Reference Letter
A reference letter is formally referred to as a letter of
reference. For simplicity, this article refers to it as
a reference letter.
Reference Letters vs. Recommendation Letters
For job searching, reference letters
are typically written by other than employment-related references,
such as college professors, while recommendation
letters are typically written by employment-related references,
such as supervisors.
They are essentially the same otherwise, in that both types of
letters would vouch for your integrity in some way, shape or form.
However, if properly written, each of the latter would include
a specific recommendation to hire you, while each reference letter
would only generally indicate that an employer would benefit from
hiring you.
Additionally, recommendation letters carry more weight for seeking
a job than reference letters do, because employment-related references
typically write them; someone who's worked with you on the job
will have more insight into your work habits, skills and such,
than someone who knows you otherwise.
But, if you're short on employment-related references, such as
when starting a new career after graduation, then that's when reference
letters come into play. The same goes for post-graduate work toward
an advanced college degree.
If one of your employment-related references is comfortable giving
you good marks, but is uncomfortable further sticking his or her
neck out with a specific recommendation to hire you, then a reference
letter would come into play there too.
Reference Letter Advantages
Asking for a reference letter from each of your references has
several advantages, the biggest of which is that you'll already
know what each has to say about
you.
Another advantage is that a potential employer might accept a
reference letter in place of grilling one of your references. The
less often your references must sit in the hot seat, the more likely
they are to cooperate.
If a potential employer does accept a reference letter in place
of grilling the person who wrote it for you, then it also removes
the risk that he or she might be unreachable or having a lousy
day. All it takes to lose a job opportunity is one unreachable
or curt reference.
A reference letter might put a potential employer at ease, too.
Employers are concerned about getting involved in defamation lawsuits
resulting from poor references.
So, if you give a potential employer a reference letter that praises
your performance, then you're also giving the employer the options
to reduce liability and hire you more quickly, by skipping or limiting
a reference check on you.
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