Various government agencies and non-governmental organizations often require references from the place of work. For example, when applying for a new job or employment, in court in civil, labor, criminal cases, as part of or consideration of a protocol on an administrative offense.

Strictly speaking, compiling a job description is the task of the HR department. But most often, such a document is drawn up by the employee himself, and is signed by the immediate supervisor and the main employer (chief manager). We will tell you how to draw up such a document yourself, what to include in its content, and also post an example of a description from your place of work so that you can use it as a sample.

Example of a job description

Limited Liability Company "Newest Electronic Technologies"

TIN 364616841365 OGRN 3546516546 legal. address: 394054, Voronezh, st. Koltsovskaya, 49

Characteristic

This characteristic was issued to Valery Stepanovich Abakumov, born March 30, 1972, who has been working at the Limited Liability Company “Newest Electronic Technologies” from January 15, 2012 to the present as an electrician for the repair and maintenance of electrical equipment.

Abakumov Valery Stepanovich, born 03/30/1972, has been working under an employment contract at New Electronic Technologies LLC since 01/15/2012 as an assistant electrician, since 12/12/2015 as an electrician for the repair and maintenance of electrical equipment, 3 qualification.

Has a higher education in the profession of “auto mechanic”, series PN No. 687461, issued on June 25, 1996 (Vologda State Technical University), secondary vocational education, diploma from the Voronezh College of Welding and Industrial Technologies, series AC No. 65874351, issued on June 20, 2011.

Marital status: married, 2 children.

During his time working at New Electronic Technologies LLC, Valery Stepanovich Abakumov proved himself to be a professional, competent and responsible employee. The duties of Abakumov V.S. includes participation in the repair, inspection and maintenance of electrical equipment, repair of transformers, switches, rheostats, magnetic starters, reconstruction of electrical equipment, processing of insulating materials.

Strives to improve his qualifications (he increased his rank during his work). He has no disciplinary sanctions and has been repeatedly rewarded for his work with cash bonuses. During the period of work, there were no emergency situations with work objects. Hardworking and highly efficient.

Non-conflicting. He has friendly relations with colleagues and shows delicacy and patience. Consistent and correct. He is distinguished by punctuality, high demands on himself and a desire for professional growth. He has proven himself to be a proactive, responsible and reliable specialist, capable of completing assigned tasks on time. Able to make independent decisions in difficult situations and bear responsibility for the results of their activities.

This specification has been issued for presentation at the place of request.

General Director of "Newest Electronic Technologies" LLC

Viktorov V.V.

When to use a job reference

In Soviet times, such a document was very common. It was required for every new employment, during transfers, etc. But even now the reference from the place of work has not lost its meaning. Such a document can be used in cases, in labor disputes, etc. as a document.

There are so-called internal and external characteristics from the place of work. Internal is used for transfer, promotion, assignment of a new rank. External characteristics from the place of work are used exclusively for presentation to all other (except the one where the employee works) organizations and authorities. In the first case, we recommend paying more attention to the description of work activity: advanced training, education, incentives, disciplinary sanctions. When a description is drawn up for other organizations, work activity may be described in a brief form.

The job description has its own structure. Such a document is given legal force by: the signature of the head of the organization, who has the right to act on behalf of the organization (sometimes the reference is also signed by the immediate superior), seal, and date of issue. It is advisable to prepare the document on the organization’s letterhead indicating the OGRN, INN, legal address, and telephone numbers.

Contents of characteristics from the place of work

For your convenience, we have systematized the information that may be indicated in the job description. Use them as a template to compile a document:

  1. Company letterhead, format – A 4
  2. In the center is the name of the document - CHARACTERISTIC
  3. In whose name it was issued, date of birth, position, period of work in the organization
  4. Information about the employee's education
  5. Marital status information
  6. Employee’s work history – date of hire, career growth, job responsibilities, work results
  7. Assessment of professional qualities: disciplinary sanctions, incentives, work experience, self-education, study of the regulatory framework, self-improvement
  8. Assessment of business and personal qualities: punctuality, responsibility, communication skills, relationships in a team, with subordinates, ability to plan work, assessment of work ability, behavior in stressful and conflict situations, relationships with the boss, etc.
  9. The purpose of compiling a reference from the place of work: for presentation to a government agency or others.

The reference letter from the place of employment does not have a statute of limitations, but it is more logical and expedient to present a document that is current as of the date of preparation.

Our sample description from the place of work is not the only possible one, but, as practice has shown, when using it, the result is the most optimal.

A character reference is an official document with feedback on the activities of a certain person (official, public). In other words, this is a brief description of the employee’s career path, his business and moral qualities, labor and social activities.

A good reference from a previous job can be a big plus when looking for a job.

Most often, a reference from the place of work is used; references are also common for students studying in various institutions (for schoolchildren and students), as well as for students during internship.

