During her work, she established herself as... Letters of recommendation and testimonials

I hope I won't upset you too much if I say this: An interview is not a cavalry charge. This is a test of your preparation and track record. If there is something wrong with the last two points, it will be difficult to take the bastion forcefully.

The word “recommend” comes from “recommendation”. This is not so much a specific recommendation from specific people, but rather all your “baggage” with which you go to the interview, your track record. And this baggage is checked even before the interview.

What are you carrying in this “baggage”? Is there something there that could cause problems that the employer does not need at all?

To what extent is this information confirmed at the first stage of the interview?

The interview itself does not start from scratch. There is already a certain opinion about you. It's like a handicap race. Some of the candidates have the first starting position, some the last.

You may be invited to an interview, but if your “baggage” has dark spots, your starting number will be at the very end. There are still chances to reach the finish line first, but...

We live in an era of global trust deficit.

And many realize this, feverishly trying to discern something on which to build a trusting relationship. Employers are no exception.

He wants to know if he can rely on you. How safe will your stay in the company be? Can you be entrusted with a difficult task without having to stand over your head? He assesses the risks.

It is clear that the risks vary for different positions, but the conclusion is clear: If you couldn’t get a credit of trust, most likely you won’t receive an offer.

The initial credit of trust is issued even before. Let's see what bricks this foundation is made of

Track record (reputation, discipline, loyalty)
Professionalism (experience, education)
Loyalty
Recommendations

Let's go in order.

Achievement list

They usually try to sort out their track record even before the interview with the manager who makes the decision. Sometimes interesting things come to light.

A recent example: I conducted a preliminary interview with a candidate for the position of commercial director. Before presenting it to the general, you need to draw up your conclusion, both from the interview and from other available information.

I go online and type his name into the search engine. On the third line of the issue I see: an excerpt from the minutes of the court meeting at which the candidate acted as a defendant in a fraud case. Such evidence does not always end up online and it seems like it shouldn’t, but a fact is a fact.

Conclusion: If you don’t monitor your reputation, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

I would advise you to pay serious attention to your online reputation. Just, as they say, Google yourself online, sometimes your social network accounts come up in the search, sometimes not, apparently it’s a matter of settings.

Take an employer's look at your account, who your friends are there, what kind of posts you have, etc. How does this correspond to yours and the position for which you are applying?

I remember finding the account of a candidate for the position of head of the financial department. My friends are dubious personalities, some kind of club for erotica lovers. How can we be here? Not a crime, of course, but...

Just for fun, I presented his resume to my boss - such and such a person, an experienced qualified specialist, worked here and there, MBA degree. Outside of work, he enjoys pornography. We laughed and... sheathed this option. Out of harm's way) But seriously, a leader must take care of his image.

If you find something like this about yourself, you need to correct it. Or prepare a reasonable explanation.

Another example:

Candidate for the position of department head in the logistics department. Made a good impression. After the initial interview, there is a security check.

I am sending the documents. The answer comes: he had an offense - detention and an administrative penalty for hooliganism. Fight at a gas station. SB is usually checked using police databases. Sometimes things come up.

Usually these are incidents related to alcohol - drunk driving, less often arrests by law enforcement officers. This mainly concerns blue-collar personnel, drivers for example; managers come up much less frequently, but it does happen.

I call this candidate and say, “Well, ssss, citizen... tell me what’s there and how.” For some reason, he began to deny the episode, which, in general, is completely unreasonable. Then he said that he was either defending himself or defending someone. It is clear that they did not meet with this candidate again, and not even because everything was not going smoothly for him, but because he began to lie and get out.

If you have similar episodes in your biography, there is no need to deny; the employer will believe the facts, not you. It’s better to come up with some reasonable explanation in advance. Anything can happen in life. In practice, sometimes the employer does not attach importance to minor episodes.

Professionalism

Here are the trust factors:

A well-written resume and...Experience in the specialty. Achievements. Key competencies.

How to correctly compose and reflect it are the topics of other articles. You can view them by following the links.

Loyalty

Relatively infrequent job changes.

Nowadays people change jobs much more often than in previous times. After a year and a half or two, changing jobs is, in my opinion, quite acceptable. Previously, they changed less often and this was not welcomed. You may remember such people. called flyers.

N Sometimes there are candidates who manage to change 7-8 companies in 3 years, that is, on average, less than six months in one. Here, of course, questions arise.

