A Guide To Character Reference Letters

A character reference letter or a personal reference letter refers to the appraisal letter that known individuals write about applicants during an application and hiring process. The significant difference between personal reference letters and professional reference letters is that the person writing the letter is not a current or previous employer of the applicant.

The character reference letters are very useful for both the employer and the employee. It helps the employer understand the employee and helps build a favorable reputation of the candidate beforehand.

Someone will ask you to write a character reference letter for them at some point in your life. They can be family, friends, academic juniors, neighbors, etc. Thus, if you are stuck and reading this blog, know that we have you covered. Just follow the guidelines, and you will be good to go.

What Are Included In Character Reference Letters?

Character Reference Letters should be very crisp and formal, but there are specific properties you can’t miss. Before writing the reference letter, one should jot down the essential things that the letter should contain. After writing the letter, you should check the format and content as well. Here is a list of the items so that all you have to do is check whether they are in your letter and you can sail smoothly.

  • The full name and contact information of the person writing the letter.
  • The contact information of the person writing the letter.
  • The date of writing the letter.
  • The full name, job position, and work address of the recipient of your reference letter.
  • A formal and respectful salutation.
  • State the relationship you share with the job applicant and the duration you have known them for.
  • Mention few top skills of the applicant with supporting examples for each gift.

Tips For Writing Character Reference Letters

The purpose of character reference letters is to give an idea about an applicant’s personality and character to the hiring managers during any professional or academic hiring process. The letter should better understand the applicant’s temper, work ethic, and professional qualities like loyalty, punctuality, etc. There are various samples available online that can guide you to frame the perfect character reference letter.

  • Information: Writing character reference letters is an easy but technical job. So if you sign up for it, be sure to have all the information you need. It is essential to know what the letter is about, the submission mode, and the deadline.
  • Research: Before writing the reference letter, you should always check the particular job listing or company website to understand the qualities needed and thus write the letter in an approachable way and meets the employers’ criteria.
  • Contact Information: It is imperative to remember always to give some proper contact information so that employers can reach out for further queries and clarification.
  • Business Letter Format: Reference letters are formal documents and should always be written in proper business letter format. Since the maintenance of structure and style of writing talks in length about the person referring another person for a job, this should be appropriately followed.
  • Edit: Someone has trusted you with their job application. Even after following guidelines and writing the letter, read it thoroughly and edit professionally to be prim, proper, and polished.

Final Words

It is usually an honor when someone asks you to write a character reference letter as they are trusting you with their career. They are also a great responsibility for the very same reason and should be approached with seriousness. But as long as you do your research, follow certain guidelines, and are honest about what you are stating – you should be good to go.