Example of a Personal Business Letter Reference initials are only used in this situation; if you typed the letter yourself, they are unnecessary. For example, Mr. John H. Tucker referred my inquiry about job opportunities with his company. Reference letters are used when writing to people who are not your direct supervisors or managers. They can be used when applying for jobs, reporting problems with services, requesting information from agencies, and making other general inquiries - usually to employees of companies. You should always send copies of reference letters to their recipients. The purpose of including reference letters is so that these others people will comment on your work performance, whether you were a good employee, and how much you deserve to be paid. Some companies may even include samples of your writing as part of your application package. The more references you provide, the better because it shows that you have people who can write recommendations for you. References are important tools for employers to use in making hiring decisions. Without them, an applicant would not be able to tell them how he or she was rated by previous supervisors or colleagues. References also help applicants understand what kind of job they are likely to get in return for their application materials.