How to write a letter of recommendation with AI
Use ChatGPT, Claude, Grok or Gemini to write a specific, honest letter of recommendation for a job, college or scholarship: gather examples, draft, and check it.
Every prompt organized by task, ready to print or keep offline. Launch week: $5 (reg. $7) through with code LAUNCH5 (applied automatically). 30-day refund.
Get the full pack for $5 (reg. $7) →Someone asked you for a letter of recommendation and you want it to help them. The hard part isn't the writing. It's remembering specific examples and fitting them to what the reader cares about. AI is good at organizing that, as long as every fact comes from you.
Ask the candidate for the right material
Before you open a chatbot, ask the person for: the job, program or scholarship description, their resume, the deadline and how to submit, and 2 or 3 things they'd like you to highlight. AI can write the request for you:
Write a short, friendly message to [name], who asked me for a recommendation letter for [job/program].
Ask them to send: the posting or program description, their current resume, the deadline and submission method, and 2-3 strengths or projects they'd like me to mention.
Under 100 words.List your own specific examples
I'm writing a recommendation for [name]. I was their [manager/teacher/coach] at [place] for [time].
Interview me one question at a time to collect specific examples: a project they led, a problem they solved, how they work with others, and how they compare with others I've worked with.
After 6 questions, list the examples I gave, in my words. Don't add anything I didn't say.Specific beats glowing. "She rebuilt our scheduling system and cut missed appointments" says more than "she is a hard worker". Only include numbers you actually know.
Draft the letter
Write a recommendation letter for [name] for [job/program], using only the examples below and this description of what they're looking for: [paste posting].
Structure: who I am and how I know them (2 sentences), 2-3 paragraphs each built on one example tied to a requirement in the posting, a clear closing recommendation, my contact details placeholder.
About 300-400 words, warm and professional, no clichés, no invented facts, dates or achievements.
Examples: [paste list]Make it sound like you and check it
Review this letter. Flag: any sentence that's generic and could describe anyone, any claim not supported by my examples, and anything that could be read as faint praise.
Then rewrite the weakest paragraph more specifically. Match my tone from this email I wrote: [paste sample].Read the final version yourself and check names, titles and dates. Some schools and employers ask you to confirm you wrote the letter yourself or have rules about AI, so follow the submission instructions. For tailoring the candidate's own documents, see our resume and cover letter guide.
Need to send it by email? See how to write and reply to emails faster with AI.
Every prompt organized by task, ready to print or keep offline. Launch week: $5 (reg. $7) through with code LAUNCH5 (applied automatically). 30-day refund.
Get the full pack for $5 (reg. $7) →Frequently asked questions
Is it okay to use AI to write a recommendation letter?
Using AI to organize and polish your own examples is common, but the opinions and facts must be yours. Follow any rules the school or employer sets about AI.
How long should a letter of recommendation be?
Often about one page, roughly 300 to 400 words, unless the program gives a limit.
What makes a recommendation letter strong?
Specific examples tied to what the reader is looking for, an honest comparison with peers, and a clear closing recommendation.
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