How to write a good character reference for a person

Characteristics are an integral part of the standard package of papers required for employment in a new place. Most often, the document is drawn up by the previous employer (reference from the place of work from the administration). But sometimes it is required to present a reference from a local police officer or from neighbors, describing not only the professional, but also the personal qualities of the person.

What does it mean: write a reference from your place of residence

This paper is a document drawn up in any form on an A4 sheet. A unified writing form has not been developed. The amount of information depends on the number of persons interviewed and the qualities endowed with the person being characterized. It is always made up for someone. You cannot write a document for yourself, but you can write the text itself, and then give it to selected persons for signature.

The need for characterization arises:

when applying for a job (often requested when applying for employment in paramilitary or security services);
when moving from one educational institution to another or entering a university;
while participating in legal proceedings;
when conscripted for military service;
when issuing a license for traumatic or hunting weapons.

Sometimes a reference is requested to be submitted to a court that is considering a conflict that has arisen around divorce proceedings or between participants in an accident.

Legal consequences for neighbors who characterize a person

You need to understand that everything that is written in the characteristics can be verified at any time by the court, prosecutor's office or other law enforcement agencies. In addition, all those neighbors who signed the document can be summoned to court and questioned as witnesses. For those who were asked to make a positive reference about a neighbor from a neighbor, you need to confirm the positive qualities of the neighbor:

Specify the purpose of obtaining information about the resident.
If you are asked to indicate specific qualities of a neighbor, write only those in which you are confident.
Do not sign a blank sheet, confirm only the information already indicated, and not future information, by carefully reading the text.
Please be aware that it is your responsibility to provide explanations for the information provided if required. By virtue of the law, a witness does not have the right to refuse to testify, otherwise criminal liability may arise.

How to spell correctly

Below are sample writing samples.

Sample characteristics from place of residence

The rules for compiling characteristics do not have mandatory content requirements. But when writing, it is important to consider its focus. So, if a character reference is drawn up for transmission to the military registration and enlistment office, then mentioning how diligent and a good child the citizen was in kindergarten is not advisable. Much more important is an indication of his social qualities, the ability to empathize, the desire to help, and discipline.

This is interesting: How to register in a new building: documents, registration stages

From neighbors to police

If the characteristics are made up of neighbors, then the content may be as follows:

A citizen (full name) has been living in a house (No.), apartment (No.) since a year (if known, then indicate). He is a good neighbor, pleasant to talk to, polite and responsive, and participates in public life.

Citizen (full name) is married and has (number) of sons and daughters. There were no conflicts in the family. Children are raised to be hardworking. The neighbor had no bad habits. He adheres to a healthy lifestyle, runs in the mornings, and in the evenings walks the dog in the yard for an hour.

Neighbors (signature and full name)

Characteristics for a conscript to the military registration and enlistment office

Compiled by neighbors or the management of the educational institution in which he studied. Has the following content:

The citizen (full name) lives at the address (house, apartment no.). Studied at school (name). We have known the indicated person since 2008 (any other year). During our acquaintance (full name) he showed himself to be a responsive and respectable person. Friendly, sociable, ready to help. He was a good student at school and did not enter into conflicts with other students or teachers. Additionally, he attended the athletics section and received awards for participating in sports tournaments.

This citizen is a model of honesty and is endowed with high moral qualities. His parents are military. (Full name) is disciplined, collected, and never late for classes.

Neighbors (signature and full name)

School management (signature, seal)

An example of writing a profile for a conscript to the military registration and enlistment office

Example of characteristics to the guardianship authorities from neighbors

If you need to write a character reference from neighbors for a child in order to obtain guardianship, then the main part is devoted to the personal qualities of the citizen, for example:

Characteristics of the teenager from the local police officer at the place of residence

The document is drawn up by the local police officer, provided that the young man is registered at his place of residence. The writing sample is as follows:

Citizen (full name) lives at the address (house, apartment) from (indicate the year). Citizen (full name) was born (year, month, day), studies at (name of educational institution). The family is dysfunctional, neighbors often complain about quarrels, shouting, loud music. The boy does not make contact, does not study well, skips school, is repeatedly caught in hooligan acts, and is rude.

District police officer (full name, title, signature)

Characteristics of a person serving a sentence

A positive reference from neighbors is extremely important for a convicted person who wants to get rid of his criminal record or shorten his suspended sentence. In addition to other requirements (such as serving half of the sentence), in order to have a criminal record expunged, you must prove your early correction. The opinion of neighbors in this case plays a special role for regulatory authorities, since it contributes to the formation of an objective assessment of the convict’s lifestyle. Information about impeccable behavior, confirmed by residents of the house, may be needed when:

the convicted person has already served his sentence (it can be anything, including imprisonment) and in accordance with Art. 86 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation applies for early removal of a criminal record (characteristics are submitted to the court);
the convict is serving compulsory, correctional labor or a suspended sentence (characterizing documents are provided to the penal inspection where he is registered).

Since in these cases there must be evidence of correction, in a sample of a positive reference from neighbors it is important for the court to focus on a conscientious attitude to work, participation in public events, charity - in a word, to set out the facts of gratuitous benefit to society.

