Professional Letter of Recommendation (LOR) with Sample

Learn how to write a perfect LOR for your candidate to boost their chances at admission into a top university!

When applying to a university abroad, one of the most important documents you must attach with your application is a Letter of Recommendation or LOR. It can boost your chances of admission into the university since this document is a testimony to your character and gives a third-person perspective. Furthermore, unlike the Statement of Purpose or SOP, which the applicants write justifying their intent behind the application, a professional LOR is written by the student's current/former employer. Therefore, it highlights the candidate's past and present professional record as a means of assuring the university of the student's caliber.

A LOR for abroad studies helps validate candidates' academic and professional skills as they apply for advanced study programs, such as Master's, MBA, or Ph.D. True to its name, the letter is written in professional language and tonality and serves as a reference letter for the student.

What is a Professional LOR?

A professional LOR, as the name implies, refers to a professional Letter of Recommendation that generally the candidate’s employer (current or former) writes and shares with the university where the applicant has applied for a specific course.

References are of utmost significance in both academic and professional setups. They hold the potential to both push forward and pull back the candidate from the current offered position (at the study institution or an organisation for work). In addition, most universities abroad demand the submission of references (minimum two) from the applicants to validate their skills and professional experience in the chosen domain of study.

Who Can You Ask for a Professional LOR?

It is essential to understand here that a LOR cannot be written by just anyone who knows you or is an acquaintance. Similarly, LORs written by friends or family aren't acceptable by universities either. A professional LOR demanded by the university that you apply to must be shared by a professional.

In case you are a working student applying for advanced studies abroad, the professional LOR would most likely come from your current or past employer(s), who can throw light on your professional and personal character as well as your skills and abilities. You can also ask one of your colleagues or teammates with whom you share a good professional relationship to write a recommendation letter for you.

How to Write a Professional Letter of Recommendation to Study Abroad?

A Letter of Recommendation for studies abroad is a highly beneficial document, not just for the university it is submitted to but also for the applicant recommended in the letter. Therefore, a LOR is just as crucial as an SOP or Statement of Purpose. There are several ways that a LOR seems to benefit international students, some of which are:

1. Unlike an SOP that the candidates themselves write, a LOR is written by a third party. Therefore, it presents a more objective and fair picture of the applicant before the university, as presented by the recommender.

2. The study abroad recommendation letter highlights the candidate's core strengths and skills that may not be mentioned in their CV/Resume. Besides this, the LOR also talks objectively and professionally about the applicant's weaknesses or specific areas of improvement, if any.

3. The LOR is a perfect validation of your candidature for the university, lending support and uniqueness to your application and helping you stand out from the horde of other applications at the university.

As for the university where the LOR is submitted as part of the application process, the LOR serves equal significance. The reason for this is that the letter provides credibility to the candidate's application, letting the authorities know that the reference for the candidate comes from a person of high professional stature or designation. Such references hold high value primarily because they present an authentic and genuine persona of the applicant in the eyes of the selectors.

There are essentially two types of LORs that a recommender can write depending on the situation or the need for writing the letter:

1. Academic LOR: This is a Letter of Recommendation asked by the university or college that you have applied to for the study abroad program. This type of LOR is generally written by the student’s current or former professor or a member of the faculty at the study institution that they are attending or attended in the past.

2. Professional LOR: Most Master's-level or postgraduate courses abroad demand a letter of professional experience or certificate from the organisation that the student had worked for. This is a professional Letter of Recommendation that must be provided by the candidate's current/former employer, immediate supervisor/lead who had directly managed the applicant professionally. They would be able to share relevant information and feedback about the applicant's professional strengths and areas of concern in the LOR.

What is the Template / Format of a Professional Reference Letter?

A well-drafted Letter of Recommendation must be structured well and seamlessly contain all relevant information. It is best to follow a professional Letter of Recommendation template to ensure that your letter complies with all the standard guidelines for writing one:

1. Introduction of the recommender clearly stating their professional relationship with the student/applicant

2. Highlight academic achievements and professional milestones covered so far in the applicant's life journey

3. Description of the candidate's professional character and personality traits that bring out their strengths and core skills

4. Conclusion that strongly recommends the candidate as an ideal fit for the applied university

5. Name and designation of the recommender and their contact details

Tips and Guidelines for Writing a Professional Letter of Recommendation

Universities abroad receive numerous Letters of Recommendation from thousands of international students. It is, therefore, important that your LOR appears unique and stands out from the crowd. This can be made possible by quoting real-life specific examples and instances from your career trajectory. This way, the LOR would not seem generic and look more credible before the university authorities. In addition, some more guidelines can be kept in mind while drafting a LOR:

1. Make sure that you choose a recommender who knows you extremely well, professionally or academically, so that they can point out the exact strength areas where you excel at.

