Recommendation Letter For Employee From A Manager (With Examples)

Writing a recommendation letter for employee can be a pretty big deal. This person trusts you enough to write good things to help them advance in their professional life. To write a recommendation letter for an employee, start with a salutation and a sentence or two explaining why you’re writing, then use your body paragraphs to explain why you’d recommend the person.

Whether you’re a manager or supervisor, you are able to give insight into their skills and talents. In this article, we will tell you how to write a letter of recommendation for an employee, provide examples of reference letters, in addition to some tips to keep in mind when writing your letter.

Key Takeaways

• A recommendation letter for employee from manager is the same as a reference letter.

• After the header and salutation, write an introductory paragraph explaining why you’re writing and then move into the specifics of your recommendation.

• Talk to the employee and review their job records before writing a reference letter.

What is a recommendation letter?

A recommendation letter is a written message from someone that’s willing to say you’re a good employee and can vouch for your skills and qualities as an employee. These letters can come from just about anyone, even sometimes people you don’t work with.

The terms reference letter and recommendation letter are used interchangeably and that’s because they’re the same thing.

Some people who can write a recommendation letter can be former employers, professors, colleagues, or mentors. If you want the letter to have more value though, it’s best to ask a manager or your boss for a recommendation letter.

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How to write a recommendation for an employee

To write a recommendation letter for an employee, it’s important to note that this is an official business letter. That means there is a standard, professional format that you’ll want to use. Below is a more detailed list of how to write a letter of recommendation for an employee:

1. Header. The top of the letter should be structured like any formal business letter. Add your contact information at the top, follow this with the date, then conclude the header with the recipient’s name, title, company name, and any contact information you have.

2. Salutation. The easiest salutation is Dear followed by the recipient’s name. For example – Dear Jon Smith, and make sure there’s a comma after their name. If you don’t have a recipient’s name, then addressing it To Whom It May Concern, is fine also.

3. Introductory paragraph. Start the letter by explaining who you are and how you’re connected to the applicant. It’s also a good idea to state the intent of the letter, and let them know right away that this letter is a recommendation letter.

4. Specifics and the recommendation in the body. The body of the letter will be where you state why you’re recommending the applicant, list some of their good qualities, give examples, and demonstrate how the employee did their job well.

5. Closing. Finish the letter by volunteering to be available to answer any questions. Then, simply end with “Sincerely,” and give yourself room to sign your name, followed by your name typed out.

Recommendation letter from manager examples

Below are some examples of recommendation letters from managers. Remember to tailor your letter to fit the needs of the employee that you are writing about.

1. Sample recommendation letter for employee from manager

   Jane Doe, Floor Manager
   Factory ABC
   11 South 22nd St.
   Cincinnati, OH 45208
   jdoe@abc.com
   (555) 123-4567

   December 31, 2020

   Jim Cast, Hiring Manager
   Factory XYZ
   22 South 11th Street
   Cincinnati, OH 45208

   Dear Jim Cast,

   I am writing on behalf of Kelly Kid, who worked for me for five years at Factory ABC. As you may know, our factory recently closed and will be moving operations overseas. As we no longer have a position for Kelly, she is looking to work with your company.

   I highly recommend Kelly for the management opening Factory XYZ has. Throughout her time at our company, Kelly always professionally held herself and performed to the best of her ability. She was in line to become a manager at our company and I fully believe in her capability to do this position with success.

   We’ve watched Kelly grow as an employee over the last several years, taking on added responsibilities when asked and eventually instigating them herself. She was an enthusiastic worker who inspired her teammates. Her success was demonstrated by consistently making production goals and extending safety records.

   If you have any questions or you’d like to discuss Kelly’s qualifications and her duties while working with Factory ABC, I’d be happy to be available.

