Aletter of recommendation orrecommendation letter, also known as aletter of reference,reference letter, or simplyreference, is a document in which the writer assesses the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the person being recommended in terms of that individual's ability to perform a particular task or function. Letters of recommendation are typically related toemployment (such a letter may also be called anemployment reference orjob reference),admission to institutions of higher education, orscholarship eligibility. They are usually written by someone who worked with or taught the person, such as asupervisor,colleague, orteacher. Financial institutions, such as banks, may ask other institutions for references to judge, for example, a potential customer'screditworthiness.
References may also be required of companies seeking to win contracts, particularly in the fields ofengineering,consultancy,manufacturing, andconstruction, and with regard topublic procurement andtenders, to assess their ability to deliver the required level of service.
Letters of recommendation have a long history: for example in theNew Testament,Saint Paul discusses whether he needs a letter of recommendation to commend his ministry to thechurch in Corinth.[1][2]
The person providing a reference is called areferee. An employment reference letter is usually written by a former employer or manager, but references can also be requested from co-workers, customers, and vendors.[3] Teachers and professors often supply references for former students.[4] Reference letters for organizations are usually supplied by parties to which the company has provided similar services in the past.
Reference letters forstudents are usually written by a former teacher orprofessor.
The employment reference letter can cover topics such as:[5]
Some professional and academic guidelines recommend structuring recommendation letters with clear sections, including an introduction, specific examples of the candidate’s qualifications, and a concluding endorsement. Templates and step-by-step guides can help writers ensure their letters are well-organized and effective.[6]
In some countries, elements of performance are evaluated using established forms of expression, sometimeseuphemistic. For example, in the German-languageArbeitszeugnis, the following terms are frequently used:[7]
This language established itself as an unwritten code in the employment world. Its purpose was to give even weakly performing employees a letter of recommendation that does not sound negative. However, the euphemistically glazed-over descriptions are now codified and generally known, so that the original cryptic intent is no longer served.[8] Nonetheless, it is still standard to use this codified language.
Depending on context and issuer, letters can be either:
For example, a GermanArbeitszeugnis is usually issued automatically to a leaving employee, and is therefore not addressed to a particular requester. A letter of recommendation for a university of college in the US is usually written for and addressed to a specific institution the student wants to apply to.
If the letter is addressed to a particular requester, the letter will often be sent directly to that requester, and not to the applicant. In that case, applicants usually have the right to view a copy of the letter. Some applications, such as professional schools, give applicants the choice to waive their right to view their letters. Usually, applicants are encouraged to waive their rights because if they do not, it is a sign they are not confident in their recommenders.
Most potential employers will contact referees to obtain references before offering a job to a new employee. A survey by theSociety for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that eight out of ten resource professionals said they regularly conduct reference checks for professional (89%), executive (85%), administrative (84%) and technical (81%) positions.[9] Candidates are advised to ensure that they provide a suitable list of referees to their new prospective employer or institution, and to contact those referees to ensure that they are able and willing to provide a suitable reference. In some cases, employers will contact a candidate's former company for a reference even if no contact is supplied by the candidate.
Some employers may not be willing to provide reference letters because they may be concerned about potential lawsuits. In this case, the employer may only provide the job title, dates of employment, and salary history.[3] Finland,[10]Germany,Austria,Switzerland,Hungary[11] andBulgaria are the only countries inEurope where employees can legally claim an employment reference, including the right to a correct, unambiguous, and benevolent appraisal.[12]
While there is nocommon law duty to provide a reference,[13] theSupreme Court of Canada has held that a refusal to do so may constitute "conduct that isunfair or is inbad faith" with respect to awrongful dismissal, and thus "indicative of the type of conduct that ought to merit compensation by way of an addition to thenotice period."[14] There is aduty of care to ensure that, where one is provided, it is accurate and fair and not give a misleading impression,[15] as held by theHouse of Lords inSpring v Guardian Assurance plc.[16] If an employer goes beyond what a reference should contain, or if it gives inaccurate or misleading information, liability may arise in the areas ofbreach of statutory duty,negligent misstatement,deceit,defamation ormalicious falsehood.[15] It does not matter what form the reference might take.[17]
In the United Kingdom, references received by an employer from another person or organization can be disclosed to the person about whom they are written under the subject access provisions of theData Protection Act 1998, but certain confidentiality considerations apply as to the identity of the person giving the reference.[18] As a result, together with the duty of care underSpring, many organizations have issued guidance as tobest practice to be undertaken by reference providers.[19][20]
The duty of care has also been held to apply in non-reference situations, as noted in 2011 in McKie v Swindon College.[21] In another case, theCourt of Appeal of England and Wales has held that "a reference must not give an unfair or misleading impression overall, even if its discrete components are factually correct."[22] However, while a reference must be accurate and fair, it is not necessary to report all material facts concerning an individual,[23] but it can be argued that, if an agreed reference arising from asettlement agreement is misleadingly incomplete, the employer can be sued by a subsequent employer for breaching its duty of care.[24] TheEmployment Appeal Tribunal, in anunfair dismissal case, ruled that, in preparing a reference, it was not reasonable to provide details of complaints against an employee of which the employee was not aware.[25]
The Court of Appeal has further held that, if an employee leaves when an investigation is ongoing but has not been concluded, or where issues arise after an employee leaves that have not been investigated, employers can disclose this information but should do so in a measured and fair way, which will be particularly important if to omit this information would mean providing a misleading reference.[26]
In 2014, the UK government'sCrown Commercial Service issued an information note clarifying that government departments are permitted to issue references relating to suppliers, and that failure to do so, reflecting a belief that policy matters prevented references from being issued, could have a detrimental effect on companies' development, especiallysmall and medium sized enterprises.[27] The information note emphasized the importance of references being based on evidence and contemporaneous records, related to a specific proposedcontract for which a reference has been requested, and issued by a member of staff formally authorized to speak for the organization providing the reference.[28]
In 2016, theFinancial Conduct Authority and thePrudential Regulation Authority are issuing rules that will require the furnishing of references, before any approval or certification may be given by them, as well as specifying the information that they must contain.[15][29][30]
InIndia, employees typically receive arelieving letter (also called anexperience certificate orservice certificate) from their employer when leaving a job.[31] While the relieving letter may also serve as a letter of recommendation, the specific purpose of the relieving letter is to prove to any new employer that the applicant properly resigned from their old job and fulfilled all obligations to the former employer, such as working the notice period.[32]
Generally, employers are legally required to provide a relieving letter to leaving employees.[33] InKerala, for example, this is regulated in the Kerala Shops and Commercial Establishments Bill[34] Despite this, employers will sometimes deny or delay providing a relieving letter, which makes it difficult for a leaving employee to start a new job.
5F.Issue of service certificate. Every employer shall provide service certificate to the employees, in such manner as may be prescribed, at the time of resignation or retrenchment or superannuation or while applying for another job.
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