2. The recommender should be able to quote relevant and specific examples from the experience of working with you.

3. Maintain a positive, formal, and professional tonality throughout the letter.

4. A professional LOR is ideally within 700 words and should be covered in 4-5 short paragraphs.

Sample for a Professional LOR

A professional Letter of Recommendation needs to be structured and drafted well to be accepted as a credible source of reference for the candidate. Getting an idea from professional LOR samples can help you write one yourself. Below is a 'recommendation letter for a student to study abroad’ sample that will help you understand how to structure and write a reference letter.

Note: The sample shared below is for illustrative purposes only. Please avoid copying and using the sample as a professional LOR “as is”. Plagiarised documents are highly likely to be rejected at the applied university.

To whomsoever, it may concern,

I am immensely pleased to write this Letter of Recommendation for Atul Bhardwaj, who worked in my team as an Executive Assistant - Sales from May 2020 through Jan 2023. During this tenure, Atul came across as a highly sincere, dedicated, and thorough professional with impeccable knowledge of sales and marketing concepts and a drive to achieve targets.

Atul joined my team in 2020 and was responsible for meeting the monthly sales targets for the company. Watching him work zealously and enthusiastically and take the initiative in delivering projects beyond expectation was a delight. This was Atul's second job, and his application of the knowledge and skills gained in his first work experience could clearly be seen in his endeavours.

What struck me most about Atul's personality, in general, was his readiness to assume responsibility and any challenge that came by. The global lockdown phase in 2020 severely impacted sales worldwide, and our organisation sadly took the hit. However, Atul could be seen working hard to meet client targets and satisfy their expectations beyond demand. He indeed demonstrated that he is a valuable asset to not only the Sales team of our company but also the organisation in general.

I understand that his keen interest and passion in the field of sales have driven him to take a break in his career and go back to pursuing advanced sales and marketing studies to finetune his skills further. To pursue his dream and take the next step toward the pinnacle of success, Atul has applied for an MBA in Sales & Marketing from your esteemed institution. He wishes to know more and learn greater skills in the domain, which can be used to his and the company's advantage.

I can personally vouch for Atul and assure you of his consistent and continual performance throughout the year. His dedication and commitment to goals are what helps him stand out from the crowd. I am confident that Atul would be a valuable asset to any organisation or institution he becomes a part of. As a person, he has an extremely pleasing and positive personality that exuberates confidence. Moreover, another highly commendable trait that Atul possesses is his constant yearning for knowledge and learning, which helps him to keep upgrading his skills and abilities with time.

Skill upgrade is a vital and almost indispensable requisite in today's professional world. Therefore, I am pleased that Atul is prepared to handle work challenges in the sales and marketing domain by knowing exactly when and how to upgrade his knowledge base to perform and deliver better than the best.

On that note, I humbly request you to kindly consider Atul's application for MBA in Sales & Marketing. He has a hoard of knowledge and relevant skills required for sales professionals. His passion for marketing and promotions is genuinely enviable, and I am extremely confident that with the right attitude and degree under his collar, Atul will surely make a name for himself in the years to come.

If you wish to seek any more professional details regarding Atul's professional mannerisms and personality traits, please do not hesitate to contact me at the following address or number. I would be happy to offer any assistance in the matter.

Yours truly,

Rakesh Sharma
VP-Sales and Marketing
Axis Techologies, Inc.
Email:wwwww@axis.co.in
Tel: +91 xxxxx xxxxx

FAQs

What things should a professional LOR include?

A good and well-drafted LOR must contain the following key points:

1. The recommender’s relationship with the candidate, preferably in the introductory paragraph

2. Direct and key observations regarding the candidate's work experience, skills, knowledge, and execution of projects during their tenure in the organisation

3. The recommender’s judgment of the candidate’s personality and overall suitability for the applied position at the university

Is letterhead required for a professional LOR?

Yes, most universities abroad would accept a LOR printed on the organization's official letterhead where the recommender is currently employed. This helps lend credibility and validation to the document.

How long should a professional LOR be?

A professional Letter of Recommendation should ideally cover 4-5 short and crisp paragraphs and be done within 700 words.

What is the difference between an Academic and Professional Letter of Recommendation?

An Academic LOR highlights the academic accomplishments and milestones achieved by the student during the course of their educational journey. A Professional LOR talks specifically about the professional strength areas and skills that the candidate displayed during the tenure of their professional path.

Who is the best person to get a professional Letter of Recommendation from?

Your current or former manager/supervisor/lead is the ideal person to request a LOR from since they are precisely well-versed with their experiences of working with you in a professional capacity. However, in the absence of any of the above, you may also consider asking a colleague with whom you had a good and comfortable working relationship.

How many professional LORs are required when applying to international universities?

Several universities abroad expect a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 3 LORs from the student who aspires to pursue a professional course at the institution. Different recommenders can submit these LORs, each of which must appear unique.

Are professional LORs verified by universities?

It is clearly the university's prerogative whether it wishes to cross-verify the details shared by the recommender in the LOR. However, most universities take professional LORs at face value and do not get into the verification process.

Can I ask the Manager for a professional LOR?

You may ask your current or former Manager to write you a LOR. Make sure that you place the request politely.

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