How To Ask For A Letter of Recommendation Via Email (With Samples)

How to ask for a letter of recommendation via email

1. Give advanced notice. Before you write a word of your email, refer back to that infamous saying, ‘timing is everything’. Turns out, everything includes requesting recommendation letters. Give your referees as much notice as possible to write you a killer recommendation before your application deadline. Aside from being more considerate, giving advance notice also gives your recommender more time to make sure they incorporate all of your great qualities.
2. Use a concise subject line. The subject line is the first thing your referee will see in their myriad of emails. Get to the point, and let them know who you are. For instance:

Letter of Recommendation Request for Sally Jones
or
Reference Letter for Sally Jones

How to ask for a letter of recommendation via email template

Dear [Recipient Name],

I’m writing to request a letter of recommendation from you regarding the time I spent working with you at [Company Name]. Between [Date] to [Date], I worked under your supervision as a [Job Title] at the [Company Branch Name/Location].

I’m in the process of applying for a [Job Title] position. I believe that your insight on my [skill 1] and [skill 2] could improve my chances of being offered a job. Your opinion is very valuable to me because of [reason you value recipient’s opinion].

If you can find the time to write me a recommendation and can speak to my [skill 3], I’d greatly appreciate the recommendation. I’d be happy to send you any additional information you need.

Thank you again for all your help,
[Your Full Name]

How to ask a professor for a letter of recommendation via email sample

Subject Line: Letter of Recommendation Request for Sally Jones

Sally Jones
867 N Front St
San Francisco, CA, 94103
(845)-616-3456
SallyJones@gmail.com

September 2, 2020

Mr. Thomas Allen
Professor
Golden Gate University
4128 College Dr.
San Francisco, CA, 94103

Dear Professor Allen,

My name is Sally Jones. I was your student in Business Marketing 101 for the Fall 2019 Semester. You may remember me from my final paper, “Ethics in Marketing”, which I’ve attached below for your consideration. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in your class, so much that it inspired me to begin a career in marketing after graduation.

I am contacting you today to request a letter of recommendation on my behalf. I am currently in the early process of applying for a position as Junior Marketer at Chance Financial. I feel your input on my strengths and work in your class would be helpful in making me an ideal candidate.

If you decide to write the recommendation, the final version can be sent to: ChanceHiring@Chance.com

Thank you for taking the time to read my email, consider my request, and for everything I learned in your course.

Sincerely,

Sally Jones

How to ask a former boss for a letter of recommendation via email sample

Subject Line: Professional Recommendation for Sally Jones

Sally Jones
867 N Front St
San Francisco, CA, 94103
(845)-616-3456
SallyJones@gmail.com

September 2, 2020

Mr. Andrew Baxter
Branch Manager
Lexington Clothing Co.
899 Lexington Ave.
San Francisco, CA, 94103

Dear Andrew,

I’m reaching out to request a letter of recommendation from you regarding the time I spent working at Lexington Clothing Company. Between 2015 to 2018, I worked under your supervision as a retail salesperson at the Northern Branch.

I’m in the process of applying for a few different sales positions. I believe that your insight on my work ethic and reliability could improve my chances of being offered a job. Your opinion is very valuable to me because of how long we worked together and how much I learned under your supervision.

If you can find the time to write me a recommendation and can speak to my skills as a salesperson, I’d greatly appreciate the recommendation. I’d be happy to send you any additional information you need.

Thank you again for all your help.

Sincerely,

Sally Jones

How to ask a supervisor for a letter of recommendation via email sample

Subject Line: Letter of Recommendation for Sally Jones

Sally Jones
867 N Front St
San Francisco, CA, 94103
(845)-616-3456
SallyJones@gmail.com

September 2, 2020

Mrs. Lydia Green
Volunteer Manager
ASPCA
415 Elk Dr.
San Francisco, CA, 94103

Dear Lydia,

My name is Sally Jones. I volunteered at the San Francisco ASPCA on Elk Dr. under your supervision about three years ago. I volunteered as an animal caretaker from 2015 to 2017.

