How to write a letter to ceo sample

By now you’ve probably learned that a well-written cover letter will complement your resume and increase your chances of getting the job.

It will also introduce the recruiter to your strengths and your capacity to handle challenges.

In short - it will make them want to learn more about you!

Check out our guide on what your cover letter should include for some additional inspiration.

Now it’s time to move on to what you actually came for – our professional tips and examples that will help you write a memorable cover letter and land an interview.

Stand out with a strong introduction and an appropriate salutation

It’s always better to address your cover letter to a specific person. This shows that you’ve taken the time to research who the hiring manager might be and that you’re attentive to detail.

However, in case you don’t know the recruiter’s name, you can go for traditional gender-neutral salutations.

Here are some of our suggestions:

• Dear Mr. John
• Dear Ms. Petersen
• Dear Hiring Manager
• Dear Dr. Todd
• Dear Head of [team you're applying for]

A noteworthy introduction is what will grab the reader by the collar and make them want to get to know you better.

But what’s the best way to begin your cover letter? Highlighting your excitement about the position!

Be honest and original – this will get you remembered. You can even link your excitement to the reasons why you’d like to grow in this exact field.

Don't skip on your CEO soft and hard skills

The resume is the place to list all your hard skills. The CEO cover letter, on the other hand, is the ideal place to emphasize your soft skills and link them to your achievements.

Think about times when your skills have helped you achieve certain goals that seemed too difficult. And don’t worry about admitting some of your weak sides – this is a great way to show recruiters your potential and ability to grow, both professionally and personally.

Looking at the specific job posting requirements could also give you insight on what skills should be included in your resume by all means. This will help you pass applicant tracking systems (ATS) that screen cover letters for keywords before passing them on to recruiters.

Show that you know the company and its problems well

Showing that you’ve researched the company and are excited to become part of its team is definitely one of the best ways to prove you're a strong candidate.

Recruiters want to make sure that you’re at least as passionate about the company and the industry as them.

It’s also a good idea to mention how your previous experience could help you in your work and what impact it could have on your long-term performance.

In addition, showing that you are aware of industry or even company issues and are not afraid of facing them will give you additional points!

End with a call to action

By now you’ve managed to make a good impression on the hiring manager, and it’s important not to ruin it. That’s why you need your ending to be just as great as your cover letter’s body.

But what are the things that make up a memorable closing line? Expressing gratitude for the reader’s time and consideration, and saying that you look forward to their reply, to name a couple.

You can stick to traditional phrases (e.g. Looking forward to hearing from you soon) if you wish to be on the safe side. Just make sure that the language you use matches the company culture.

By Indeed Editorial Team

Published April 8, 2022

A chief executive officer (CEO) ensures that a business meets or exceeds its many goals and aims to create an effective brand image and concept. Writing an effective CEO recommendation letter can help a colleague or network connection secure a role as a CEO and advance their career. If you're planning on writing a CEO recommendation letter, it may be helpful to learn the steps for doing so effectively.

In this article, we discuss how to write a CEO recommendation letter, describe what to include in this type of professional letter and include a template and example you can reference when writing your own.

Related: What Is a CEO?

What should you include in a CEO recommendation letter?

A CEO recommendation letter may include a broad range of information to produce an in-depth understanding of an individual's qualifications. For example, you may include personal information, specific examples of a CEO's success and anecdotes about the methods they choose to employ in the workplace. Here are some elements that may be helpful to include in a CEO recommendation letter:

Personal information

Starting your letter of recommendation with personal information allows the recipient of the letter to contact you easily with any questions they may have. Including the information below may make this process easier:

• Your name

• Job title

• Current employer

• Date

Salutation

The letter's salutation addresses the person to whom you're writing the letter. If you know their name, writing this before the letter's body information may personalize the letter. If you don't know the name of the letter's recipient, including a salutation such as "To whom it may concern" can work effectively.

Introduction

Focusing the first paragraph of a CEO recommendation letter on its purpose, your connection to the CEO candidate and how long you've known them helps establish context for the recipient. Keeping your introduction short allows the reader to quickly analyze more details about the applicant by using an effective transition sentence.

Anecdotal information about their experience

You may want to provide anecdotal information about the CEO candidate's experience to improve the quality of your letter's detail. For instance, you may discuss how they displayed strong leadership capabilities and how they helped enhance their company's operations. Integrating a few examples may help to highlight their abilities more thoroughly to give their potential employer a more complete understanding of their capabilities as a professional.

Related: Learn About Being a CEO (Chief Executive Officer)

An outline of their skills

Highlighting a potential CEO's skills may showcase their suitability for a position more fully. For instance, you may discuss their planning capabilities, technical understanding, experience with businesses such as yours and the CEO candidate's corporate branding vision. In addition, integrating real-world data, including improved sales numbers, may showcase these skills effectively. More information like this can provide a potential employer with a nearly complete understanding of the candidate and their unique capabilities.

