While all of the above items are necessary for an impressive letter of recommendation, many experts believe these three elements are the most important: An authoritative, familiar letter writer: For a compelling letter of recommendation, choose someone of authority — a professor or former manager, for example, over a friend or colleague — who knows you very well. The more they can speak to your strengths and skills, the higher your chances are of finding success. A personal anecdote: Reading about reliable, hardworking, and friendly candidates can get old after a while, which can lead to feelings of déjà vu for the hiring manager. But if your letter of recommendation has a specific example or two citing why you’re reliable, hardworking, or friendly — perhaps you frequently cover shifts for colleagues in need or single-handedly devised and executed a plan to cut down your customer service wait times — your application may rise to the top. A cheat sheet: At the end of the day, no one knows you better than you know yourself, so it’s important to provide your letter writer with a rundown of your level of education and professional accomplishments. Not only will this short statement help them highlight specific elements you’d like to include — ones that best align with the job or school you’re applying for — but it can also help jog their memory to a specific time that you demonstrated your listed qualities.