I am emailing you to request a letter of recommendation. I’m applying to the School of Veterinary Medicine for the Fall of 2021. This is an amazing opportunity to pursue my dreams of becoming a veterinarian. I feel you would be the perfect person to write me a letter of recommendation because you know firsthand how important animals are to me. Your perspective can be a really important part of my admission.

Please let me know what you decide. Recommendation letters are accepted through the university website: VetinarySchoolofMedicine.edu/Recommendations

I really appreciate having your guidance while volunteering with the ASPCA. Thank you for taking the time to consider my request.

Sincerely,

Sally Jones

Who to ask for a letter of recommendation

To know who to ask for a letter of recommendation, you should know if it will be a professional or personal references. When applying for a new job, it’s strongly preferred that references be professional. Even though your best friend may have a lot of great things to say on your behalf, it’s best to keep it to individuals who can attest to your work skills.

Although you should steer clear of family and friends, ‘professional references’ doesn’t necessarily mean only your last boss. A character reference can come from anyone who knows you in a professional atmosphere. For example:

• A professor that you really clicked with in a related subject
• An academic advisor
• A supervisor at an organization you volunteered with
• An administrator at an internship

The person you choose to request a recommendation from should be someone who’s worked with you directly and can attest to your experience. A recommendation letter from a company superintendent who you barely spoke to, or a job that you haven’t worked at in 8 years may not add value to your application.

Before sending out your request, you should take a moment to evaluate what this person is going to say about you. They may be perfect on paper, but if they have negative comments or simply nothing positive to add, it could seriously hinder your resume. Request a letter of recommendation from a person who knows your work and will emphasize your strengths.

How to ask for a letter of recommendation via email tips

Here are tips to follow when it comes to asking for a letter of recommendation via email:

• Follow up. After sending your query, follow up with the recommender after a reasonable amount of time. Keep in contact before they submit the reference, and follow up again after it’s been submitted. Thank them throughout the process for the effort of writing a letter for you. Remember, they took valuable time out of their schedule to accommodate your success or increase your chances of getting a job.
• Don’t ask for too much. It’s best to avoid also asking for a recommendation letter if you’re asking someone to serve as a reference. It’s a big responsibility to ask of one person, and having a reference and recommendation letter from the same person makes each count for a little less.
• Choose an impressive person (that you actually know). We know you’re tempted to go for the highest-up person you ever said “hello” to, but it’s always better to select someone who knows you well over someone with an impressive title who can’t do more than write you a generic recommendation letter.
• Make it easy for them. Imagine you received an email out of the blue asking you to write a few hundred words on a topic. Your may be stressed and think “I don’t know what to write”. It’ll be the same concern of your potential recommender so be sure to make it easy for them and give them the proper information. With that in mind, make their job easy. Don’t include all of this in the initial email you send, but, if they agree, be prepared to send them another email outlining exactly what you’d like them to write about. Distill the job description down into important skills and qualities you’d like highlighted and send them a copy of your resume and cover letter. You might think it’s a little shady to provide the content of what’s supposed to be an objective opinion. Don’t worry about it — your recommender will thank you for the outline, and you’ll end up with a more compelling recommendation letter.
• Be clear about your timeline. Don’t be vague about when you need the letter. Unless it’s a general recommendation letter that you’d just like to keep in your back pocket for when the time arises, there’s probably a deadline involved. Whatever your deadline is, move it up one or two days for your recommender, to give a bit of cushion time if things don’t work out.
• Be graceful if they decline. Requesting a recommendation letter doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get one. There’s always a possibility that the recommender will be too busy, or simply uninterested, to write a professional recommendation for you. Accept it for what it is. Thank them for taking the time to consider it and move on to the next potential person on your list. Always have a network of people that you can consider for recommendation letters. There are multiple supervisors out there who have excellent things to say about your skills and will be more than willing to write you a letter of recommendation.

