Documenting your work history should be easy – simply describe your job duties and responsibilities on your resume and employment application. But some companies want proof that you actually have performed the job duties, which might require an experience letter from your current or former employer. An experience letter needn't contain the subjective comments that a letter of recommendation contains, especially if the letter is for work visa purposes; however, employers are often reluctant to provide such letters because they violate company policy or may be indicative of favoritism if it's not the company's typical practice.
Decide whether the best person to write the experience letter is your immediate supervisor or the HR department. There are benefits to asking either one to write the letter. You probably have more frequent contact with your immediate supervisor, who can attest to your familiarity with certain duties. On the other hand, the HR department is the keeper of employment records and, therefore, has an official account of your employment history. Consider asking the HR department to supplement the supervisor's draft letter with its official record of your employment.
Advertisement Article continues below this adSpecify what the experience letter should contain. Ask the prospective employer – if you need this as a finalist candidate for a new job – what it needs to verify your work experience. If the company representative doesn't give you any direction on what to include, list the primary categories for your job duties and the qualifications on which you're being considered. Include those categories in a written request to your former employer.
Visa applications for workers seeking employment in the U.S. and foreign visa applicants often must obtain experience letters to document their work histories. If this is the only purpose for which you need an experience letter, contact the HR department because the staff will be familiar with work visa requirements to produce an experience letter. For example, U.S. H1B petitions require that you submit an experience letter that documents your current and former employment.
Advertisement Article continues below this adIf you've embarked upon a clandestine job search, the challenge is getting your current employer to write an experience letter. Also, the employer's policy may prohibit supervisors or the HR department writing what is essentially a letter of recommendation. If you're currently employed by the company from which you want an experience letter, ask about the policy and gauge whether you can tell your supervisor that you need the letter for your job search. Supervisors who respect their employees' career aspirations may be willing to write a letter that will aid them in achieving their professional goals.
If your supervisor or the HR department turns you down or says that company policy prohibits writing letters of recommendation, ask for a copy of your personnel file. Check state law and your employee handbook for guidelines on how to request the file. Some state laws require that employers provide free access to your personnel file, while others require a written request and specify the parameters for viewing or copying file materials. Use your personnel file to document your experience for prospective employers. Tell prospective employers that you can't obtain an experience letter, but that you're happy to submit excerpts from your performance appraisals as evidence that you have both experience and successful job performance.
Advertisement Article continues below this adMany state laws require what's called a "service letter" upon an employee's discharge or resignation. Service letter contents vary, but may require the employer to provide your hire date, positions held, departments and termination date. For example, Missouri law says that employers must provide a "letter of dismissal" within 45 days to former employees who submit a written, certified mail request within one year of the termination date. The letter must contain information about your service to the organization and must be signed by a company official, such as a manager, HR leader or company executive.
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