Part of being in a management position is being asked to write a letter of reference for an employee. Whether you think the employee is good or bad isn’t as important as your ability to connect their skills with the position they are now seeking.

There are a few things you have to remember in order to be effective in writing recommendation letters. The most important of which is that this is a favor on your part, the employee has to do the majority or the work or you shouldn’t be writing the letter.

Here are 5 tips on how to write a letter of reference for an employee.

Tip #1 – Don’t write it if they don’t deserve it
Don’t waste your time, or the employee’s time writing a letter for someone you wouldn’t reccomend. Be honest with the employee and you will save yourself time and trouble. Don’t think its a generous thing to do, afterall your name and your company name is attached to this letter and it will effect your reputation.

Tip#2 – Identify yourself in the first paragraph
An effective letter of recommendation doesn’t rely on the title after your signature to give it weight, your first paragraph should explain who you are and what is your relationship to the employee. If you have a title such as “Director” or “Manager,” make sure you briefly outline your responsibilities in regards to managing the employee too. This helps to establish your credibility.

Tip #3 – Write to a specific job
This is the one that most managers miss. An effective recommendation letter is written to support a candidate for a specific job. You should have awareness of the job qualifications needed because your employee should have given them to you. Don’t do that research yourself, that is something the employee should do to evidence their seriousness.

Tip #4 – Be concrete, and then project
Start with concrete references to skills and employment history as they relate to the qualifications needed for the new position. Once you have drawn a clear and concise image of why the employee has proven they are a good match for the position – start to project. It is in the projection that you can speak of what kind of person you found the employee to be. Talk of their drive, curiosity, ability to work together with others and organizational skills.

Tip #5 – End by explaining why you aren’t trying to keep them
This could be as simple as stating that you don’t have a position to move the employee too, or that their prospects for growing their career in a certain position don’t match what your company has to offer. Be clear about why you aren’t motivated to keep them. State that they asked you to create the letter and that you are providing it as a professional courtesy.

Writing a professional letter of reference for an employee not only helps you to help them with their career, but it can play an important role in defining the dynamics in your office. It brings closure and establishes an environment of respect that other employees will respond to. Be selective with who you will write for, but write well when you choose.