Write a reference or recommendation letter
A specific, credible reference for a colleague, employee, or student.
The prompt
Help me write a reference letter.
Person: [NAME, their role, how long and in what capacity I've known them]
For: [job / university / scholarship / award — include the role or program]
My role: [my title and relationship to them]
Their strengths, with examples: [specific projects, results, behaviors]
Anything I should address honestly: [e.g. a short tenure, a skill gap]
Format and length: [letter / email / form answers; word limit]
Write a letter that:
- States the relationship and context in the first paragraph.
- Supports each strength with a concrete example or result from my notes — no generic adjectives without evidence.
- Ties their strengths to what this role or program needs.
- Ends with a clear level of endorsement and my contact details.
Use only what I've provided. Mark anything you need me to confirm as [CONFIRM].
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Email & Workplace Communication prompts
What to fill in
- my title and relationship to them
- specific projects, results, behaviors
- e.g. a short tenure, a skill gap
- letter / email / form answers; word limit
- CONFIRM
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RTF structure (Role, Task, Format). RTF tells the model who to be, what to do and what shape the answer should take. It is the quickest structure that still gives noticeably better results than a bare request.
Related prompts
- Write a word-for-word script for a difficult conversationA word-for-word conversation script with opening lines, key questions, and phrases to avoid so you stay direct without being harsh.
- Write a clear email for any situationDrafts a concise email with the right tone, a clear ask, and a strong subject line.
- Ask for a referral, recommendation, or introductionMakes it easy for someone to say yes to a referral, LinkedIn recommendation, or warm introduction.
- Triage my inbox and draft quick repliesSorts a batch of emails by priority and drafts short replies so you can clear your inbox fast.