Sample Letter of Reference
Prospective Employer:
I have known Kelly Jones through her work experience with our firm during the past summer, when she served as an Auditor Intern in our New York office.
Kelly became immediately involved in the annual audit of Zephyr Megalithic, conducting much of the initial accounting research required for the audit. In addition to gathering the detailed financial information, Kelly was instrumental in the development and presentation of the final certification report. Kelly also participated in several other smaller audits, including her instrumental role in the quarterly audit of Alpha Bank, where she developed several Excel macros to quickly audit various sample inputs. She later further developed these macros more broadly for use in future audits, which we have integrated into our Auditors Toolkit.
Kelly has shown the kind of initiative which is necessary to be successful over the long-term in the public accounting field. She has excellent forensic accounting skills, yet remains focused on the overall needs of serving our clients. I believe she will be a strong Auditor and has an excellent future in the public accounting field. She is a conscientious worker with a great work ethic. We would gladly have hired Kelly upon graduation if she were open to working in the New York City area.
I recommend Kelly to you without reservation. If you have any further questions with regard to her background or qualifications, please do not hesitate to call me.
Sincerely,
Terry Thompson
Terry Thompson
Partner-in-Charge
How to Use Letters of Recommendation
When asked by potential employers for references, give them your one-page reference list, complete with contact names, titles, companies/schools, addresses, and phone numbers. But your list should also be accompanied by the individual letters of recommendation that each reference has already given you. Many employers will actually forego formal reference checking when they have a letter of recommendation from a listed reference. Result? You have control of the reference check and it will shorten the hiring process.
You can also use the letter of recommendation as a "Show and Tell" item or as a leave behind at an interview, further reinforcing a positive image and setting you apart from the crowd.