How often do employers ask for letters of recommendation?

Employers don’t often ask for letters of recommendation. Instead, they’ll typically ask for a list of professional references that they can contact if and when necessary.

However, that doesn’t mean that recommendation letters can’t become an excellent part of your job search toolkit. Hiring managers and recruiters like to see recommendation letters, even if they don’t often require them, because they give a greater sense of your past job performance from a third party.

Plus, if you ask for one soon after leaving a company, the person writing your recommendation letter will have all the great information about you fresh in their mind.

Additionally, recommendation letters serve as a great confidence booster when you need a pick-me-up. While most companies want to receive recommendation letters directly from the source, you can ask your recommender to also send you a copy. Read it over before your interview and you’ll feel like a million bucks walking into the room.

How to ask for a letter of recommendation FAQ

1. Is it OK to ask for a recommendation via email?Yes, it is OK to ask for a recommendation via email, but it’s recommended to ask in person. When you ask over email, be sure that you are asking someone who has worked directly with and can attest to your experience. Make sure you give advance notice when you are asking someone and be polite and aware of your tone in the email.
2. How do you politely remind someone about a letter of recommendation?Greet your recipient in a positive tone and explain why you’re following up when reminding someone about a letter of recommendation. Make sure you also provide the recipient the important information such as deadline and what position you are applying for so they are able to remember. It’s important to share your gratitude when writing this email.

Final Thoughts

A letter of recommendation will usually be required when submitting a school application. Beyond needing a good recommendation for your college applications, though, they can be very helpful in getting your job application pushed to the top of the pile.

While an employer might not always explicitly ask for a recommendation, positive feedback from a previous position will always improve your candidacy.

Why just meet the expectation when you could exceed it?

Submitting a letter of recommendation with your resume sets you apart from the rest of your competition. Its content has the capacity to propel you into landing the job.

Expert Opinion

How To Ask For Letter of Recommendation Over Email

Kelly Williams
Career Strategist and Owner of Expert Resume Solutions and Security Cleared Careers

Who should I ask?

It is good practice to ask individuals who have supervised or evaluated you in an academic or professional setting. Avoid personal references (family, friends, etc.) unless the target application specifically indicates that would be acceptable.

When should I ask?

Approach your evaluators early on by giving them a minimum of two weeks notice to fulfill your request. By taking this approach you are more likely to receive a favorable response to your request, while also increasing the likelihood of receiving a quality and personalized letter.

How should I ask?

Always try to meet face to face to request a letter of recommendation, but if this is not possible send an email and follow up with a phone call. Be sure to explain why you are asking this individual to write you a letter, and be specific when explaining if there is anything in particular you hope they could cover in the letter. This will help the evaluator focus their comments on what is most relevant for your target opportunity.

How To Ask For Letter of Recommendation Over Email

Jerome Imhoff
Career Coach Resume Writer

It’s important not to underestimate the power of a strong letter of recommendation especially since so many companies are now hesitant to respond to requests for references and often have policies against providing anything more than a verification of employment. I think it’s also helpful to assist the person writing the letter know what you as the job seeker consider important to mention, for example highlighting a special project you contributed to, showcasing your leadership skills, or commending your willingness to go the extra mile for a client.

How To Ask For Letter of Recommendation Over Email

Natausha Slaughter
Career Business Strategist

Choosing the “right” person to write your Letter of Recommendation is vital. This gives insight into the applicant’s ability to communicate and make sound decisions based on the person(s) selected to write a recommendation.

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

• How To Ask For A Letter Of Recommendation
• Letter Of Recommendation Over Interview
• Ask A Professor For A Recommendation
• Thank You For Reference
• Ask A Friend For A Reference
• Reference Request Email
• Best Regards In Email
• Letters Of Support

Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

Create Resume