   Sincerely,

   Jane Doe

2. Generic reference letter example

   Jane Doe, Parent
   11 South 22nd St.
   Cincinnati, OH 45208
   jdoe@email.com
   (555) 123-4567

   December 31, 2020

   To Whom It May Concern,

   My name is Jane Doe and I am writing to refer Susie Smith as a babysitter for your family. I have known Susie for five years and she has babysat for all three of our children during that timeframe. Susie has proven that she’s a very honest and reliable person. We trust her implicitly with our children and she has never given us a reason not to.

   Our children love Susie and would get very excited about her next visit. At this point, our oldest is a sophomore in high school and our youngest is 12, so we no longer need her services. We wholeheartedly recommend her to work with your children. We think you’ll be very excited by her ability to connect with children on their level and her desire to actively participate in their homework and playtimes with them. She’s definitely not one of those babysitters who watches TV and ignores the kids.

   If you have any questions about Susie and would like to speak with me about her, I’d be happy to talk with you.

   Sincerely,

   Jane Doe

3. Professional recommendation letter for employee from manager example

   Jane Doe, Library Manager
   Cincinnati Library
   11 South 22nd St.
   Cincinnati, OH 45208
   jdoe@CincyLibrary.com
   (555) 123-4567

   December 31, 2020

   Jim Cast, Hiring Manager
   South City Library
   22 South 11th Street
   Cincinnati, OH 45208

   Dear Jim Cast,

   I am writing on behalf of Mike Gentle regarding the position of Library Assistant. Mike worked as a student intern at our library while he was in high school and did an excellent job. His love of books, literature, and helping people was evident from day one. We were thrilled when Mike told us he had decided to pursue a degree in Library Sciences, and we think he will one day be a phenomenal Librarian.

   Mike would be an excellent addition to your library, and we were happy to hear that he found a position that will allow him to continue his studies at the university in the fall while working part-time. I think you will see that Mike’s ability to adapt to new customers and answer their requests or questions is outstanding. He is always professional and can speak on a level that relates to our customers – whether they’re professors looking for specific research or retired people trying to figure out how to check their emails.

   In fact, in Mike’s sophomore year of high school, he realized that we have quite a large elderly population and they often need help with basic computer skills. He took the initiative to begin a monthly computer class to teach some of these skills and answer questions. This class was free to the public and Mike volunteered his own time to help our patrons. We will sincerely miss him but wish him well in his future endeavors.

   If you have any further questions or would like to discuss Mike’s qualifications, please feel free to contact me.

   Sincerely,

   Jane Doe

4. Professional reference letter example

   Jane Doe, Principal
   Cincinnati School
   11 South 22nd St.
   Cincinnati, OH 45208
   jdoe@abc.com
   (555) 123-4567

   December 31, 2020

   Jim Cast, Superintendent of Schools
   Madison School District
   1 CESA Drive
   Madison, WI 53719

   Dear Jim Cast,

   I am enthusiastically writing on behalf of Frances St. Clare, who we have had the pleasure of having in our school district for the past five years. Frances taught English in our high school throughout her tenure at Cincinnati School, seeing more than 1500 students come through her classroom.

   During her time with us, I did quarterly classroom evaluations and was always thrilled with how well she engaged with students and how they responded. Not many teachers can get their students as involved in literature and diagramming sentences as Frances can. She has a way with students that makes them feel valued, and she truly listens to them in a way that shows compassion.

   She is quite passionate about her profession and especially about creative writing. Frances established a creative writing publication at our school, the Cincinnati Journal, which is published monthly. Students are encouraged to submit short stories, poems, scripts, cartoons, and other creative writing pieces to be selected for publication. A group of students, guided by Frances, then reviews and selects their favorites for the Journal. This has become a very popular publication for teachers and students, and we thank Frances for this initiative.

   I know that we were quite sad to see Frances leave our school district and our students were equally disappointed. I think she’ll make a fantastic addition to your school and I’m available to answer any questions you may have about her time with us.

