A cover letter is a tool that gives access to reliable information about the person applying for a job or internship, a vacancy in a disputed course in Brazil or abroad, and can even work in winning over new customers to provide services. In the case of a letter of professional recommendation, this valuable document may be requested during the recruitment process or sent along with your CV as an attachment to confirm how well your qualifications fit the desirable requirements for a position.
Turn the letter of recommendation into an asset for your candidacy
The main strategy to be successful when sending a letter of recommendation is to ensure that this document is supported by the following pillars:
● Credibility
● Adequacy
● Personalization
Many people fail to take these aspects into account and resort to a ready-made letter of recommendation template that, because it has a generic pattern, can hinder more than help. Therefore, the focus of this article is to clarify what makes a cover letter work in getting a job — so you’ll be more confident about what it’s worth suggesting to whoever is going to write yours.
1. Credibility: for those who ask for a letter of recommendation
Who can make a letter of recommendation? In theory, anyone. But the most common thing is to ask someone who has held a higher position than you in your previous job and with whom you have established a good professional relationship. This can be a little more challenging for someone who is looking for their first job, but it is also possible to ask for this endorsement from someone who has coordinated a volunteer work project in which you participated or who has a prominent position on the faculty of an institution. of education you attended.
The important thing is that this document conveys credibility with the indication from a point of view outside the professional selection process, which can provide valuable information about your qualifications and attitudes in a work environment. In addition, whoever signs your letter must be able to defend your hiring in the event of an HR contact from the company for which you are applying.
2. Adequacy: the difference between a letter of recommendation and a letter of reference
When you think about what defines a recommendation and a benchmark, it’s easy to see the difference between these concepts. Still, there are those who end up delivering a reference document issued by the employer instead of the letter of recommendation requested in the recruitment process — something inappropriate and even harmful to the application.
To avoid confusion about the purpose of each of these cards, keep the following differences in mind:
Letter of recommendation
● A letter of recommendation is a way of supporting your candidacy through the words of another person about you, mentioning relevant data about shared experiences in professional projects.
● The idea is to highlight your potential to perform a job, from an “equals” point of view in relation to the contracting party (since in the CV you are the one who talks about your strengths and differentials).
● It can be sent as an attachment along with the CV, even if there is no request.
Reference letter
● A reference letter is a standard statement issued by the company where you worked to prove your role, period under contract, working hours, compliance with internship regulations, and so on.
● It can be written by someone from HR or another official company representative, even if that person has not worked directly with you.
● A letter of reference should not be presented when not requested.
3. Personalization: The Key to Making a Letter of Recommendation Work
Just as customizing your resume for each job opening makes a big difference in the placement of your application, this is a great strategy to make a letter of recommendation work in your favor and boost your chances of being hired.
But how to achieve this when you are not the one who writes and signs the document? The tip is to take charge of this content in a friendly and intelligent way:
● First of all, define which of your qualities can stand out in a context that serves different opportunities within your professional objective.
● Explain everything to the person who is going to write your letter, offering to help with whatever is necessary: from formatting and reviewing the document to an eventual translation.
● Ask permission to change the letter of recommendation header so that the same text can be forwarded in a personalized way to different companies.
In order for this document to value your capabilities and demonstrate a professional attitude on your part, it is important that the text be written in the words of the person who is recommending your services. Therefore, even if the person is inspired by recommendation letter templates, it is important that yours has authentic, original and relevant content.
The post How to make a letter of recommendation work in your favor appeared first on DNEWS.