Writing Requirements

Despite the lack of clear rules for drawing up a document, there must be some mandatory points.

Destination. Before writing the characteristics, be sure to indicate its purpose - address (name of the court, educational institution, military registration and enlistment office)

Data of the person being characterized. The information should be as complete as possible and include, in addition to your full name, place of work or education, previous residence (if known), and date of birth.

Personal information. The document provides an assessment of the qualities of what is being characterized. Therefore, it always has a pronounced emotional coloring and contains information about how a person relates to the people around him: family, neighbors, children, employees of special services.

Final part. After presenting the basic information, the authorized person drawing up the document signs, puts down the date and his full name, and indicates his residential address.

A person serving a sentence: why is a characterization needed?

For citizens already convicted of crimes, a paper where neighbors characterize the prisoner exclusively from the positive side is extremely important. The penal system operates on parole. The terms of parole directly depend on the severity of the crime committed:

minor and moderate severity - upon serving 1/3 of the assigned sentence;
serious crimes - at least half of the prison term;
especially serious - at least 2/3 of the term.

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In addition to the procedural form, human factors will be taken into account when deciding on parole. In particular, regulatory authorities must understand that the person has reformed and does not need to serve the full term of imprisonment assigned to him. This will require not only a positive reference from the administration of the penitentiary institution, but also an objective assessment of the convict’s lifestyle, presented by neighbors.

An application for parole is submitted to the following authorities:

court – if we are talking about early release from prison or expungement of a criminal record;
criminal-executive inspection - if the punishment is compulsory, correctional or compulsory work, suspended imprisonment.

Taking into account the specifics of the characteristics, it is necessary to set out in detail the aspects of gratuitous social activities on the part of the convicted person. For example, participation in charity events, cleanup days, and socially beneficial events.

Employer's responsibility for the accuracy of information

The person who signed the characteristic is responsible for the accuracy of the information contained in it. After all, by informing the court about the qualities of an employee, the employer essentially assumes responsibility for providing reliable information about the person. In fact, such a document is attached to the case materials, which means that the person who compiled it can be brought to administrative liability under Article 17.9 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (knowingly false testimony in proceedings on an administrative offense). The fine under this article ranges from 1 thousand to 1.5 thousand rubles. In the case of criminal proceedings, the punishment may be even more severe and qualified according to the norms of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

What wording matters to the court?

In civil proceedings, judges will most likely need information reflecting the social status of the plaintiff or defendant, allowing them to assess the level of their current and potential income. In particular, when it comes to a court hearing, during which the solvency of the plaintiff or defendant may be analyzed.

The salary level is usually not fixed in the characteristics, since it may appear in the income certificate according to the employer’s form or 2-NDFL, which can also be considered by the court.

In the “civil” description it is reasonable to provide the following formulations:

Has a high level of professionalism and competence in his industry.
Has high potential for career growth.
He is considered by management as one of the candidates for filling senior management positions during the upcoming expansion of the company.
Able to complete assigned tasks quickly and efficiently.

In criminal cases, the most significant characteristics for the court will most likely be those that reflect the personal qualities of the employee:

Reasonable, emotionally stable, disciplined.
Polite with colleagues and clients.
Demanding of himself, has a desire for self-criticism and introspection.
Honest, responsive.

If the employer is interested in his employee winning the case, he should provide in the description (not counting the above expressions, which look solely like value judgments) objective facts confirming the legality of using these formulations.

So, if an employee’s successes are described, it is advisable to note what exactly they were expressed in. For example, if this is a sales manager, you can write that he ensured the growth of the company's turnover over a certain period of time (indicating the amount). If the employer speaks positively about the employee’s personal qualities (for example, if the employee has repeatedly agreed to replace colleagues with children on night duty), it is entirely appropriate to mention this in the reference.

Sources:

https://ppt.ru/forms/harakteristika/sud
https://101million.com/dokumenty/harakteristika/s-mesta-raboty-v-sud.html
https://bbcont.ru/business_documents/harakteristika-s-mesta-raboty-v-sud-obrazec-2017.html
https://clubtk.ru/forms/dokumentooborot/obrazets-kharakteristiki-s-mesta-raboty-v-sud
https://www.adminpz.ru/features/on-which-form-is-written-a-description-of-the-employee-production-characteristics-for-presentation-to-court-guardianship-bodies-rules- of-registration.html
https://cabinet-lawyer.ru/dokumenty/kharakteristika-s-mesta-raboty-v-sud.html
https://blankionline.ru/doc/harakteristika-dlya-suda-s-mesta-raboty.html#i-3
https://nalog-nalog.ru/kadrovye_dokumenty_i_obrazcy/harakteristika_s_mesta_raboty_v_sud_obrazec_zapolneniya/
https://znaybiz.ru/kadry/kadrovaya-politika/obshhie/harakteristika-v-sud-s-mesta-raboty.html#i-4
https://1st-urist.ru/docs/harakteristika-s-raboty-v-sud.html#i-3

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