7 Most Effective Tips to Become a Good Reference for Someone

Good Reference Introduction

The time has come when your best colleague or your friend is leaving the current vocation or company to opt for the new job, and you have been asked to be his reference and assist him with testimonials. But you are served like you had never been any one’s reference before and suddenly how could you help your friend. However, there are some effective ways to become a reference, if followed same and adopted can make you a better person as you have helped your friend/colleague in moving ahead in his career. How you can do it effectively, here are some tips:

7 Tips for Good Reference Letter

#1 – Offer Yourself

You are the best friend and colleague, so without any predicament, you would love to be his good reference. Offer him your support and tell him that you would be glad to refer him/her and would surely help him with testimonials and endorse him with the good reference letter that would make him stand in a good stead.

#2 – Study the Rulebook

Many companies have policies on how to give the good reference or what practices should be followed to endorse moving candidate. These policies ensure the company does not have to face a lawsuit. The policies may vary from company to company. It then becomes mandatory for a person selected for providing the good reference letter to consult the policies on what rules to follow, how much and what to tell about the candidate. In certain situations, a company only allows to validate the candidates’ credentials and affirm the connection. However, if there is no policy, any detail about the candidates’ role, his contribution in the projects can be told. Prepare all the points on before you get the call.

#3 – Talk about the Positive Traits of the Candidate

When asked by a hiring manager, speak about all the positive qualities that you know about the candidate including his performance and your experience with him. Never talk about anything that might hamper the reputation. If there are any negative feelings in your mind for the person politely decline the request for endorsement.

#4 – Concentrate on Relevant Points

Concentrate on the most relevant points and speak about any specific qualities that you have seen in him in the past. Take all the necessary information and see to it that nothing is missing. You can talk to the candidate if there is anything that needs to be highlighted and try to focus on those points.

# 5 – Put Down all these Points on the Paper

Make a draft of all the points on the word or outlook, so that you are ready with the points when you get the call or a reference email for the job.

#6 – Maintain Transparency and Authenticity

Be very truthful on what you are saying and speaking about. Speak with enthusiasm and authenticate with evidence on whatever you say about the candidate. But do not exaggerate about anything how much good is your candidate.

#7 – Offer to Write a Letter

Seek all the necessary information from the candidate which you feel is required to be mentioned in a good reference letter. The information is about the job for which candidate is applying for, the name of the company and its hiring manager or any other relevant data that you should know about including the good reference details from the resume. It is also equally important to collect the information that is relevant to the person and takes his performance reviews.

After getting all the information, draft a preliminary good reference letter

What Does a Good Reference Letter Contain?

• A good reference letter should be one or two pages long that contains all the information about the candidate and his role. The longer letter would not be beneficial because the hiring manager or a potential employer might skip important points while attempting to read such a long letter.
• Start with brief introduction mentioning about the name of the candidate, the position for which he is applying and the role he can play.
• Mention for how long your professional collaboration has been with the candidate, the roles that both of you have performed together and what has been his contribution. Also, talk about how the person can prove to be a valuable asset for the company. It is best that you substantiate your points with sufficient examples that would be an authenticated proof of his calibre.
• Write about whatever you know about the candidate’s exceptional quality and how he is different than the others. Make a list of his qualities and skills particularly about his area of interest or the purpose he is looking for a job. And also do not forget to make a good reference to the areas in which you find he has shown competency or he had prior experience. Write about his skills, academic qualifications, his behavior towards his colleagues, how the way he interacts with others and whether he displays analytical abilities. This would help the potential employer to have the better sense about the candidate and would know more about him.
• Highlight the key points about which you would like the potential employer to focus on. Make sure to elaborate very carefully on the points, but do not repeat the same statement which you had already made.
• Do not mention any weakness that could draw a negative image in the mind of the hiring manager about the candidate and also about you.
• Write about the candidates of good character reference letter refund personality in the body. Make sure not to include any personal information about the candidate, or write anything that could be biased.
• Be very honest about what you are writing about the candidate, and do not exaggerate. Try to understand there is a fine line between the honesty and exaggeration and definitely you would want to avoid it so that employers do not think that the good reference letter which you have written is deceptive.
• Once the draft is ready, revise it to make it more authentic and correct it for any mistakes or any exaggerated words or sentences written. Make sure that the draft presents the candidate’s positive traits. You can read the letter louder to ensure that it sounds professional. And the information that you have provided is as per the expectations of the company to which good reference is being made.
• Write about your own qualifications and state very clearly why a reader should show interest in your good reference letter. Give your contact information to receive follow-up or for any further query.

Here are some more points about how to write Good Reference Letter?

• Always type the good reference letter in a readable font and try to make it appear simple and professional.
• Be very specific in what you are writing about the person, his personal attitudes, skill, contributions, growth, and performance.
• Be very careful with the usage of the good reference words. Some words might seem to go on well during the conversation but it can have both the positive and negative repercussions.

Some of the companies also could seek a Separate good Character Reference Letter for you. A strong good character reference letter makes the case of a candidate stronger by making up for any weak points that the candidate might have or possess.

Let’s have a look at how to write a good character reference letter

• Write about the relationship that you had with a person; readers wanted to know how you have been acquainted with the person for whom you are so eager to endorse. Several sentences can be written on the professional relationships that you had with him.
• Write a three-part format of the reference letter. The first paragraph is an introduction where you have written about yourself and your motive of writing the letter and the third part is the basic body where you have talked about the good character reference letter of a candidate and final conclusion.
• The good reference letter is not your analysis or assumptions about how good or bad your colleague has been. Write about all the positive qualities that you have seen and heard about him. Do not talk about on any weak points, but do not write anything about which you do not know. It would mean you have lied to the company.
• Keep the good reference letter short and to the point. The reader does not have the time and neither inclination to read very long letters.
• Edit the good reference letter to correct mistakes, spelling or punctuation marks and make the letter in a readable reference format.

Reference for the employment or recommendation has been conventionally considered as a crucial part of the recruiting process. Directors or career services motivate the candidates to include their reference letters in the employment files to document their credentials and their reference skills. On the other hand potential employers/hiring managers often do the reference check and review the reference letters to verify their background. Make sure no false information is given as it can call for the legal suit, so be a reference to someone only if you are very well acquainted with the person and has been maintaining a sound professional relationship with him.

However, here I would also like to emphasize that even if you are only friends without any professional relationship, you can still make a good reference. You both have been friends for a very long time and you know him very well, and as you are working in a very good company and holding a good post, the reference that you will make will be highly considered. You can also be the reference for the students who are seeking scholarships and or for the aspiring Scholars who are doing their research work. The nature of the reference letter would basically remain the same only content would be modified as per the purpose and aim of the good reference letter.

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