It's to the advantage of both parties to use a recommendation letter. This gives a job seeker an edge, and it provides hiring managers with a better idea upfront about the person professionally.

Recommendation letters can serve as powerful testimonials about a student's accomplishments, and the most effective letters demonstrate a candidate's potential for greatness, according to college ...

Letters of recommendation from teachers, school counselors and other sources can help college admissions officers get a more complete picture of applicants. They give admissions offices a "third ...