At Reference-Guides.net we will provide you with different types of sample Reference letters. Reference letters are an important part of your job search. Do you have letters of reference? Do you know what a former employer would put in a reference letter? Will your former employers provide a good character reference? A reference letter or letter of reference is a letter in which the writer makes a general assessment of the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of a person, or confirms details about that individuals situation or circumstances. Reference letters are different from recommendation letters in the sense that they are usually more general in nature and are not normally addressed to a specific requestor. Normally, letters of reference are addressed as; To Whom It May Concern or Dear Sir/Madam. These can be categorise in below mentioned types:-

Character-related reference letters

These reference letters are always written about a specific person by someone who knows them, and they usually focus on a person's general personality characteristics such as: honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, dependability, work ethic, values, community service, and other widely accepted character indicators. Typically, a person will ask for a general character reference letter when they are leaving an organization so that they can use it in their future business or community service career endeavors.

College-related reference letters

These letters are very similar to college-related letters of recommendation, except that they are usually not addressed to a specific individual or requestor. In the college and university context they are typically addressed to officials such as: Director, Admissions or Chairman, Scholarship Selection Committee, etc.

Employment-related reference letters

These are general job-related letters that are often requested by employees when they leave the employ of an organization in the hope that a favorable one will increase their chances when applying for a new position. Factual in nature, they are usually addressed, To Whom It May Concern and provide basic information such as: work history, dates of employment, positions held, educational credentials, etc. They may contain a general statement assessing the overall work performance of the departing employee with the company that they are leaving.

General-purpose reference letters

These general-purpose reference letters deal with a variety of situations that are not covered by the other reference letters described above. Typically, they address special situations such as: tenant to landlord letters, business customer references, pet owner testimonials, bank references, etc. These letters are always addressed in a general way using To Whom It May Concern or Dear Sir/Madam.

Some of the samples are here as under.

1) To whom it may Concern,

I have known [Candidates Name] for [Number of years known]. [Candidates Name] is very prompt and dependable, and is a perfect candidate for [Position]. [He/she] has a unique ability to connect and understand with any audience. [He/she] is very patient and positive at all times. [He/she] has an exceptional ability to learn any task and come up to speed with any situation quickly. [His/her] special ability to lead in difficult circumstances further helps to differentiate [him/her] from other colleagues. I strongly recommend [Candidates Name] as a highly qualified candidate.

Thank You,

[Referrers Signature]

[Referrers Name]

[Date]

2) Letter Sample for Employment Reference

Sample reference letter written by an employer.

To whom it may concern:

I would like to counsel John Smith as a candidate for a position with your organization. In her position as Staff Assistant, John was employed in our office from 2002 - 2006. John did an excellent job in this position and was an asset to our organization during her tenure with the office. She has excellent written and verbal communication skills, is extremely organized, can work autonomously and is able to follow through to ensure that the job gets done.

During her tenure with XXXX, John was responsible for supervising the department office assistants. These assistants, under John's management, were responsible for many of the office's basic administrative and clerical functions.

John was always willing to offer her assistance and had an excellent rapport with the many constituents served by our office including clients, employers, and other professional organizations. She would be an asset to any employer and I recommend her for any endeavor she chooses to pursue.

Yours truly,

Jane Smith