When preparing for an interview, be sure to decide.

“Well, you see...” “Well, how can I tell you...” - such turns of phrase are undesirable. Significant episodes in your career should be heard clearly.

Just recently I read a new article, I think, on Superjob. They are scary, I quote:

Don't underestimate how seriously a recruiter will be interested in your story. This applies not only to making general inquiries about former places of work and financial situation. The HR manager can contact your former boss to speak with him personally.

Of course, you shouldn’t underestimate, but you shouldn’t overestimate either. Here a lot depends on the position. Roughly speaking, where there is something to steal, they check more carefully. They may also send you for a polygraph.

They don’t contact former bosses very often, and they don’t always check references either. For various reasons, I probably won’t take up your time with stories about what you cannot influence.

Your task is to find recommenders who could describe you from the best side. Enter their names and positions on the resume form. There is no need to write contacts. This is not necessary on websites; it is better to write “will provide upon request.”

I repeat once again: your image as a candidate develops gradually starting with the resume. To establish yourself in an interview, you should do everything to approach it with a good reputation.

Be careful.Every person leaves a mark. An experienced recruiter knows how to read it.

A prepared applicant should be able to cover his tracks.)

However, even if you have “inherited” a fair amount, you should not despair. There are chances to win back your handicap. But this is a topic for other articles. Follow the news.

Thank you for your interest. I would appreciate your comment (at the bottom of the page).

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Have a nice day and good mood!

A letter of recommendation from a commercial structure for a company is understood as a form of feedback about this company. The letter evaluates the company’s reliability as partners, the level of services provided, the degree of professional training of specialists, etc.

The letter is also called a cover letter.

An applicant facing an interview has a better chance of getting a positive result if there is a cover letter.

The work of HR personnel is simplified and the specialist will be more attractive.

Characteristics are a positive additional factor.

It is recommended to start the document with the words “Letter of recommendation“, so this headline is often found.

Post the text of the letter of recommendation, using company letterhead.

The letter contains the certification signature of the manager, as well as the seal of the structure making the recommendation.

The cover letter is limited to one page.
When writing such a letter, Do not use general phrases, provide specific examples of the actions of the recommended company.
Provide contact information so that there is an opportunity to further clarify the details.

In the United States of America, letters are prepared as cover letters. The addressee, date, month, year are indicated, then there is a message, something like this: “For interested parties.”

The document looks like this:

The positive aspects of cooperation with the recommended structure are described, the professional level of its specialists is assessed, and proposals are made for the use of the services provided by this company.

Below the letter the head of the organization signs, which constitutes the recommendation. The position of the manager, his last name, first name and patronymic are indicated.
The number is placed above or below leaf.

Tekhnomontazhservice LLC has been a partner of our company in the construction and architectural fields for a long time.

For more than four years now, the Tekhnomontazhservice company has been demonstrating its ability to solve the identified problems. All work is carried out by this structure in a timely manner and with very high quality. Tekhnomontazhservice is distinguished by a high level of professionalism, organization of the company’s specialists and a strong team spirit.

Executive Director of Construction Partner LLC - signature - Timoschenko S.T.

Real Business LLC has been providing constant assistance to our company in the implementation of web design projects for more than five years. During the long-term mutual cooperation, Real Business LLC has constantly confirmed its high level of competence and professionalism. Each project developed by our company was implemented by specialists from Real Business LLC very quickly and efficiently.

We believe that it is possible to cooperate effectively and successfully with the company “Real Business” LLC.

LLC "Webdesignproject.ru"

Real Business LLC, in the framework of cooperation with Webdesignproekt.ru LLC, has been developing new projects to promote our company in the Internet industry since 2012. During the period of our joint activity, “The Real Deal” has gained the well-deserved authority of a structure that boldly takes on and confidently solves the most complex problems.

Our company is completely satisfied with the result of joint activities with Real Business LLC, as a responsible, reliable partner and recommends it to everyone.

LLC "Webdesignproject.ru"

Real Business LLC has been a partner of Webdesignproekt.ru LLC since the beginning of 2005. Long-term partnership proves that the specialists of the Real Deal company are high professionals. There has never been a delay on their part in fulfilling the order. They solved the assigned tasks in the shortest possible time, efficiently and reliably. There were no complaints from customers about the work of “Real Business”.

General Director signature Ospennikov V.A.

