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Recommendation form template

Ask a referee to rate and recommend a candidate in a standard format.

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How to make a recommendation form

  1. 1

    Check the questions: rename, add or delete any field, or change how it’s answered.

  2. 2

    Add your organisation’s name, a contact line and your logo if you like.

  3. 3

    Choose fillable PDF, printable PDF, Word or HTML, and the paper size.

  4. 4

    Download the recommendation form and share it, print it or add it to your website.

About this recommendation form

A recommendation form gives referees a structured way to recommend a candidate for a job, volunteer role, membership, award or program. Compared with a free-form letter, it makes references easier to compare, because every referee rates the same qualities.

The template asks how the referee knows the candidate, rates key qualities on a five-point scale, invites specific examples of strengths and any concerns, and ends with an overall recommendation and signature.

What’s on the recommendation form

The template has 4 sections and 17 questions. Every one can be renamed, moved or deleted.

  • Candidate: Candidate name; Applying for
  • Referee: Your name; Position and organisation; Phone; Email; How do you know the candidate?; For how long?
  • Ratings: Reliability (rated Poor to Outstanding); Skills and knowledge (rated Poor to Outstanding); Communication (rated Poor to Outstanding); Teamwork (rated Poor to Outstanding); Integrity (rated Poor to Outstanding)
  • Your recommendation: Main strengths, with examples; Any concerns or areas for development; Overall (choose one: Highly recommend, Recommend, Recommend with reservations, Do not recommend); Referee signature with date

Tips

  • Send the form with the role description so referees know what to comment on.
  • Give referees a deadline in the instructions box.
  • For school and university applications, the student recommendation form rates academic qualities.

Four ways to save it

A fillable PDF has typing boxes, tick boxes and choices built in. A printable PDF gives clean boxes and writing lines for pen and paper. The Word file can be edited further, and the HTML code adds the same questions to a website. Browse more form templates, or design a completely different layout in the custom form builder.

Frequently asked questions

Should the candidate see the recommendation?

Confidential references are usually returned directly by the referee. Say how to return the form in the instructions, for example “Please email it directly to…”.

Can a referee type into the form?

Yes. Send the fillable PDF; the referee types, saves and emails it back, or prints and signs it.

Can I get the recommendation form as a Word document?

Yes. Choose “Word” under “Save as” to download a .docx file you can keep editing in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice.

Can people fill in this recommendation form on a phone?

Yes. Choose “Fillable PDF” and send the file. It opens in the Files or Drive app on Android, Files on iPhone, and any browser on a computer, where people can type their answers and save the result.

Can I change the questions on the recommendation form?

Yes. Rename any question, change its answer type (short answer, tick boxes, rating, table and more), move it, or delete it. You can also add whole new sections.

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