How to write a work experience letter
A work experience letter is a great way to make your job application stand out, by providing proof of your professional abilities. By including a letter of work experience in your application, hiring managers can see that you have relevant experience for the role.
In this guide, we cover everything you need to know about providing a letter of work experience, including exactly what it entails, its purpose, and how to write one.
What is a work experience letter?
A work experience letter is a formal document written by a former employer that confirms your job title, how long you held the role, and your main responsibilities, and potentially the traits you exhibited during that time. For example, your most recent employer may confirm you worked as an administration clerk for five years, outline your duties in that role, and include any notable achievements.
This letter is in addition to your resumé and cover letter, which give the hiring manager an overview of your work experience and skills. An experience letter from employer provides an official statement that confirms this information. If your reference person agrees to it, they can tailor your work experience letter to answer the criteria of each job application.
What is the purpose of a work experience letter?
The purpose of a work experience letter is to provide official documentation of your skills and experience gained with a previous employer. It reaffirms what you’ve said about your work experience and skills on your resumé and in your cover letter. While it’s not essential to include one when you apply for a job, a work experience letter from employer can strengthen your application and make you stand out.
Who should write my letter of work experience?
A letter of experience should ideally be written by your most recent employer. The person should have first-hand knowledge of your work experience and be able to accurately describe your work responsibilities, professional strengths and accomplishments. If you can’t ask your previous manager, consider asking a former or current colleague, or someone in a senior role at your last company. If you only want confirmation of your role and duties, a human resources manager may be able to provide that.
How to write a work experience letter
If your previous manager or employer hasn’t written a work experience letter before, use these tips to help guide them on a good work experience letter format.
Use a corporate letterhead
Your referee should use the company’s official letterhead and lay out the letter neatly. This lends credibility and builds trust, as well as making a professional impression.
Include date of issuance
Ask your referee to date the work experience letter they write for you, as it is an official document. It can be written as DD/MM/YYYY or Day Month, Year. For example: 24/7/2024 or 24 July, 2024.
Include the full name of the employee and designation
The first line of your experience letter should include your first and last name, as well as your job title and how long you were in the role. For example, your current or former employer may write:
I am writing to confirm Mikael Novac was a builder for ABC Construction from January 2020 to March 2024.
Describe the employee’s achievements
One of the most important parts of your letter is the description of your responsibilities, abilities, achievements and desirable personal qualities. Your old boss should describe what you did in your role and include any impressive results you achieved and where you exceeded expectations. If there are specific traits you’re listing on your resumé or desirable skills the job ad lists, you should give these to your referee to include in their letter.
Include positive comments
Ideally, your work experience letter should be as positive and professional as possible. This is why carefully choosing your referee is important. They should be someone who has spoken favourably about you in the past and can write positively about what you brought to the role. If they praised you for something specific in the past, suggest they mention it in their letter.
Add a signature line
The last thing on the letter should be your referee’s signature. After their sign off (such as Regards, Yours sincerely, etc.), they should include their full name and their position in the company. The more senior the person is, the stronger the letter of experience will be.
Work experience letter template
This work experience letter sample gives you an idea of what yours should look like, and can be a useful guide for your referee.
[Date]
Dear hiring manager,
I am writing to confirm [your name] was employed at [company name] between [date] and [date] as a [job title]. Having worked with [your first name] for [length of working relationship] I can attest to their ability to [list of core responsibilities and skills].
It is my personal opinion that [your first name] would be a great addition to any team looking for someone who can [main desirable skills of job]. In their time, they went above and beyond in everything they did, especially [main strengths].
If you have any questions about [your first name]’s time at [company name], you’re welcome to contact me on [their details].
Sincerely,
[Their full name]
[Job title]
Work experience letter example
1 January 2024
Dear Hiring Team,
I am writing to confirm Darshini Archarya’s employment as a Sales Analyst at Beyond The Data between 3 December 2019 to 17 March 2023. Having worked with Archie in my role of sales manager for more than three years, I can strongly recommend his skills in analysing sales data to drive performance, including utilising SALES software to collect data, maintain records, and present reports to senior stakeholders.
It is my personal opinion that Archie would be a great addition to any team looking to boost their technology sales. Aside from exceeding my expectations regarding his job role, he has always been happy to take on any ad-hoc tasks, and shown flexibility and adaptability with additional requests.
If you have any questions about Archie’s time here, you’re more than welcome to reach out to me at [email protected].
Yours sincerely,
Debbie Tanner
Sales Manager
A work experience letter is a great way to strengthen your job application. It’s a confirmation from a past colleague of the experience and skills listed on your resumé. For a hiring manager reading through job applications, it builds trust and provides deeper insight into your past roles, increasing your chance of an interview if you have the skills they’re looking for.
FAQs
Is a letter of work experience the same as a reference?
A work experience letter is slightly different from a reference. An experience letter is a statement from a current or former employer confirming you worked for them, the length of your role, and the details of your responsibilities. A reference letter is more like a personal recommendation of you as a worker.
What to write in a work experience letter?
You should include a confirmation of place of work and length of service in a work experience letter, as well as main duties and responsibilities. Using a work experience letter sample as above is a good place to start.
Do I always need a letter of work experience with my job application?
While you should also include your resumé and a cover letter in your job application, you don’t always need a letter of work experience. Most workplaces will ask for references to check instead. But a work experience reference letter can help you stand out and might streamline the process.
Whom should I ask to write my letter of work experience?
You should ask a current or previous employer for a letter of work experience. Having a letter of experience from an employer, human resources or a manager will help confirm the details on your resumé.
How far back should my work experience letter go?
Your work experience letter should ideally be from your most recent employer. There’s no need to include experience letters for work you did more than five years ago, unless they are especially relevant to the job application.
What if I don't have a great relationship with my previous employer?
If you don’t have a great relationship with your previous employer, you can still ask for a letter of experience confirming your employment, time with the company, and main duties. You can ask any previous employer for a work experience letter if you would prefer not to contact your most recent employer.
Should I mention my reason for leaving a previous job in the letter?
You should not mention your reasons for leaving a previous job in a work experience letter or application letter.
How long should a letter of work experience be?
A letter of work experience should be no more than one page. Ideally, it will be approximately 250 words.
Can I use the same letter of work experience for multiple applications?
Yes, you can use the same letter of work experience for multiple applications if it’s relevant to each job.
What format should I use for a letter of work experience?
The format you should use for a letter of work experience includes:
The date of writing the letter
A professional salutation
An introduction of the employee, their time worked in what role and their responsibilities
A description of the employee’s strengths and skills
A sign off
The referee’s full name, title and company
Is it okay to include information from my resumé in my letter of work experience?
Your letter of work experience should confirm the information on your resumé. For example, your letter of work experience should confirm your last place of work, your job title, the length of time you held the job and your main responsibilities.