Conclusion

Adding a conclusion may help you avoid brevity in your letter's flow. Including your phone number and contact information can make contacting you more accessible. After reiterating your recommendation, adding a name and signature to your leader can help end your letter smoothly. You may also include information about your business and position, as well.

How to write a CEO recommendation letter

Here are seven steps you can follow to write an effective CEO recommendation letter:

1. Gather information about the candidate

Conducting research may help streamline the process of writing an effective letter. For example, identifying real-world examples of a candidate's skills, including testimony from employees, financial data highlighting their success and awards concerning their work, could help make writing the letter easier.

2. Produce an outline for the letter

Gather the information from your research and brainstorm an outline for your letter. Identify which information to highlight, the language you want to use and the message you want to portray in the letter. For example, a CEO recommendation letter can heavily aid a candidate's application package, and focusing on the candidate and their skills can help them secure a role.

3. Utilize a standard business format and tone

Keeping your tone formal and polite may help your letter appear more professional and appropriate. Avoiding excessive language or idioms could help eliminate claims of bias toward the CEO. Using clean, simple, straightforward language and sentence structure may make the letter easier to read and understand.

4. Follow any special requests

Each letter of recommendation request may possess different instructions and needs. Paying attention to these requests ensures that you adhere to unique requirements. For example, if the request asks for your name and address at the top of the letter, place them in that location. Following submission instructions may also minimize confusion when a recipient reads the letter.

5. Write the letter

After preparing, you can write the first draft of your letter. Editing and proofreading the letter later can help you detect grammatical issues, so try to focus on including important details and anecdotes. When writing the letter, it may be helpful to determine what you'd like to see in a recommendation letter if you were receiving one.

6. Proof and edit the letter

Reading through and editing your letter may help you spot common errors, such as misspellings, typos and formatting problems. In addition, reading the letter aloud could help you detect awkward phrasing and other issues you may have missed when writing it. Correcting these errors and adjusting the letter should ensure that it reads more professionally and clearly.

7. Submit the letter properly

After finishing your letter, submit it using the methods described in the submission request. Submission may require giving the letter to an HR team, a hiring officer or a business owner. Including any necessary information, such as contact information, may ensure that follow-up information is easy to receive. Checking with the recipient a few days later may give you the chance to answer questions or simply gauge the application's progress.

Related: 12 Qualities of a CEO

CEO recommendation letter template

Here's a simple template letter you may reference when writing a CEO recommendation letter:

[Your name]

[Current job role]

[Current employer]

[Date]

Dear [letter recipient],

[Briefly describe the purpose of your letter, including the professional you're recommending for the position. Highlight some of their accomplishments here.]

[Include more details about their business successes, including character traits that make them a good fit for a CEO role. Expand on the details included in the first paragraph.]

[Use real-world examples that showcase the individual's CEO-related skills. Include any relevant information, including how these acts helped the company succeed.]

[End with a paragraph reinforcing your decision. Include contact information, such as your phone number and email address in case they need more information.]

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Related: Reference Letters vs. Recommendation Letters

CEO recommendation letter example

Using the template above may make writing your letter easier. If you remain uncertain, reading the sample letter below may help. Using this guideline may streamline your letter-writing process:

Katie Smith

Lead Marketing Writer

Johnson Marketing Company

January 4, 2022

To whom it may concern,

I'm writing on behalf of Lucas Smith, whom I believe would make an excellent CEO for ABC Marketing Writing Company. I've worked with Lucas for 10 years, and he has provided excellent guidance through difficult times in the market. When he took over as CEO, he guided our small marketing team to a national business with offices in four states. In addition, his guidance helped improve our profits from $500,000 per year to nearly $50 million in just 10 years.

Lucas is a detail-oriented professional who prioritizes employee needs. His strong interpersonal skills helped create a potent marketing team of skilled writers dedicated to success. He carefully selected only the best writers, identified vital customers and provided a brand vision that exceeded our expectations. No other employee worked as hard as Lucas in our firm.

Lucas provides a consistent and positive presence in whatever business venture he explores. He continually finds new ways to expand our operations and provides hands-on help when necessary. For example, I've watched him write and edit content alongside each of us and then travel to a meeting with a potential client to complete a deal. Strong interpersonal skills and empathy help make Lucas's work processes even more effective.

It's my pleasure to recommend Lucas Smith for the position of CEO. His high level of expertise and self-confidence pair with solid leadership skills and a firm understanding of business operations. Please call me at 555-812-9264 or email me at to learn more about his qualifications. I'm also willing to speak directly with the board about his abilities.

Sincerely,

Katie Smith

Lead Marketing Writer

Johnson Marketing Company