The employment world of today is competitive like it has never been competitive before. Employers have a choice – they can bring on board people, carefully chosen from a huge pool of candidates and think nothing of the ones that haven’t been hired. It is the norm. Unfortunately, this does not give much confidence to qualified candidates who probably know the job better than the ones who have been hired.
A lot of emphasis is placed on writing the best possible resume and cover letter. Not enough is placed on the reference letters that play a crucial part in getting candidates the jobs that they desire so much. If you don’t have references to vouch for all that you have written in a cover letter and resume, you might not be considered a great hiring option even if you are one.
When you ask an old employer, teacher or friend for a reference letter, they will always ask what you would like written. You must provide valid information to them – about your skills and how you have used them to benefit the company. Remind the writer how great you are. Talk about incidents when you came out shining. Employers are generally very busy people and cannot be expected to remember everything about a candidate. Help them.
The rest is up to the employer. He or she will now use this information to write things about you – all good things of course! And you have the reference letter that you need!
Here is an example of one for a registered nurse position:
Registered Nurse Reference Letter Sample
August 27, 2015
To Whom It May Concern
I am writing to today to recommend Selena Thompson who has worked as a registered nurse under my supervision at Henry Ford Health System since December 2011. Over the years, I have had the pleasure of observing this young woman blossom into a focused, self-assured healthcare professional who aspires a career in both clinical and hospital settings.
Inherent compassion, love for her work and the deep knowledge of nursing practices is what has made Selena an excellent addition to the Henry Ford Health System since the time she joined the facility. Over the years, she has demonstrated proficiency by exhibiting skills and competencies in patient care, nursing processes and behavioral treatment. She would now like to pursue a career in oncological nursing which I believe she will be able to ace without much effort.
She is an individual with strong convictions tempered by good judgement and reason. I am confident that she will be an asset to any facility as she is to Henry Ford Health System. Please do give her your most thoughtful consideration.
Sincerely,
(Signature)
Irma Polish
Nurse Manager
Henry Ford Health System
20 Windward Circle
Spring, TX 18293
(000) 999-0987
irma @ email . com