Writing a Software Developer Recommendation Letter

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Laura Schneider is a freelance writer who wrote about technology career paths for The Balance Careers.

If you've never written a recommendation letter for a software developer, you may need some tips. Let the sample reference letter below be your guide. As you'll see from reading the letter, the key is to highlight the job applicant's strengths. Why is the person a good worker? What can you say about both the job candidate's professional expertise and qualities as a person? Why should a company want the applicant on its team?

Sample Reference Letter

While most companies don't require reference letters to be on company letterhead, writing the reference on letterhead may make you seem more credible to a prospective employer, so opt for letterhead over writing the recommendation on a blank piece of paper. You should address the employer (or university or organization) as shown below.

This is an example of a reference letter for a software developer. Download the software developer recommendation letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Sample Reference Letter (Text Version)

Paul Rodriguez
123 Main Street
Anytown, CA 12345
555-555-5555
paul.rodriguez@email.com

September 1, 2018

Jason Lee
Director, Human Resources
Acme Software
123 Business Rd.
Business City, NY 54321

Joe Employee worked for me as a software developer from Sept.1, 2012 to March 23, 2018. Like all developers, he wrote code for computer software. His responsibilities included requirements gathering, analysis and design of complex Web applications using a variety of technologies.

During the course of his employment, Joe proved himself to be a dependable employee and a hard worker with solid problem solving and technical skills. I was always impressed by Joe’s ability to complete the work assigned to him on time. Joe not only met deadlines but also explains his programs in a way that non-experts can easily understand. This skill came in handy when he presented his programs to clients who weren't particularly tech savvy.

Joe takes his work very seriously and regularly enrolled in classes to stay abreast of the newest developments in programming. He also traveled to conferences across the country for this purpose. His ongoing professional development courses and trips helped him to easily learn new techniques and perform complex tasks the first time around. Although Joe is a fast-learner, he is very careful and cautious about his work. That means he repeatedly runs checks on his programs (and others) before making them public to ensure there aren't any hiccups. His quick thinking and cautious personality has helped the company avoid some costly and embarrassing mistakes.

Joe would be an asset to have on any team. To say he's a team leader would be an understatement. during his tenure at our company, he's gone out of his way to welcome newcomers and resolve any problems they might have. He pitches innovative ideas at company meetings but also listens to what others have to say, including constructive criticism. When budgetary constraints limited the work our company could complete, Joe put his highly creative mind to use to come up with alternatives.

Overall, Joe is a talented, hard-working employee, and I am sad to see him leave. But your company offers him an opportunity for career growth that we simply can't provide him here. I strongly recommend Joe for any mid-level development position. And with the right guidance and training, I have no doubt Joe could excel in an upper-level development position. He's simply that good.