This article was co-authored by Elizabeth Douglas. Elizabeth Douglas is the CEO of wikiHow. Elizabeth has over 15 years of experience working and managing teams in the tech industry. She has held roles in multiple areas, including computer engineering, user experience, and product management. She received her BS in Computer Science and her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Stanford University.
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If an employee, coworker, or friend is hunting for a job, they may need your help in proving why they are such a great choice to their potential employer. Before recommending them, learn as much as you can about their job history and work habits. This will help you write a faithful recommendation letter or to contact a recruiter at your own job. Be sure to sing their praises as you describe why they are a perfect fit for the job.
Steps
Making Sure They are a Good Match
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1Read the job description to learn what the job is looking for. The job description will let you know exactly what skills and character traits the company wants in a new employee. By reading the job description, you can tailor the recommendation to these specific traits.[1]
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2Ask for their resume. You will need to talk about the candidate’s job history in the recommendation. Ask the person for an updated resume. Read over it, and include a few details from it in your recommendation.[2]Advertisement
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3Perform a mini-interview. The recruiter may contact you with questions about the candidate. To make sure that you give accurate answers, quiz the applicant with potential interview questions. This will also help them prepare if they get an interview. Some questions you might ask include:[3]
- What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
- Why do you think you are qualified for this job?
- Can you tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem?
- What skills would you like me to emphasize in your recommendation?
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4Come up with a few anecdotes. If you have never worked with the person before, it may be difficult to attest to their skills or work habits. Come up with at least one story or description that demonstrates any strengths that might be relevant to the job.[4]
- You can always ask the applicant what stories or skills they want you to mention in your letter.
- For example, you can say, “Kim and I once spent a summer backpacking across the country together. Through this experience, she proved herself to be resourceful, optimistic, and cheerful, even when things went wrong.”
EXPERT TIPElizabeth Douglas is the CEO of wikiHow. Elizabeth has over 15 years of experience working and managing teams in the tech industry. She has held roles in multiple areas, including computer engineering, user experience, and product management. She received her BS in Computer Science and her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Stanford University.CEO of wikiHow
Elizabeth Douglas
CEO of wikiHowElizabeth Douglas, CEO of wikiHow, advises: “At the end of the day, a good reference will be about stories. The best way to communicate well in a reference is through concrete examples of how someone has gone above and beyond."
Writing a Reference
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1Introduce your friend at the beginning of the letter. The recruiter should know exactly who the applicant is and which job position they are applying for. State these facts at the very beginning of your letter.[5]
- For example, you might write, “To whom it may concern, I am writing on behalf of Molly Williams, who is applying for a position as a paralegal at your firm.”
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2Describe your relationship with the applicant. The recruiter may be interested in why you are recommending the person for this position. Let them know how long you have known the person, how you met, and why you trust them.
- Keep it brief. You might say, “I have worked with John for four years, and in that time, he has proven to be a capable and hardworking analyst."
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3Provide a strong character reference. A character reference will describe why the candidate will be such a good coworker. You should describe their personality, communication skills, or their reliability. This demonstrates that they will be a good employee and an effective member of a team.[6]
- A character reference might be something like, “Tyrone has an energetic and optimistic personality. In times of need, he is able to step up and get the job done.”
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4Describe how their skills are relevant to the job. Give specific examples of how they fit the requirements listed on the job description. You may want to provide a story or anecdote about a project that they managed or a problem that they successfully solved.
- You might say, “Tyrone excels in coding. He has produced flawless work in CSS, HTML, and Javascript."
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5End with a final statement of recommendation. Give enthusiastic praise that tells the recruiter just how highly you recommend the other person. You may want to emphasize their skills again to help underscore what a good employee they may be.[7]
- You can say something like, “In short, I highly recommend Mina for this job."
- You might also say something like, “If you want a great worker with excellent communication skills and a strong work ethic, you can do no better than Bill.”
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6Follow up if requested. In some cases, a recruiter may want to contact you to ask specific questions about the candidate. This may be done as a phone call or an email. Some questions that they may ask include:[8]
- How do you know this person?
- How long have you worked with them?
- If you have never worked with them before, how do you know that they will be a good employee?
- What are their weaknesses?
- Why do you think they are a good fit for this job?
Suggesting Someone at Your Job
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1Learn who oversees hiring at your company. It may be an external recruiter, human resources, the head of a department, or your own boss. If you know the person, you may have an easier time recommending the candidate than if the recruiter is a stranger.[9]
- If you do not know the person hiring, introduce yourself as a colleague. Tell them what your position is within the company. For example, you can say, “I work as a manager in the sales department.”
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2Write a short letter of recommendation. Attach their resume to the email or clip it to the letter. If you want, you can give the recruiter the applicant's contact information, so that the recruiter can reach out to them if they are interested.[10]
- A letter might read, “Dear Cindy, I see that we are hiring for a new salesperson. I believe that my friend Laura is perfect for this position. She has five years of experience in sales with great results. I have attached her resume. Let me know what you think. Best regards, June.”
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3Stop by the recruiter's office. You can also talk to the hiring manager in person. Stop by their copy with a copy of the applicant's resume. Chat with a few minutes to let them know why they would be such a good fit.[11]
- You can say something like, “I’ve known Jenna for years. We worked together at our old job, and she's been an invaluable resource ever since.”
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4Decline doing a recommendation if they do not qualify. Do not feel pressured into a recommending a friend if you have any reservations about their qualifications. If they end up being a poor employee, it could affect your own reputation at work.[12]
- You can gently refuse the request by saying something like, "I'm sorry, but HR is really busy right now. I'm not sure I can find time to meet with them."
- You can also state, "This might be a conflict of interest for me, so I don't think that I can do it."
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5Avoid pestering them. Once you have recommended the candidate, your job is done. The recruiter may let you or the applicant know if they are interested. While you can send one follow-up email, avoid bothering the recruiter. This can risk your professional reputation.
References
- ↑ https://alis.alberta.ca/look-for-work/resumes-and-references/how-to-give-a-reference/
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2015/10/when-someone-asks-you-for-a-reference
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2015/10/when-someone-asks-you-for-a-reference
- ↑ https://www.eatyourcareer.com/2013/03/5-questions-to-ask-before-recommending-someone-for-a-job/
- ↑ https://www.themuse.com/advice/heres-a-template-to-write-a-perfect-and-personalized-letter-of-recommendation
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2015/10/when-someone-asks-you-for-a-reference
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2015/10/when-someone-asks-you-for-a-reference
- ↑ https://alis.alberta.ca/look-for-work/resumes-and-references/how-to-give-a-reference/
- ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2015/05/29/how-to-get-your-friend-a-job/2/#16b5cdea5900
About This Article
To recommend someone for a job, try learning as much as you can about their job history and work habits so you can see how well they match with a potential job. Ask them for their resume so you can read over it and include a few details from it when you make your recommendation. Read the job description so you can learn what skills and character traits the job is looking for. You can then write a letter that shows the potential employer who the applicant is and how they’ll satisfy the needs and requirements of the position. Give specific examples of how they’ll meet these demands. For example, you could say something like, “Jack is great with computers and knows how to use Word, Powerpoint, and Excel.” End the letter with a final statement of recommendation such as, “In short, I highly recommend Tom for this position.” For tips from our CEO co-author about how to describe your relationship with the applicant in the letter, read on!
