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Sample Military Letter of Recommendation
Writing Reference Letters:
Before You Begin:
- When the student asks for a letter,
understand what is being asked of you
- What is the purpose of the letter?
- What does the student expect from you?
- Tell the student honestly how you feel
about writing the letter for him/her
- You are under no obligation to write a
letter for anyone. If you feel uncomfortable honoring the
request, please say so.
- If you are comfortable writing the letter,
ask the student for a copy of:
-his/her resume
-a transcript
-a statement of purpose
-an outline or list of accomplishments
-contacts you have had with the students (courses, projects,
advising, etc)
- Whenever possible obtain the name and
contact information of the person receiving the letter and send
a personalized letter as opposed to a generic "To Whom It May
Concern" letter.
Writing the Reference Letter:
- Explain your relationship with the
candidate
- Make clear how well you know the person
and under what circumstances. Include dates
- Know the candidate's career goals and
objectives
- Tailor the letter of reference to a
specific position or career field based on the candidate's goals
- You may wish to set an appointment to
discuss the letter
- You might want to cover specific
characteristics of the candidate including:
-scholarship
-oral and written communication
-motivation
-leadership
-sense of responsibility
-ability to plan and organize
-creativity
-research skills
-tact and ability to relate to others
-group interaction and team-working skills
-analytical/problem-solving skills
-interpersonal skills
-flexibility and adaptability
- Give specific illustrations and examples
rather than vague generalities
Some More Tips:
- Avoid sexist or racist remarks or physical
descriptions. (Example: "Sara is a pretty, sweet young lady" -is
not appropriate)
- Keep your letter brief. Experts agree that
a page to a page and a half is long enough for most letters
- Use your business/organization stationery.
The letter is much more impressive when typewritten/wordprocessed
on stationery with your organization's letterhead
- Volunteer to provide further information
on the phone. This offer indicates that the candidate is a
person about whom you feel strongly
- End on an upbeat note. If catchy language
is your style, use it to emphasize your enthusiasm (i.e. "hire
her-you won't be sorry!") Otherwise an overall endorsement is
helpful.
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