Reference Letter Prompt

What it does

Writes a reference or recommendation letter that actually helps the person, because it's specific. The reason generic recommendations carry no weight is that they're interchangeable — "hardworking, dependable, a great team player" describes everyone and convinces no one. A strong letter names concrete things the person did, with enough detail that the reader believes you actually worked with them. This prompt builds the letter around real examples you provide, so it reads as a credible endorsement, not a form.

Write a reference/recommendation letter using the details below.

Structure:
- Opening: who I am, my role, and how I know the person (and for how long).
- A clear statement of recommendation.
- 2-3 specific examples of their work, skills, or character — concrete situations and, where possible, results.
- A sentence on their personal qualities, tied to evidence (not floating adjectives).
- A strong, unqualified closing endorsement and an offer to be contacted.

Rules:
- Lead with specifics over generic praise. Every claim should have an example behind it.
- Match the strength to what I tell you — don't oversell beyond what I can honestly say.
- Professional, warm, and credible. Keep it to about 350-400 words.
- Tailor it to the opportunity if I name one (job, school, etc.).

Details:
- My name, title, and relationship to them: [who I am + how I know them + duration]
- Who I'm recommending + for what: [their name + the job/program/purpose]
- 2-3 specific things they did well (with results if possible): [the examples]
- Their standout qualities: [traits — I'll back these with the examples above]
- Anything specific the opportunity values: [what to emphasize]

How to use it

The quality is entirely in your examples — the prompt can only be as specific as the details you give it. Before you start, jot down two or three real moments: a project they led, a problem they solved, a time they stepped up. Numbers and outcomes make them land. Tailor to the destination if you can: a letter for a manager role should emphasize different things than one for a graduate program.

Only claim what you can stand behind. A reference is your credibility on the line; if the letter oversells and the person underdelivers, it costs you with that reader. Read the draft and dial back anything that goes further than you honestly would.

Example output

A letter opening "I managed Priya directly for two years as her team lead at Brightleaf," moving into a specific example ("When our onboarding broke during a product launch, Priya rebuilt the flow over a weekend and cut new-customer churn by 30% the following quarter"), tying her qualities to that evidence, and closing with an unqualified "I recommend her without reservation, and I'm happy to speak further."

Variations

Academic/grad school: Add "This is for a graduate program in [field]. Emphasize intellectual ability, curiosity, and relevant academic or research strengths."

Character reference: Add "This is a personal character reference, not professional. Focus on integrity, reliability, and specific instances that show character."

Brief/LinkedIn recommendation: Add "I just need a short LinkedIn recommendation — 2-3 sentences, specific and warm."

Measured (honest but not glowing): Add "I can recommend them genuinely but not effusively. Keep it honest and supportive without overstating — no faint praise, but no exaggeration either."

Common pitfalls

Generic praise. "Hardworking and dependable" with no examples reads as a form letter and helps no one. Anchor every quality to something they actually did.

Overselling. A letter that's all superlatives strains credibility and can backfire if the person can't live up to it. Match the praise to the truth.

Forgetting the relationship. Readers weigh a reference by how well you knew the person. State your role and how long you worked together up front.

Who uses this prompt

Managers and team leads writing for departing employees, professors and teachers recommending students, colleagues vouching for each other, and small-business owners asked for a reference who want to do right by someone. It turns "can you write me a reference?" into a letter that genuinely helps.