Don't dread it. Just write it!

By Eileen M. Levitt

How often have you been asked to write a letter of recommendation, and then you freeze? Sure, you want to help the person secure that next job (or you want to help push a troublesome employee out the door by giving a glowing letter of recommendation), but you are not very happy about adding one more task to your already-overflowing "to do" list.

Compound this lack of enthusiasm with the ethical decisions surrounding recommendation letters (i.e.-do you give people your honest opinion or do you just try to help the person?), and you would just prefer to delegate this one. Nonetheless, you cannot delegate it. And, there is no way around the ethics--just be honest.

Now you ask, what pearls of wisdom can this article impart that will make the task an easier one. So, here it goes.

Your letter should include both strengths and weaknesses of the individual as they pertain to job performance. Whether the person requesting the letter has signed the waiver, giving him or her the right to see your letter, you should be honest. Be careful that any negatives you may report are relative to the job he or she is seeking. If, for instance, you know your employee is not a morning person and never arrives on time to open your door at 8am, that would be worth noting, but not emphasized if the individual happens to be applying for a night job.

In addition to being objective and honest in your evaluation, you should include in your well-written business letter: purpose of the letter, why/how you are qualified to assess the person you are recommending (were you his/her direct supervisor, for instance?), your evaluation of that individual with details as appropriate to support your statements, and a summary.

Remember, if your letter is written as a response to a written request, the opening to your letter should reference that request. Additionally, even if your letter is on company letterhead (as it should be), give contact information in case the recipient needs more information about a particular point.

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case, an example should do.