Many employers use recommendation letters from supervisors and employee's co-workers to determine the best candidate for a promotion. If a person has been asked to write a recommendation letter, he or she should first make sure they know enough about the candidate's work to write honest praise.
If the person does not feel that he or she is the right person for the job, they should decline and allow the employee to find someone else to write their promotion recommendation letter. The letter must convince the employer that the subject of the letter has the experience and the capacity to do the job well and is worthy of the promotion.
A letter recommending a promotion must include information about the candidate's type of work and job responsibilities in the company. It should highlight the candidate's loyalty, skills, reliability as well as his or her ability to work individually or on a team. It may also include any professional recognition or awards the candidate has received.
In the first paragraph, the writer should state their name and position in the company as well as the name and position of the applicant they are recommending for a promotion. The letter should also clearly state how the recommender is connected to the candidate.
For example, it may say whether the recommender is a co-worker or supervisor. The writer should also state how long he or she has known the candidate. A brief summary of the recommender's opinion of the candidate may also be mentioned.
For example, one or two sentences that explain how the writer knows the candidate deserves the promotion such as the writer has worked with the candidate for several years and noticed his or her leadership skills or enthusiasm for the job.
The body of the letter may be two or three separate short paragraphs for each quality of the candidate. For example, one paragraph may state that the candidate is a good team worker and has led the team on several projects.
Another paragraph may state that the candidate has acquired extensive knowledge in the field and is an asset to the company. One paragraph may have light criticism, but should also show strength.
For example, the candidate may appear to be stubborn at times but never causes conflict and always listens to other's opinions. The qualities should be listed in order of importance and give details that support the opinion.
If there are any awards or projects outside of work that speak well for the candidate this can be mentioned. For example, if the person works with underprivileged children or as a volunteer in a community program, it should be mentioned because it adds to the good character of the candidate.
The conclusion of the letter should summarize the candidate's qualifications and may contain any other comments the writer would like to add. The writer should again state that the candidate is worthy of the promotion and will benefit the company. The writer should include his or her contact information. If there is a deadline for the promotion, the writer should have the letter ready on time.
Above all, a promotion recommendation letter should be honest. It must not contain an exaggeration or untruths. It may help the writer to put him or herself in the position of the employer and think about what they would want to know.
Below is a sample promotion recommendation letter. It is a formal business letter and may be hand delivered to the employer if the writer is a co-worker or supervisor of the candidate. Otherwise, it should be sent by registered mail with a request for a delivery receipt. The letter should be no longer than one page, for the convenience of the employer.
This letter is a formal recommendation of Name of Candidate who currently works in the Research and Development department for a promotion to Project Manager for the waste management section of Name of Company.
I have been the head of Research and Development for 10 years, and have personally worked with Name of Candidate for five years. Name of Candidate has done extensive research and development of waste management for the five years she has worked for Name of Company and implemented several recycling programs that have saved the company money.
Name of Candidate knows the field of waste management and has researched all of the avenues for recycling and reusing Name of Company's industrial waste. All of the office waste including plastic water bottles is recycled, and the company has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency as a non-pollutant for plastic and paper products.
Name of Candidate has led two teams that researched Name of Company's waste production and the options for environmentally friendly solutions for management. She inspired the team and maintained a high-level enthusiasm for each project.
Name of Candidate is a volunteer for the local school district to teach the importance of waste management to young children.
For the above reasons as well as other reasons that I can discuss with you, I believe Name of Candidate is worthy of a promotion to Project Manager for the section of waste management. I can be reached at Phone Number and Email Address if you have any questions.