How to ask for a recommendation letter, and a draft to hand your boss: template and 4 samples
Your boss or professor asked you to draft it? Start from the template, add two examples with numbers, and pick from samples for a job, a remote VA role and a fresh graduate.
What a recommendation letter should say
Who's writing and how they know you: their role, the company or school, and the years.
Your role there, in one line.
Two examples with a number, like customers served, reports done or grades.
One line on how you work with people.
A clear recommendation, then their contact details, name and title.
If you're asked to draft it yourself
A busy boss or professor may ask you to write the first draft. Write it in their voice, keep every fact true, and let them change anything before they sign.
Mistakes that make it weak
Only adjectives, like hardworking and dedicated, with no example.
No dates or role, so the reader can't tell how well the writer knows you.
No contact details, so nobody can check it.
More than one page.
Recommendation letter template
Write it in the voice of the person who'll sign it, and replace every line in [brackets].
Give two examples with a number, like customers served, reports done or grades.
Send it to them to edit and sign. Their name, title and contact details go at the bottom.
Keep it to one page, printed on letterhead or sent from their own email. Download the Word file
[Date]
[Hiring manager's full name, or Hiring Manager]
[Company name]
[Company address]
Dear [Mr. or Ms. Last name, or Hiring Manager]:
I'm pleased to recommend [applicant's full name] for the [job title] position at [company name].
I was [first name]'s [your role, e.g. direct supervisor] at [company or school] from [year] to [year], where [he or she] worked as [job title].
[First example with a number, e.g. She handled about 60 customer chats a day and kept a 95% satisfaction score.]
[Second example, a skill the new job needs, e.g. He trained four new hires on our billing system.]
[One line on how they work with people, e.g. She stays calm with upset customers.]
[Your recommendation in one line, e.g. I'd hire her again if I had the opening.] Please contact me at [mobile number] or [email] if you have questions.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Full name]
[Job title]
[Company or school]
Recommendation letter samples
Three letters and the email to ask for one. Pick the one closest to yours, copy it, and change the names and details.
Recommendation letter from a former supervisor, for a job application
The usual kind: your old boss tells a new employer what you did, with numbers.
Example only. Camille Santiago is an invented person, and every detail is made up.
I'm pleased to recommend Camille Santiago for the Executive Assistant position at XYZ Realty Corp.
I was Camille's direct supervisor at ABC Holdings Inc. from 2022 to 2026, where she worked as my administrative assistant.
Camille kept the calendars of three directors, set about 40 meetings a week and booked every trip for our team. In four years, she double-booked a director only once, and she caught it herself.
She also set up our filing system in Google Drive, so anyone on the team could find a contract by client name.
She's discreet with private files and calm when plans change at the last minute.
I'd hire Camille again if I had the opening. Please contact me at +63 900 000 0000 or teresa.yap@example.com if you have questions.
Sincerely,
Teresa Yap
Operations Director
ABC Holdings Inc.
Recommendation letter for a remote VA role, from a client
For an online job. A former client or manager confirms you worked remotely, on time, and gives your hours in Manila time (GMT+8).
Example only. Hazel Ann Cruz is an invented person, and every detail is made up.
I'm pleased to recommend Hazel Ann Cruz for a virtual assistant role with your team.
Hazel worked for my interior design company, ABC Interiors Pte. Ltd. in Singapore, as a part-time virtual assistant from March 2024 to September 2026, Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Manila time (GMT+8).
She answered about 30 client emails a day, kept our project tracker in Trello up to date, and prepared quotes from our price list for my review.
In two and a half years she missed two working days, both with notice, and she replied within the hour during her shift.
I'd work with Hazel again, and I'd be glad to tell you more about her work. You can reach me at melissa.tan@example.com.
Best regards,
Melissa Tan
Founder, ABC Interiors Pte. Ltd.
Recommendation letter for a fresh graduate, from a professor
For your first job. A professor or thesis adviser writes about your projects, grades and how you work with others.
Example only. Joshua Ramirez is an invented person, and every detail is made up.
I'm pleased to recommend Joshua Ramirez for the Junior QA Tester position at ABC Software Solutions Inc.
I was Joshua's thesis adviser in the BS Information Technology program at XYZ University, where he graduated in June 2026.
His group built an attendance app for our college. Joshua wrote the test cases and found 37 bugs before the panel defense, and the college has used the app since January.
He also tutored first-year students in programming every Saturday for a semester.
He's patient and careful, and he asks good questions when something isn't clear.
I'd trust Joshua with any testing job that needs patience and care. Please contact me at +63 900 000 0000 or ramon.villar@example.com.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ramon Villar
Associate Professor, College of Computer Studies
XYZ University
Email to ask for a recommendation letter
Ask at least two weeks before you need it. Say what it's for, remind them of two things you did, and offer a draft.
Example only. Camille Santiago is an invented person, and every detail is made up.
Subject: Request for a recommendation letter - Camille Santiago
Dear Ms. Yap,
I hope you're well. I'm applying for an Executive Assistant role at XYZ Realty Corp., and I'd be grateful if you could write me a recommendation letter.
You could mention the directors' calendars I managed and the Google Drive filing system I set up. I've attached the job post and my resume, and I'm happy to send a draft you can edit.
They need it by October 21. Thank you for considering it.
Best regards,
Camille Santiago
camille.santiago@example.com | +63 900 000 0000
Questions
What's the difference between a character reference and a recommendation letter?
A recommendation letter is about your work: a boss, client or professor describes what you did, with examples. A character reference is about who you are, like your honesty and reliability, and can come from a teacher or community leader. For that one, use the character reference templates.
Who should write my recommendation letter?
Someone who supervised your work: a former boss, team leader, client or professor. A senior title helps, but someone who knows your work well matters more.
How long should a recommendation letter be?
One page: four or five short paragraphs, about 200 to 300 words.
Can I write my own recommendation letter?
You can draft it if the person asks you to. They should edit it, sign it and send it, and every fact in it should be true.
How do I ask for a recommendation letter?
Ask at least two weeks ahead, by email or in person. Say what it's for, remind them of two things you did, and offer to send a draft, like the email sample above.
Is a recommendation letter the same as a certificate of employment?
No. A certificate of employment confirms your dates and the work you did. A recommendation letter vouches for how well you did it.