An essential part of household staff employees’ portfolios are letters of recommendation from their former employers. Strong letters of recommendation help the employee demonstrate their abilities to prospective future employers. The written letters also serve as professional references for potential employers.

Why should you write a letter of recommendation?

When the time comes for your nanny, butler, maid, personal chef, personal assistant, or other household staff to depart, we strongly recommend you write a recommendation for the employee when they are leaving your family on good terms.

For example, your children are now grown and no longer require a nanny. However, your nanny needs to find a new family with young children. If you agree to write a recommendation for your nanny, it can help prospective families feel comfortable with her and her abilities based on your written recommendation.

What should you include in a letter of recommendation?

Tips for writing a good letter of recommendation follow a specific letter format, as follows:

Introduction

Use a general introduction at the start of your letter like Dear Family or Dear Madame or Sir. You should avoid using To Whom It May Concern, as it sounds less formal.

Details About Employment 

Next, cover details about their employment and time with your family. You should stick to the facts and avoid over-embellishing in this section. You should include:

• Dates of Employment – Write when the employee started with your family and the date their employment ended. You may also include whether the employee was live-in or live-out here.
• Details of Employment – You should include specific details about their employment that are relevant. For example, when writing a letter of recommendation for a nanny, include the ages of your children when the nanny started and their ages now. Make sure to mention any special needs your children have and how your nanny addressed these.
• Brief Job Description – Include a brief description of all the job responsibilities and duties your household employee performed for you and your family. For instance, if they prepared meals, did housekeeping, ran errands, planned parties, and so on, make sure to include it here. This will help potential employers get a better understanding of their particular talents, skills, and abilities.

2 to 4 Areas Where the Employee Excelled

This section provides specific examples in different areas where the employee excelled or went above and beyond their expected job duties. For instance, the employee never called out sick and always began work on time, as scheduled. You can also share specific traits that stood out, such as your nanny had a very energetic disposition that was contagious and put a smile on everyone’s face. Make sure to provide examples when relevant.

Reason Employment Ended 

You should include the reason why employment with your household has ended. You do not have to get into specifics about the reasons why, but just provide a brief description of why the employment ended.

This section of the letter of recommendation allows you to include any final thoughts about the employee. For instance, how much you and your family will miss them, whether they were a good fit that meets your needs and expectations, and whether you would rehire them.

Your Contact Information 

You should write down your contact information and details in case a future potential employer wants to contact you and verify the employment reference or has specific questions about the employee.

Closing 

Use a general closing, such as Sincerely, at the end of the letter. Make sure to sign your name and date the letter. If you are typing the letter of recommendation, leave space between the closing and your name for your signature.

How long should a letter of recommendation be?

Unlike a cover letter that should be limited to a single page, a letter of recommendation can be as long as you need it to be. Your objective is to provide an overview of your household employee, their skills and abilities, and how much you appreciated their service to your family and household. So, if you need two, three, or more pages to cover everything, that is perfectly acceptable.

How does a letter of recommendation help others?

A letter of recommendation helps potential employers get to know your employee better because it provides them with your perspective. In addition, it can help them to consider hiring the person you are recommending as they narrow down their list of potential candidates for the position.

Furthermore, a strong letter of recommendation can help your former employee stand out among other candidates. Plus, your letter helps assess and verify the person’s job skills, abilities, and responsibilities.

Getting Help Filling Household Staffing Position

If you need to fill household staffing positions, Staffing at Tiffanie’s can help. We perform a comprehensive background check and screening process on each of our job candidates. In addition, we work with you to help narrow down the potential employees to those that fit best with your needs and objectives.

We also provide you with letters of recommendation prior to arranging interviews to further help you get to know the candidates. To learn more or for further information about our household staffing process, please feel free to contact us at 866-484-5550 today!