LLC "Webdesignproject.ru"

The letter confirms that Real Business LLC has been cooperating with Webdesignproekt.ru LLC for more than four years, starting in 2011, in the field of design services. During this period, we were able to fully verify the reliability of this company, its professionalism and efficiency in solving work problems. The staff of “Real Business” have an extraordinary and creative approach to the implementation of various projects.

As the General Director of Webdesignproject.ru LLC, I confirm that the activities of the specialists of Real Business LLC fully correspond to the stated direction.

General Director signature Ospennikov V.A.

LLC "Webdesignproject.ru"

Limited Liability Company “Real Deal” has been a business partner of the company since the beginning of 2001. During this entire period, I have never been disappointed with the results of our joint activities in solving joint projects. The employees of “Real Business” successfully solve all the variety of tasks set by the Customer. The result of their work meets high professional requirements. The close partnership that has developed between our companies was greatly facilitated by the high level of communication culture that is inherent in the management employees of Real Business LLC.

General Director signature Ospennikov V.A.

LLC "Webdesignproject.ru"

The letter was prepared by Webdesignproject.ru LLC to confirm the fact of cooperation with Real Business LLC. The result of this cooperation was the active promotion of our company to the international market and a significant increase in our customer base. The assigned tasks are carried out by the employees of the Real Business company at a high professional level and always in a timely manner. We note a creative, non-standard approach to fulfilling orders, taking into account all the wishes of the clientele.

Executive Director signature Ospennikov V.A.

LLC "Webdesignproject.ru"

Closed Joint Stock Company "Ural Timber Industry Company" and Open Joint Stock Company "Trading House "Stroitelny" have been operating jointly since June 2011.

During this entire period of cooperation, OJSC Trade House Stroitelny has established itself as a conscientious partner in carrying out repair and construction work. This company always uses the latest technological developments. The results of orders are delivered according to previously planned deadlines. There were no complaints about the quality of work. Both the company's management and ordinary performers conscientiously and responsibly perform their duties.

General Director of CJSC "Ural Timber Industry Company" - signature - Tikhomirov F. A.

Optimal Transport Delivery LLC, having been cooperating with our company for more than ten years, has confidently proven its highly professional status. The employees of this company have a responsible and conscientious attitude towards all road transport operations. There were no facts of transportation disruptions, untimely delivery of the vehicle or damage to the delivered goods.

The activities of Optimal Transport Delivery LLC deserve only positive assessment.

Executive Director of JSC "Blagodat" - signature - Last name I.O.

The specialists of Cleanliness and Order LLC constantly manage to effectively and efficiently carry out cleaning work on quite complex objects, and show a flexible, non-standard individual approach to solving emerging problems. Orders are completed with very high quality within the agreed time frame.

General Director of OJSC "Moscow Nights" - signature - Last name I.O.

The history of letters of recommendation began in Europe several centuries ago. In Russia, this tradition quickly took root and is becoming increasingly popular every year. To draw up such a document, it is advisable to have a sample in front of you. There are many letters of recommendation. They are all somewhat similar to each other. The only difference is to whom such a message is addressed. All these issues should be considered in more detail.

Document structure

In essence, a letter of recommendation is an ordinary business document. Therefore, its compilation is subject to general rules. Based on the name itself, such a document is drawn up in writing. In principle, you can develop one sample letter of recommendation for different occasions. Then all that remains is to clarify some points regarding the addressee and the details of the information presented.

Title (name) of the document.
Brief information about the employer with confirmation of the fact that the citizen actually held a specific position with him from such and such a date for a certain period of time.
List of duties performed. It is desirable that it be as detailed as possible. This will help to better assess the candidate's professional skills and abilities.
A list of the employee’s business and personal qualities that he showed at his previous place of work.
Description of his professional achievements.
Reason for dismissal.
Recommendations for a future employer.
Details of the writer of the letter of recommendation with the obligatory indication of contact information. They are needed in case you need to clarify the information provided.
Date of document creation.

The list of items can be increased at your discretion, since the law does not establish a specific form for such a document.

Do not use standard phrases in the text such as “the employee showed commendable initiative” or “the employee showed himself to be responsible and diligent during his work.” Any person already indicates this on their resume. It is better to show in a letter his specific actions and achievements, backing it all up with numbers.

In general, in such a document the new employer wants to see answers to only three main questions:

what are the candidate’s strengths;
what benefits it can bring;
the reason why he had to leave his previous place of work.