   Sincerely,

   Jane Doe

Tips for writing a recommendation letter for your employee

You should talk with the employee before writing the letter and review their job record before writing the letter. Below are some more tips to keep in mind when writing a recommendation letter for your employee:

1. Talk to the employee before writing the letter

   Don’t worry about trying to figure out what to say when you’re asked to write a recommendation letter. You can actually get most of the information from the employee and then use our samples below to fill in the letter.

   We’ll give you some starter questions to ask, but you will probably come up with some on your own. Don’t be surprised if your conversation sparks some new or different questions.

   • When do you need the letter?

   • Who are you applying to and for what position?

   • Do you have the name of the hiring manager or do you want a more generic letter?

   • What skills do you think are most important to the job you’re applying for?

   • What do you think is your strongest skill?

   • Were there any instances where you used that skill working for our company?

   • What do you think were your greatest accomplishments with our company?

   • What most interests you about the new job?

   • Why do you think you’ll be a good fit for this job?

   • Are there other traits you’d like to highlight?

2. Look at their job record

   You might also find that it’s helpful to reread your employee’s record with your company. There might be notations in there that you forgot, both good and bad. Similarly, if you weren’t their direct supervisor or didn’t work with them regularly, maybe you’d like to ask another co-worker if they can tell you more about the applicant’s work habits and successes.

3. Tell the truth

   It might be tempting to lie or exaggerate in a recommendation letter. Many people want to be helpful and stretch the truth a little in the process. Don’t do it. It’s best to be honest when writing a recommendation letter.

   A tricky situation can occur if you think the employee was actually not good at their job. Maybe you even think they were doing things to harm the company. You can refuse to write the letter, and in this situation, it’s probably best that you do.

   Saying something bad about someone in a recommendation letter is a sticky legal situation. You do have qualified privilege, which does allow you to state facts that you can back up with evidence. But why even risk a defamation lawsuit? It’s best to tactfully and professionally refuse to write the letter.

4. Be professional

   If the ex-employee or even their prospective new employer is a great friend and you have beers every Friday after work, this letter still needs to be professional. Often, these letters of reference will go into an employee file and you don’t want future hiring managers to see you being unprofessional. It’s best to handle this letter like all business documents and use proper work etiquette.

5. Use examples

   One of the best ways to illustrate an employee’s strengths is to show how they benefited your company. Don’t be overly descriptive or too long-winded but use some examples that show how employees handled themselves on the job.

Letter of recommendation for employee from manager FAQ

1. Can a letter of recommendation be from a manager?

   Yes, a letter of recommendation can be from a manager. A manager is the perfect person to write a reference letter because they can speak directly to your potential future manager about what you’re like as an employee. A letter from a coworker, friend, or family member likely won’t carry as much weight.

2. How do you write a good letter of recommendation for an employee?

   To write a good letter of recommendation for an employee, you need to:

   • Talk to the employee before writing the letter.

   • Look at their job record.

   • Tell the truth.

   • Be professional.

   • Use examples to illustrate the employee’s strengths and accomplishments.

3. How do you describe someone’s character for a professional reference?

   You can describe someone’s character for a professional reference by giving an example of how they demonstrated certain character traits. Descriptive words such as, “trustworthy” and “full of integrity” are helpful, but showing what the employee is like through a story is much more impactful.

4. What are five adjectives to describe a person?

   Five adjectives to describe a person are:

   • Reliable

   • Motivated

   • Consistent

   • Dedicated

   • Adaptable

5. Who should write a letter of recommendation?

   A trusted adult who is not a family member should write your letter of recommendation. This can include a manager, professor, coach, or mentor. The person you ask should be someone who has known you for a long time and can vouch for you.

   It’s best to avoid asking a friend or someone who doesn’t fit the description or in the field you’re going in. For example, avoid asking your English professor if you are trying to work in a science field. They won’t be able to vouch for your skills because they have not seen you in action.

References

1. Entrepreneur – Why Are Reference Letters Important for Getting a Job?

Author

Kristin Kizer

Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience.