Before you start writing a letter of recommendation for a friend, clarify the purpose of the letter itself. Is it for a job, graduate school, a volunteer position, or something else? Understanding the ...

Confirm you’re comfortable writing it. Politely declining is perfectly OK if you don’t feel you can write a strong or meaningful recommendation. It’s better to be honest than to provide a lukewarm ...

Shortly after becoming a full professor, I asked a colleague who had held that rank for years to name the greatest challenge she had faced in this ultimate chapter of faculty life. Her instant reply: ...

A compelling reference letter can be a decisive factor in the hiring process. The value of a strong recommendation cannot be overstated in today’s competitive job market. I’ve seen how a well-crafted ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. As the CEO of Command Education, I write about emotionally intelligent leadership and education. Summer internships provide ...

Johnny C. Taylor Jr. tackles your human resources questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest HR ...

Applications for research funding, graduate schools and some jobs require that you get someone familiar with your work to write a letter of recommendation. College professors are often inundated with ...

Letters of recommendation from your colleagues describe your professional traits and qualifications for a position. A glowing recommendation from the right person can cement a job offer. A poor one ...

Whether you’re applying for a job, school, internship, or even something as pedestrian as an apartment lease, there’s a good chance you’ll be asked for some sort of reference. So what’s the best way ...

You’ve been asked to give LinkedIn recommendations to former colleagues. The pressure is on: Unlike a traditional letter of reference shared with specific employers or hiring teams regarding a ...

Associate professor Stephen Wheeler of the Environmental Design department and Ph.D. candidate Jake Dialesandro talk in his office on January 7, 2020. (Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis) As you embark on your ...