Professional work referral letters to colleagues
In any business or profession, good working relationships are a major part of your career. People share information for mutual benefit. Referring colleagues to job opportunities is part of that process.
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A work referral letter is a letter which suggests a job for a colleague or business associate. In many cases, the referral is for a job passed on to a colleague by someone unable to do the job themselves for some reason.
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These referrals are also a common feature in good business networks, where members cross reference information about opportunities to each other.
The quality of the referral is an obvious issue here.
You need to be referring good quality leads to people. (This is an ethical, as well as a professional, obligation.) That means you're thoroughly familiar with both their needs, and the needs of the client, before referring the job.
You also need to check the referral to make sure it's something the colleague would want to do and is able to do, given the chance.
When writing a referral letter:
Spell out all information.
Explain the requirements of the work.
Make sure all contact information is correct.
Check currency of information about the job.
Although this is a business letter, it tends to be written in a more personal and far less formal style. The example here is based on a referral for services by a professional writer.
Example:
(Personal or business letterhead)
Addressee
Contacts
Dear…
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I've just been offered a job writing sports feature articles by a local paper, and I'm currently snowed under with work. I think this job matches well with your long experience in this area.
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I've spoken to the paper's sports editor, and they're in a hurry to get started.
I suggested you as the best option to fill the position, and gave her some background on your behalf.
Please contact esomeone@gmail.com for details. You'll find them pretty efficient, and you won't have to wait forever for a reply.
Regards
Sign
Date
Disclaimer
Please note:
- This text is intended for advisory and guideline purposes only.
- Any business letter can become a legal document, so check your content properly before issuing.
- Any executable or statutorily defined document should be checked for compliance with legal requirements, and you should seek legal advice regarding its contents.
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Business Letters 
