A letter of recommendation (LOR) is written by someone who knows the candidate well, such as a professor, supervisor, mentor, or colleague. The letter is usually written to support the candidate's application for a job, college, or graduate school program.

The letter typically includes information about the writer's relationship with the candidate, specific examples of the candidate's skills and achievements, an assessment of the candidate's character, a comparison of the candidate to others in their field, and a clear and positive endorsement of the candidate's qualifications and suitability for the program.

Recommendation letters are an important part of the application process, as they provide the admissions committee with insight into the candidate's qualifications and potential for success in the program. They can also help to differentiate the candidate from other applicants and provide additional information about the candidate's skills and achievements that may be excluded from other parts of the application.

Detailed information about your relationship

When including detailed information about your relationship in a recommendation letter, it is important to include the following:

1. How you know the writer: Explain how you met the writer and in what capacity you know them (e.g. as a professor, supervisor, mentor, etc.).
2. Length of your relationship: Provide information on how long you have known the writer. This will give the admissions committee a sense of the depth and duration of your relationship.
3. Nature of your relationship: Describe your relationship and how you have interacted with the writer. For example, if the writer is a professor, explain how often you interacted with them (e.g. in class, during office hours, research project, etc.) and how you have interacted with them (e.g. as a student, research assistant, etc.).
4. Professional context: Provide information about the professional context in which you know the writer. For example, if the writer is a supervisor, explain the company or organisation where you worked together, your roles and responsibilities and the projects you worked on.
5. Specific interactions: Mention specific interactions or events that stand out in your relationship, such as a project you worked on, a presentation you gave, or a particularly impactful conversation.

This information will give the admissions committee a clear understanding of your relationship with the writer, and how they can speak to your qualifications and potential as a candidate.

Specific examples of your skills and achievements:

When providing specific examples of your skills and achievements in a recommendation letter, it is important to:

1. Be specific and quantitative: Provide concrete examples of your skills and achievements, and quantify them where possible. For example, instead of saying, "John is a hard worker," say, "John consistently exceeded his sales targets by 20%."
2. Use anecdotes: Use anecdotes or stories to illustrate your skills and achievements. This will help the admissions committee understand how you have applied your skills in real-world settings and make your letter more engaging.
3. Relate to the program: Relate your skills and achievements to the program you are applying to. For example, if you are applying to a business school, mention any leadership roles you have held in your previous job or extracurricular activities.
4. Highlight relevant experience: Highlight any relevant experience you have that is related to the program you are applying to. For example, if you are applying to a technology program, mention any experience with programming languages or software development.
5. Show growth: Include examples of how you have grown and developed your skills and achievements. This will help the admissions committee understand your potential for future growth and development in their program.

Providing specific examples of your skills and achievements will help the admissions committee understand how you have applied your knowledge and skills in the past and how you can contribute to the program in the future.

Nature of your relationship:

When describing the nature of your relationship in a recommendation letter, it is important to:

1. Describe the context of your interactions: Explain how you interacted with the writer, such as in a class, a research project, or a work setting.
2. Highlight the frequency of your interactions: Describe how often you interacted with the writer, such as daily, weekly, or occasionally.
3. Explain the level of the writer's involvement in your work: Describe the level of the writer's involvement in your work, such as whether they were a mentor, supervisor, or a colleague.
4. Describe the level of trust and support the writer has in you: Mention the level of trust and support the writer has in you; this can help the admissions committee understand the level of confidence the writer has in your abilities.
5. Use positive language: Use positive language to describe the nature of your relationship. This will help the admissions committee understand the positive impact the writer has had on your personal and professional development.

Providing information about the nature of your relationship with the writer will give the admissions committee a sense of the context in which you interacted with the writer, how often and how deeply, and the level of support and trust the writer has in you. This information can be useful for the committee to understand your qualifications and potential as a candidate.

Highlight relevant experience

When highlighting relevant experience in a recommendation letter, it is important to:

1. Tailor your experience to the program: Make sure to highlight an experience relevant to the program you are applying to. For example, if you are applying to a business school, mention any leadership roles you have held in your previous job or extracurricular activities.
2. Provide specific examples: Provide specific examples of relevant experience, including specific projects or responsibilities, and explain how they have prepared you for the program.
3. Use quantifiable data: Use quantifiable data such as statistics, numbers and figures to demonstrate your experience and its impact.
4. Show transferable skills: Show how your relevant experience has developed transferable skills that can be applied to the program you are applying to.
5. Show your achievements: Highlight any achievements or accomplishments you have made in your relevant experience that demonstrate your qualifications and potential for success in the program.

Highlighting relevant experience in a recommendation letter can help the admissions committee understand how your past experiences have prepared you for the program and how you can contribute with your skills and experience. This can be especially beneficial if you have limited or no experience in the field of the program.

Use positive language

When using positive language in a recommendation letter, it is important to:

1. Use strong and enthusiastic language: Use strong and enthusiastic language to describe the candidate's skills, achievements, and character. This will help the admissions committee understand the writer's enthusiasm for the candidate and confidence in their ability to succeed in the program.
2. Use specific adjectives: Use specific adjectives to describe the candidate's skills, achievements and character. For example, instead of saying that a candidate is "good" or "capable", use words such as "outstanding", "exceptional", or "superior" to describe their skills and achievements.
3. Avoid negative language: Avoid using negative language or comparisons to other candidates. This can undermine the letter's credibility and may reflect poorly on the candidate.
4. Use active voice: Use active voice when describing the candidate's skills, achievements and character. This will make the letter more dynamic and engaging to read.
5. Highlight the candidate's best qualities: Highlight their best qualities, such as their work ethic, leadership abilities, and professionalism. This will help the admissions committee understand the candidate's potential for success in the program.

Using positive language in a recommendation letter can help the admissions committee understand the writer's enthusiasm for the candidate and confidence in their ability to succeed in the program. Positive language can also help the admissions committee understand the candidate's potential for success in the program and their best qualities.