Focus on writing: Reference

[jinx83]

Hi! what's up?

I was assigned this task -CAE course- and I'd you to give me some tips so as to cope with this task - vocabulary and layout would be great. Or, an example.

Task: Reference

An american company is opening a new English language school in your town. Someone you have known for a long time has applied for the job of receptionist at the school, and has asked you to write a character reference.
You should write a detailed reference, indicating how long and in what capacity you have know this person, and including relevant information about their abilities and personality, and why you would support their application.


Thanks in advanced

 

[Tdol]

First question- do we like the person, or are we going to write a foul reference? ;-)

 

[MikeNewYork]

Hi! what's up?

I was assigned this task -CAE course- and I'd you to give me some tips so as to cope with this task - vocabulary and layout would be great. Or, an example.

Task: Reference

An american company is opening a new English language school in your town. Someone you have known for a long time has applied for the job of receptionist at the school, and has asked you to write a character reference.
You should write a detailed reference, indicating how long and in what capacity you have know this person, and including relevant information about their abilities and personality, and why you would support their application.


Thanks in advanced

Think about what you know about this person and what you want to say. I would organize the letter this way, by paragraphs.

1. introduction, including the purpose of the letter, how long and how you know the candidate, and what the person is applying for

2. your knowledge of the person's skills that would make them suitable for the position (include examples if any)

3. your knowledge of the person's personality traits/qualities that would make them suitable for the position (include examples if any)

4. summary statements.

:wink:

 

[Tdol]

Choose a real person so that you can write convincingly. ;-)

 

[MikeNewYork]

Choose a real person so that you can write convincingly. ;-)

That's good advice. Hypothetical reference letters are tough. :?

 

[jinx83]

Thanks

Thanks a lot! :wink:

 

[MikeNewYork]

Re: Thanks

Thanks a lot! :wink:

You're very welcome.

 

[jinx83]

This is my task - Reference. Hope you help me.

Tom williams, has worked as a receptionist in my English School for five years that is why I am entitled to say he is really competent at this type of post. He entered the institution without having worked as a receptionist before, yet he managed to develop the basic skills for the position.
As regards his behavior and personal skills, Tom is a responsible, hard-working man; not only is he a good companion but also he is highly committed with his tasks and assignments.
Moreover, I was told from his previous employer that he was always setting himself high standards(unfortunately, sometimes are rather too high), making him highly efficient and constantly evolving, . It seems I have forgotten to comment some other activities he does, for example, he plays tennis on a regular basis and also he is at the point of taking up french lessons – nowadays languages are more and more useful in this competitive society, or to be more accurate in this working world.
As for his personal achievements, he has been studying english persistently since he was a kid ; also sat for the CAE ( Certificate in Advanced English) in which he got a grade A -actually he is taking a CPE course. At present, he is finishing his Business Administration career and also managing to cope with the GMAT – Graduate Management Admission Test- so as to apply in a foreign university ; in the meantime he is willing to get the position.
To sum up, I highly recommend him, to be frank, I absolutely believe you won’t regret this decision.



Jinx

2nd April, 2004

 

[RonBee]

This is my task - Reference. Hope you help me.

Say: "I hope you can help me."

Tom Williams, has worked as a receptionist in my English School for five years that is why I am entitled to say he is really competent at this type of post. He entered the institution without having worked as a receptionist before, yet he managed to develop the basic skills for the position.

Try:

• Tom Williams has worked as a receptionist at my English school for five years. I know him quite well. He is competent at his job. He is more than competent. He does the job exceedingly well. He entered the institution without having worked as a receptionist before, yet he managed to develop the basic skills for the position and excel at it.

As regards his behavior and personal skills, Tom is a responsible, hard-working man; not only is he a good companion but also he is highly committed with his tasks and assignments.

• Tom is responsible, energetic and hard-working. He does everything that is asked of him.

What do you think?

 

[RonBee]

Moreover, I was told from his previous employer that he was always setting himself high standards(unfortunately, sometimes are rather too high), making him highly efficient and constantly evolving, . It seems I have forgotten to comment some other activities he does, for example, he plays tennis on a regular basis and also he is at the point of taking up french lessons – nowadays languages are more and more useful in this competitive society, or to be more accurate in this working world.

• I was told by his previous employer that he was always setting himself high standards for himself. He is an efficient worker, and he never stops learning on the job. He is now taking French lessons--at least partly to help him in his future career.

I don't know how relevant it is what a previous employer said. Perhaps Mike can comment on that.

