1. T HE R ECOMMENDATION L ETTER Writing for success

2. G ETTING S TARTED Know the purpose of the letter You should actually know the individual Be honest – don’t fabricate anything You are endorsing someone so don’t oversell the person if you feel he or she is unqualified You should include three main components How you know the individual Evaluation of the individual Summary explaining why you would recommend the individual and to what degree

3. H OW YOU KNOW THE INDIVIDUAL Discuss how well you know the individual How long have you known the individual? In what capacity have you known this person?

4. E VALUATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL What are the individual’s skills / accomplishments? Offer specific examples to illustrate the individual qualities Potential areas to discuss Potential Skills / Abilities / Strengths Dependability Consistence Character Contributions (to school or community) Accomplishments

5. W HY YOU ULTIMATELY RECOMMEND Why are you making this recommendation? To what degree are you making the recommendation? Is the person fit to be a CEO? Is the person going to be successful in college?