Recommendation Letter Template
A letter of recommendation supporting someone's job, school, or program application.
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Click inside the preview to fine-tune wording before you print or download.
What Is a Recommendation Letter Template?
A recommendation letter is written by someone who knows a candidate's work to vouch for them — for a job, school admission, or program application. This template covers your relationship to the candidate, their strengths, and a clear endorsement.
How to Use This Template
- Fill in the fields on the left — your entries appear in the live preview.
- Click "Update Preview" any time you change a field.
- Click directly inside the preview to fine-tune wording, spacing, or line breaks.
- Download as a text file, or use Print → Save as PDF for a polished document.
Tips
- State how you know the candidate and for how long, right at the start.
- Support claims with a specific example rather than general praise ('managed a $50k budget' beats 'was very responsible').
- Keep the focus on qualities relevant to what they're applying for.
- End with an unambiguous, confident recommendation, not a hedge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should write a recommendation letter?
Ideally someone who has directly supervised, taught, or worked closely with the candidate and can speak to specific strengths.
What if I can't honestly write a strong recommendation for someone?
It's better to decline than to write a lukewarm or unconvincing letter, which can do more harm than no letter at all. A brief, polite decline — citing limited familiarity with their recent work or a scheduling conflict — lets the person seek out someone who can advocate for them more strongly.
How long should the letter be?
One page is standard — enough room for context, one or two concrete examples, and a clear recommendation.
Can I use this for both job and school applications?
Yes, adjust the relationship and body fields to fit either context.
How do I send this to the requesting organization?
Download as a PDF using Print → Save as PDF, then email or upload it as requested.
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