When you are writing on your own behalf to apply for a job, it is, as has been said, important to be honest and yet, at the same time, to give the best account of yourself that you reasonably can. The same applies when you are writing on somebody else's behalf to recommend him or her to a new employer. You owe it to the applicant to do your best to further his or her ambitions, yet you owe it to the employer to give an accurate account of what the applicant can and cannot do. This can be a difficult balancing act. Most people will tend to favor the applicant and gloss over any minor shortcomings. But if you know, for example, that an applicant is suspected of dishonesty or has been the subject of complaints about sexual harassment, the new employer will have every right to feel aggrieved against you if you failed to mention this in your reference and the applicant subsequently shows the same bad propensities in the new situation.It is an ordinary courtesy for an applicant to ask your permission before citing you as a reference. If you do not feel able to support a person's application positively, but, for whatever reason, you balk at providing a damning or half-hearted testimonial, then you should refuse to act as a reference.Fortunately, the vast majority of people have much to recommend them. Where high praise is due, give it. Remember, however, that the reference you write has to establish your credibility as well as the applicant's. Unless the prospective employer knows you personally, he or she will rely, in the first instance, on what you write to establish that you are a responsible person who can be trusted to give an accurate assessment. If you seem to be exaggerating an applicant's strong points, the recipient of your reference may suspect that you secretly want to be rid of him or her.If you are on good terms with the person for whom you are writing the reference, then it is usually helpful to ask him or her a few questions about what the new job entails and what he or she hopes to gain from it. You can then use that information to give support where it is most useful.A specific letter of recommendation might read something like the following: J. P. Tate & Co.
89 Cannery Row
Santa Lucia, California 92595-7659
(805) 925-0604
hbrigg@jptate.com May 7, 2006 Mr. George S. Breschini
Human Resources Manager
RUH International
45 Wills Avenue
Scott Valley, California 91083-2045 Subject: Ms. April Cantelo
Confidential Dear Mr. Breschini: Thank you for your letter of May 5. Ms. Cantelo has been my personal assistant for the past three years. I have to tell you that I am quite alarmed at the prospect of losing her, as she has run my office for me most efficiently throughout that time. I am particularly grateful to her for bringing order into our payroll system, which was, frankly, chaotic when I ran it myself. We are a small company. We need people who are flexible and can turn their hands to many different tasks, which Ms. Cantelo has always been able to do. I know, however, that she has ambitions that we cannot fulfill and that there is limited scope with us for the financial knowledge and skills that she has acquired. Personally, I have always found her to be very helpful, polite, and cooperative. She is not the most outgoing of women, but it has always suited me to have a cool, restrained presence about my office rather than a ball of emotional fire. I have no hesitation, then, in recommending her for the position she has applied for and wish her every success in her future career. Sincerely yours, Helga Brigg Helga Brigg, General Manager It should be noted that Mrs. Brigg comments on the personality of the applicant as well as on her professional abilities. It is also worth noting that letters such as these do not have to be strictly impersonal in style. A few personal touches within a basically neutral style and a standard framework give additional credibility to a judgment by showing that it was made by a real human being.A more general character reference, on the other hand, might be written like this: 342 Pacific Drive
Santa Lucia, California 92595-7659
(805) 925-1515 September 26, 2006 Subject: Mr. Peter Bothwell To whom it may concern: I have known Mr. Bothwell for the last two years, during which time he has frequently done odd jobs in my home and my yard. Mr. Bothwell is honest and reliable; if he promises to arrive at nine o'clock, he arrives at nine o'clock. I also particularly appreciate the fact that he clears up very thoroughly after he has finished his work. He erected a set of shelves in my study and relaid the lawn in my front yard; these are among the bigger jobs he has carried out for me. Recently he has also begun to walk my dog for me, since my new work schedule no longer allows me to walk the dog myself. Mr. Bothwell has told me he is leaving this neighborhood. I am very willing to recommend him for the kinds of work I have mentioned. Sincerely, April Cantelo April Cantelo
Assistant to the Financial Director, RUH International As was said earlier, most of the letters exemplified in this chapter need not necessarily be sent using paper and envelopes. They could be sent as attachments to e-mails; they could also be sent as simple e-mails. At this point, let us move on to consider e-mail as a form of communication in its own right.
|
Email
Print
Save
Citation
Record URL
