Write a story
There are still people coming here searching for how to write a reference. Well, let me tell you one thing – if you can learn to write a story, you can write a good reference too. You see, a reference flows just like a story does.
It often has the same parts of it and souvent the best references happen to be simple stories. Anyway, let me repeat it.
If you can write a good story, you can write a good reference.
How do you write a good story? Well, go to this How To Write a Story site. Read it. There you go. When you know how to write a story, you know how to write a reference.
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Tags: reference, story, writing
How To Write A Reference
Still looking for info about how to write a reference? Well, you’re in for a treat. Let me explain the process. So, it goes like that.
First, you read some information about this (you have already found this site so you’re on the right track). Then, go to step two – read examples. For student applications, I have found a good book. How to Write Powerful Letters of Recommendation
Finally -Write it. The first two steps are optional. This isn’t. Write it, write it, write it.
I know I am posting this again but people still do not get it. I can’t stress this enough. Wanna learn how to write a reference? Start writing it. C’est tout.
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How to write a reference FAST
We have talked about how to write a reference but we have not talked about how to write it fast. When you’re in a need of time, you may wanna use this skill.
Really, there are many ways to do it, but you can use this 2-step formula. And if it does not work, use the killer tip (not like a real killer tip, just a very good tip).
1. Ask what the new job/college degree will be on. Then, write how the applicant deals with the subject in your company. Say it’s tax-inspector (booh), write how well he deals with the taxes then.
2. Describe the applicant is like. Is he intelligent? Persistant? Competitive? Pick one skill and quickly write an example how he has been demonstrating it.
THE killer tip:
If you’re stuck, just cheat. If you don’t have time, tell the person who wants to get the reference to write it himself, then get it and rephrase it in your own words. Then sign it. Voila, so easy.
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Writing a reference letter, how do you think, what is the biggest mistake people make?
Hey, I have not invented this. However, people often ask this and I can affirm there is a single mistake that people most often make writing a reference.
You see, if this was an old e-book, we would be continuing this and “writing around” for hours. But now we are just going to give you this mistake. The biggest single mistake that most people who write a reference make is…
They don’t know how to write!
Seriously, that is all it is. This is a Gary Halbert kind of answer, but it doesn’t matter. That is the truth. Gary had it and it’s still true.
Now, how do you avoid this mistake? Learn to write. How do you do that? Well, that’s why we are here for.
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If you are reading advice on how to write a reference, you have probably agreed to write one already. But there are a couple of points you must know.
Almost everytime, there always is something worth mentioning in the letter. There are two cases, when it’s of applicant’s interest not to have a reference written by you.
1) When you can’t come up with anything to write about him, i.e. you don’t know him enough, you have a writer’s block (that’s why these articles are here), etc.
2) When you can’t or don’t want to come up with anything possitive about this person.
If we talk about the first case, you have to either know him better or find out more about the writing process and you will do well. If it’s the second case, you should take it mind that a reference does not always have to be 100% possitive.
But there still are cases, when you can’t write it? Okay. Decline the offer. But what if you have already agreed? Well, here are a few ways you can use to politely decline and get off the trouble of writing the reference. You can say:
“Dear Applicant, I know I have agreed about writing a reference for you, but I have given it much consideration and I realised that I don’t have enough qualifications and I am not familiar enough with your work and background to write you a reference. I am sorry.”
If that’s too formal for you, here is another way;
“Hey dude, I’ve said I’d to write the reference & stuff but it downed on me I don’t know you. Sorry.”
Anything goes. Just take into consideration one thing – the best way to decline writing the letter is to tell you don’t know his work enough. That is valid in more than 70 percent of all cases and that will save time and hurt feeling for everyone.
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As simple as it may be, the question was – what is better, a personal greeting or a “To Whom It May Concern” salutation.
I have interviewed an expert, and he simply said – a personal greeting.
(“To Whom It May Concern” sounds cooler, though, but don’t give in just because of that).
Here, now you know. Simple.
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Really, that has nothing to do with how to write a reference, just thought you might find that interesting.
Well, the judge news story has it.
It didn’t work out as well this time, though.
The judge was amonished. Bad luck.
You know how many of these judges get away with it, though?
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Before the very beginning of trying to crack the “how to write a reference” thing, you may find those details interesting.
According to a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, more than eight of ten human resource professionals said that they regularly conduct reference checks for professional (89 percent), executive (85 percent), administrative (84 percent) and technical (81 percent) positions. However, for regular positions the reference checks were way less than 80 percent.
What does it tell you? People care.
What about lies? Well, 53 percent discovered of those people who have conducted research on references, at least once discovered falsified information. First, we do not know how often that is. If we know that, and we know what percent of people lied, we could come up with conclusions whether it is easy to get through with lying or not. In this case, it seems it is. But, don’t lie anyway.
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I have been doing research in how to write a reference letter and there seems to be an infinite number of ways you can do it.
However, here is what I notice the most in people’s descriptions of reference letters. Your letter would contain:
* Your relation with the applicant (the guy/girl you are writing the reference on)
* The qualities of the applicant:
intelligence
communicational skills
imagination
competitiveness
self-confidence
persistence
* A good description of how his qualities and skills applies to what you are doing together
These are the key elements.
But I should add another thing your reference letter should not be devoid of – IMAGINATION!
Just use your imagination. Write stories. Don’t follow patterns. Don’t let people get what they expect.
That will make it exciting. And interesting?
Don’t you know how to do that?
Well, we have something here to teach you.
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Is it a short reference or a long one, that you need? Nine times out of ten, It’s a short one. Many people waste time writing very long essays expecting to make a masterpiece. However, they miss it, that people reading the reference usually have to read tens or maybe hundreds of references a day.
Put yourself into that situation. Would you read long references? Well, I would only do it, if it was really good. Otherwise I would skim through it.
So, what is the advice? Write long references. You see, in order to be able to keep it long, you have to make it a really good one, and in order to make it. When writing a reference, if you don’t have enough experience, write it long for practice. If you want to be able to write a really good one, you must practice, and to practice, you need to write. So, in essence, write it as long as possible and just strech out the ideas you don’t like to make it short short. Then, once you get better at it, you’ll start noticing how you begin to keep your references longer and longer.
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Recent Entries
- Write a story
- How To Write A Reference
- How to write a reference FAST
- The biggest single mistake when writing a reference and how to avoid it
- How to write a reference – Or how NOT to write it
- How to write a reference – how to address it
- A good reference could get you out of jail
- Interesting to know before beginning to study how to write a reference
- How to write a reference – what people expect
- Keep your reference short by writing long
- Gibson’s tip – how to begin writing a reference
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