1. Give the person sufficient time to respond and write their letter of recommendation. It takes time and thought to put together a good letter of recommendation, and a last minute request may compromise the quality of your recommendation or your request may be refused due to time constraints. Rule of thumb is that 4 to 6 weeks is an acceptable notice period for your letter of recommendation.

2. Follow up on you email requesting a letter of recommendation with a polite phone call to check that the person is comfortable with providing you with a letter of recommendation and to confirm that the writer has a full understanding of what the letter is for and the information you would like to be included.

3. Send a polite thank you letter for the recommendation.

What should be included in an email requesting a letter of recommendation?

The following information should be included in your email request:

• the exact reason for the letter of recommendation, how it will be used and who it is for
• if it is to support a job application you can include a copy of the job posting or job description and a copy of your resume so that the writer has a clear understanding of what the employer is looking for in a candidate and a full picture of your experience, strengths and accomplishments to date
• if the letter of recommendation is to support an application for an educational program, include details of the program and the requirements of the program
• include any specific instructions for submitting the letter of recommendation and the date it is required by

Letter of recommendation request template

Subject line: Your full name - Letter of Recommendation

Greeting: Depending on your relationship with the person include their full title or use their first name eg. Dear Jane or Dear Ms Green

Your request: I am writing to request a letter of recommendation to support my application for .....

Why this person: Outline briefly why they are a good person to write this specific letter of recommendation eg. Having worked together for X years I regard you as someone who has a sound knowledge of my work abilities.

Information: Describe the job or program you are applying for in a few concise sentences and refer to any attachments (job description, program outline, your resume) that expand on this information

Instructions: Include any necessary details regarding the format of the letter of recommendation, the deadline and how it should be sent

Closing: Thank the individual for their time and consideration and highlight your availability to answer any questions they may have

Sincerely: Your Name