It is advisable to fit the entire text of the letter on one sheet of paper. This will eliminate the possibility of fraud on the part of the applicant.

The information presented must be truthful in order to avoid an awkward situation when someone wants to check it.

If a person has shown himself to be a mediocre and uninitiated worker over the entire period of time, then it is better to refuse to write a letter of recommendation for him.

If we take into account all of the above, the document will help both the former employee and his new employer.

Partners' opinions

A letter of recommendation for an organization can be written on behalf of a partner company. It will look like some kind of positive feedback about the teamwork. In such a letter, one company expresses its opinion about the work of another, recommending it as a reliable partner for mutually beneficial and long-term cooperation. Managers of some enterprises often make similar requests to their former clients or suppliers, and then use their feedback as advertising for their activities.

It is advisable that the letter of recommendation be written on company letterhead. This will give more credibility to the information contained in it.
First you need to mention yourself, that is, indicate the relationship between this organization and the recommended company (client, supplier or partner).
Indicate the duration of the period of cooperation, specifying in what area it took place (provision of services, supplies, etc.).
It is necessary to highlight the strengths of the partner so that other enterprises immediately have a desire to work together. Here we can note the literacy and commitment of its employees, as well as the stability and reliability of the company itself.
To confirm all that has been said, it would be useful to give several real examples.

The text of such a letter itself will depend on the purpose of its writing, as well as the direction and scope of activity of the recommended company.

Private opinion

In the case where a letter of recommendation for an organization is written by a private individual, it is advisable to follow the same methodology. Such a document represents the individual opinion of a particular citizen. This usually happens if he:

I was previously an employee of this company and now I just want to recommend it from the best side;
is a client and wants to thank the organization for its good work.

In both cases, you get something like a review, which can also be used for advertising. For example, a person turned to a cleaning company for help and after the service was provided, he was satisfied with the work done. He can write a letter of recommendation and place it in the media, encouraging others to contact this organization with questions regarding cleaning of premises. For reliability, he will need to indicate his data. This will make any potential client understand that such an opinion is not fiction. It will be necessary to additionally indicate what kind of work the company’s employees performed, how quickly they completed the task received, and how well it was completed. As a rule, such a letter ends with an appeal to everyone around them to use the services of this particular company.

Nanny services

When a child appears in a family, he requires a lot of attention and special care. But not all parents are able to give this to their baby. Most often, this situation arises due to their increased workload at work. In this case, a nanny is invited to the house, who will have to take on all the concerns associated with the child. When selecting candidates, both spouses need to carefully study each of them. After all, it is to this person that they will soon have to hand over their beloved baby. Abroad, in such situations, employees are required to provide a letter of recommendation. For a nanny, it will be an additional bonus when hiring. And such a document will help ensure that the employee really has the necessary knowledge and appropriate qualifications. A letter of recommendation for a nanny can be:

the company she previously worked for;
a family who hired her to care for their children.

In Europe, nannies have long been required to have references to be hired. Past owners or former employer act as guarantors.

Employment assistance

When an employee changes jobs or applies to participate as a specialist in a project, he is sometimes required to provide a letter of recommendation from the employer for whom he recently worked.

The work record book only states the fact of work at a particular enterprise. But it says nothing about how a person showed himself in the workplace. The desire to find a more prestigious job is understandable to everyone. But management is not ready to give a recommendation to everyone. A lazy and non-performing employee may not even count on it. But a good specialist with extensive experience will always be met halfway. To write a letter of recommendation, it is best for an employee to contact his immediate supervisor. After all, only he can appreciate his professional skills and human qualities. Although, if you wish, you can compose the text yourself. All that remains is to convince the manager to sign it.

Business assistance

Many enterprises entering the global market face the same problem. When organizing work outside their country, they have to contact foreign banks with offers of cooperation. But local financial tycoons are reluctant to make contact with “outsiders.” They are wary of unknown clients and try to avoid unnecessary risks. But there is a very simple way out of this situation. The head of an enterprise can contact his bank, where he has been a client for many years, and ask him to write a letter of recommendation for a bank located abroad.

This document must reflect the following mandatory points:

Confirmation that the specified company has owned an account with this bank for a long time (preferably more than two years).
The company is a bona fide beneficiary with whom there were no problems during the entire period of cooperation.
The company is solvent and has no debt to the bank.