As for his personal achievements, he has been studying english persistently since he was a kid ; also sat for the CAE ( Certificate in Advanced English) in which he got a grade A -actually he is taking a CPE course. At present, he is finishing his Business Administration career and also managing to cope with the GMAT – Graduate Management Admission Test- so as to apply in a foreign university ; in the meantime he is willing to get the position.

• As for his personal achievements, he has been studying English since childhood. He sat for the CAE ( Certificate in Advanced English), and he got an "A" in it. Also, he is taking a CPE course. At present, he is finishing a course in business administration. Also, he is studying for the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) so he can apply for admission at a foreign university

.
Don't use "actually" unless you are contradicting in some way what came before.

To sum up, I highly recommend him, to be frank, I absolutely believe you won’t regret this decision.

I suggest:

• Tom Williams has been a valuable part of the team here, and we will be sorry to see him go. I am sure that you won't regret hiring him.

Perhaps Mike will have additional comments.

 

[jinx83]

Thaks a lot! :lol:

I've told writing was my weakest point!

 

[MikeNewYork]

Moreover, I was told from his previous employer that he was always setting himself high standards(unfortunately, sometimes are rather too high), making him highly efficient and constantly evolving, . It seems I have forgotten to comment some other activities he does, for example, he plays tennis on a regular basis and also he is at the point of taking up french lessons – nowadays languages are more and more useful in this competitive society, or to be more accurate in this working world.

• I was told by his previous employer that he was always setting himself high standards for himself. He is an efficient worker, and he never stops learning on the job. He is now taking French lessons--at least partly to help him in his future career.

I don't know how relevant it is what a previous employer said. Perhaps Mike can comment on that.

I think it is appropriate to include positive comments from another source. It makes the letter more personal and suggests that the writer has done a thorough job in researching the candidate. I agree with your deletion of the parenthetical negative spin on that comment. :wink:

 

[jinx83]

thanks again! I'm grateful, though I'm realising I won't be able to cope with the writing part.

See you!

 

[MikeNewYork]

thanks again! I'm grateful, though I'm realising I won't be able to cope with the writing part.

See you!

You're welcome.

Don't be discouraged. Keep writing and receiving corrections. Your writing will improve over time. :wink:

 

[RonBee]

Thaks a lot! :lol:

I've told writing was my weakest point!

You're welcome. Please look at this:

• I was told by his previous employer that he was always setting himself high standards for himself.

You don't need the first "himself" there. That was an error on my part.

 

[RonBee]

Moreover, I was told from his previous employer that he was always setting himself high standards(unfortunately, sometimes are rather too high), making him highly efficient and constantly evolving, . It seems I have forgotten to comment some other activities he does, for example, he plays tennis on a regular basis and also he is at the point of taking up french lessons – nowadays languages are more and more useful in this competitive society, or to be more accurate in this working world.

• I was told by his previous employer that he was always setting himself high standards for himself. He is an efficient worker, and he never stops learning on the job. He is now taking French lessons--at least partly to help him in his future career.

I don't know how relevant it is what a previous employer said. Perhaps Mike can comment on that.

I think it is appropriate to include positive comments from another source. It makes the letter more personal and suggests that the writer has done a thorough job in researching the candidate. I agree with your deletion of the parenthetical negative spin on that comment. :wink:

Thanks, Mike. You're probably right, since you know more about that kind of thing than I do. I do think that the longer a person has worked at his present (or most recent) job the less relevant becomes anything a previous employer might say. Also, anything relayed by a second party is not likely to be as accurate as something from the horse's mouth.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Moreover, I was told from his previous employer that he was always setting himself high standards(unfortunately, sometimes are rather too high), making him highly efficient and constantly evolving, . It seems I have forgotten to comment some other activities he does, for example, he plays tennis on a regular basis and also he is at the point of taking up french lessons – nowadays languages are more and more useful in this competitive society, or to be more accurate in this working world.

• I was told by his previous employer that he was always setting himself high standards for himself. He is an efficient worker, and he never stops learning on the job. He is now taking French lessons--at least partly to help him in his future career.

I don't know how relevant it is what a previous employer said. Perhaps Mike can comment on that.

I think it is appropriate to include positive comments from another source. It makes the letter more personal and suggests that the writer has done a thorough job in researching the candidate. I agree with your deletion of the parenthetical negative spin on that comment. :wink:

Thanks, Mike. You're probably right, since you know more about that kind of thing than I do. I do think that the longer a person has worked at his present (or most recent) job the less relevant becomes anything a previous employer might say. Also, anything relayed by a second party is not likely to be as accurate as something from the horse's mouth.

I agree with all of that, also. :wink: