed. After two successful years in that capacity, she was promoted to training manager, a new position established under the operations division. She served in that capacity until June 19–.

The continuing recession in the energy-services industry forced us to reduce our critical support functions to lower our operating costs; thus, Sharon was terminated during these staffing cuts.

I have worked closely with Sharon since she joined our company and have the highest respect for her, both personally and professionally. She is highly self-disciplined and dedicated to her work. Additionally, she always supports the goals and principles of the organization.

Under Sharon’s leadership and direction, MacIntosh’s training programs have been substantially improved despite limited resources. Some of her most noteworthy programs include the establishment of a highly successful new performance-appraisal system and the development of a skills inventory for managers.

I highly recommend Sharon for any position in the training field.

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 4′]

Example 4: Personal reference letters,

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Letter of Reference

This letter will introduce Donna Stewart, a senior human resources professional. Donna joined Hammerly Inc. (a chain of 34 retail outlets across six states) in October 19–, as a human resources representative. She has been under my supervision since that time.

Donna has been actively involved in all human resources activities. She has demonstrated particular strengths in workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance activities, group health administration, selection interviewing, and forms/policy development. She is completely knowledgeable of COBRA, as well as the provisions of work eligibility verification. During the 10-month expansion that added 28 stores and more than 400 employees to Hammerly, she frequently supervised all human resource functions while I was traveling.

I have the highest personal and professional regard for Donna. She is a unique blend of natural ability, directness, common sense, congeniality, and sincerity. She is completely loyal and totally trustworthy. She smiles readily and interacts effectively at all levels.

Upon the occasion of my resignation, I recommended Donna assume all of my duties and responsibilities. I did so because of her demonstrated competence, her dedication, and her desire to assume additional responsibilities.

Without reservation or qualification, I recommend that Donna receive every consideration for any position in the human resource field.

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 5′]

Example 5: Employer reference letter sample

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

To Whom It May Concern:

Efficient in adminstrative tasks. Knowledgeable. Excellent people skills. If these attributes are important to you in your business, I highly recommend Jean King.

Ms. King has worked for me since 19–, first as my secretary while I was comptroller at Hrogon Company and most recently on a contract basis at my CPA firm. During this time, she has continuously exhibited the qualities noted above. She is thoroughly familiar with computer software such as LOTUS 1-2-3, Multi-Mate, and Wordstar. She is particularly adept at typing and putting together lengthy reports with complex attachments and compiling slides and other graphic presentations for proposals to clients.

If you’d like to discuss her credentials in more detail, please feel free to call me at 713-344-5995.

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 6′]

Example 6: Reference letter for a suitable employee

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Ladies or Gentlemen:

I have known Henry Appleby for nearly 20 years, during which time he has served as general counsel for Blayton Associates. Mr. Appleby has represented the company in all legal actions before various courts and other tribunals, and he has advised on and handled the day-to-day legal matters that have arisen in the company.

In my opinion, he has advised and represented us well, and I can recommend him to you wholeheartedly.

Sincerely,
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