These three points must be reflected in the letter. Only then will the foreign bank perceive the newcomer as a client with whom they can build long-term and problem-free relationships.

Rules for drawing up a document

To achieve the desired result, you need to know in advance how to write a letter of recommendation.

To begin with, it’s worth remembering that you need to avoid banal expressions and standard phrases in every possible way. The more of them there are in the text, the less the person to whom this message is addressed will believe in the essence of what is written. There is also no need to use a lot of laudatory epithets for no reason. It is clear that any employee or entire company is not ideal. They have their negative and positive sides. The problems, of course, are not worth mentioning, but the advantages should be gently emphasized. It is better if this is done using a specific example. Then everything said will not raise any doubts. You should also not write long texts. A thousand words will be enough to express your attitude towards the candidate. The structure of such a letter is extremely simple. Conventionally, it can be divided into three parts:

Introductory. In it, the recommender first introduces himself. Here the most minimal data will suffice. Then he must tell in detail about the recommended person (full name, by whom and for how long he works).
Main. In this part, you should indicate all the skills and advantages of the recommended person, and also show with an example what he has achieved during his time working at this enterprise. In the case of a legal entity, you can describe the stages of its growth.
Ending. In the final part, the recommender should express his opinion and explain why he believes that this employee (or organization) is an ideal applicant.

It is better to present all information in your own words. Otherwise, the candidate may be disqualified due to suspicion of fraud.

For education

Now more and more people want to get higher education. It provides prospects for future growth and allows us to count on serious achievements. Applicants who have such a desire may need a letter of recommendation to the university. It can be compiled by the director or one of the school teachers.

As a rule, this is not required for admission to domestic institutions. But those who want to receive education abroad must take care of obtaining such a document. It should give the applicant the most frank assessment. Moreover, teachers should separately mention both special achievements in certain disciplines and the personal qualities of the student. If the assessment is positive, then he will have a great chance of entering this university. And especially gifted students will even be able to count on certain benefits during their studies. Having read such a letter of recommendation, the university management will have a complete understanding of a particular applicant and will be able to make a decision regarding his admission. The document is drawn up according to general rules and can be addressed to a specific person or the university itself.

Document wireframe

For those who are trying to evaluate someone's work for the first time, we can advise you to use a recommendation letter template. A document of this kind must contain the following mandatory information:

Title. It reflects the essence of this message.
Complete information about the recommended person (by whom, from what time and for how long the employee worked at this enterprise).
Specific facts about his work in the company (what he did and what heights he reached).
Comprehensive characteristics of the employee. It is imperative to note his strengths in order to maximize the interest of the future employer.
Recommender contact details. Quite often, management contacts the previous place of work to clarify or verify some of the facts stated in the letter. This person must be ready to answer all questions.

When using such a template, it is necessary to take into account that employers are always interested in almost the same information:

abilities of the future employee;
its strengths and weaknesses;
misdeeds and violations he may have committed in the past;
reason for dismissal.

Once all these questions are answered, the manager will be able to make an informed decision.

The issue of employment of citizens deserves special attention when the employer is an individual. Usually these are nannies, gardeners, governesses or housekeepers. A work book is unlikely to be required here. To get a job with a family, you must have with you: a resume, a passport and a letter of recommendation from former owners. Some require you to provide a health certificate. It is only at first glance that it seems easy to choose a person to do housework. In reality, everything is much more complicated. After all, in essence, this is an outsider. From his appearance it is difficult to determine what he is capable of. I would like to know the opinion of those who knew this employee before. Therefore, new owners, as a rule, require references from previous places of work. What should such a document contain? The text of the letter of recommendation for this category of employees is usually drawn up randomly. In it, the former owners are required to give a detailed description of their assistant. For such a profession, the following qualities are especially important:

Professionalism. That is, the candidate has a good knowledge of the cleaning procedure and technology.
Honesty and integrity. This is especially important because this worker will often be left at home alone. The owners must understand whether they should trust it.
Cleanliness. A dirty and slob will not be able to keep the house in order.
Energy. Only active and cheerful people can cope with such work.
Talkativeness. A worker who is used to talking a lot will not be able to keep family secrets.
Bad habits. It is better if new owners find out about them immediately and decide whether such a worker is suitable for them.

All this must be reflected in the text of the letter. For a good employee, such information will be an excellent recommendation and a guarantee of employment.