The standard specification contains the following information:

1. First name, patronymic and last name of the employee, date of birth, education.

2. The place of work from which the reference is issued is indicated, the positions held by the employee while working in this company, and the duties that he performed are named.

3. The positive qualities of the employee (personal and business) are indicated; information about incentives and awards.

4. Information about advanced training courses that the employee has completed, as well as his participation in various company projects.

5. It is indicated for what purposes and for whom the characteristic is issued.

Example of characteristics for an employee

CHARACTERISTIC

for marketing specialist of DownTown LLC Nikolay Evgenievich Ivanov

Ivanov Nikolay Evgenievich born in 1985. In 2007 he graduated with honors from the State University of Humanities.

She has been working as a marketing specialist since October 2009.

During his work, he proved himself to be a qualified specialist. He is a true professional, skillfully manages the area entrusted to him, and enjoys well-deserved respect among his employees.

N. E. Ivanov constantly improves his professional level: attends thematic events, trainings and seminars, reads specialized literature, and takes his job duties responsibly and seriously.

The company's management highlights N. E. Ivanov's constant desire for professional development: he is currently receiving additional professional education in the specialty “personnel management”.

For his conscientious attitude to work, he was awarded the “Best Employee of 2009” diploma.

In communication with colleagues he is friendly and attentive. During his work, he introduced specific proposals that had a beneficial impact on the company’s activities.

The characteristics were issued for presentation at the place of request.

Date, stamp

A job description is a document that is used to provide in different places and situations. Knowing the peculiarities of its preparation will help in situations where you need to check how correctly it was drawn up for you. Also, such information will be useful if you need to draw up a reference yourself and then have it approved by the employer. In our article we will talk about all the design features of this document.

○ What is a job description?

A job description is a description of the personal and professional qualities of an employee.

The peculiarity of this document is that there is no established form; it is filled out voluntarily by the employer. However, it often happens that they approach this task formally, resulting in a standard document that raises doubts about the validity of the specified facts.

But since this document is required in many cases, you need to know how it should be drawn up, so that in case of non-compliance with the standards, require a new characteristic.

○ Why is the characteristic required?

This document may be required in many cases, for example:

  • When applying for a loan from a bank.
  • When applying for a job.
  • When transferred to another department.
  • In case of problems with law enforcement agencies (for example, when returning rights after deprivation).
  • In a trial where a positive characterization can help justify or reduce the term, etc.

○ Types of characteristics.

There are different types of this document, differing in content. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Positive and negative.

Characteristics of an employee can be either positive or negative. In the first case, the best qualities of a person are described - personal and professional. Most often compiled when:

  • Entering a new job or educational institution.
  • Promotion.
  • Transfer to another department.
  • Payment of remuneration.
  • Submission for an award.
  • Applying for a loan.

A negative characteristic is the opposite and indicates business qualities and personal traits that interfere with the effective implementation of work activities. A similar characteristic is drawn up in the following cases:

  • Disciplinary action.
  • Referral to law enforcement agencies or judicial authorities.
  • Presentation to banking structures.

This document may have a negative impact on the employee’s future career.

Assessing the quality of work.

This type of characteristic is important when an employee gets another job. It increases his chances of getting a vacancy, provided that the document indicates the positive qualities of the employee.

In this case, the employee’s personal qualities are not specified; the emphasis is on his professional achievements.

Internal and external.

The characteristics are also divided according to the place of provision. It may be needed within the organization (when transferred to another department, nominated for an award, issued a disciplinary sanction, etc.).

The employer encourages employees who conscientiously perform their job duties (declares gratitude, gives a bonus, awards a valuable gift, a certificate of honor, nominates them for the title of the best in the profession).
(Article 191 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).

Also, the document can be presented outside the enterprise (at a bank, law enforcement agencies, court, etc.). A characteristic can either help or hinder an employee.

○ How to write a characteristic?

Despite the absence of a set form, there are certain requirements for the preparation of this document.

Rules for document preparation.

The specification must include the following information:

  • Title of the document.
  • Full name of the employee.
  • Position without reduction.
  • Age of the employee (optional).
  • Start of work in this position.
  • Achievements in professional activities (gratitude, awards, if any).
  • Information about advanced training and taking additional courses.
  • Data on penalties applied (if any).
  • Information about the employee’s professional skills and abilities.
  • Description of personal qualities.
  • Date of preparation.
  • Signature of the head and seal of the organization.

Primary requirements.

The specification is drawn up in printed form on standard A4 paper. Standards of business ethics and the Russian language are used. It is important that the information provided is reliable.

Despite the absence of punishment for providing an incorrect description, the employer may encounter certain problems when sending such a document to law enforcement agencies, banking institutions or courts.

Sample characteristics from the place of work.

This document can be submitted to various authorities. Compiled directly by the employer or HR department employee. It is allowed to be executed by the employee himself, provided that the document is subsequently approved by his superiors.

An example of such a characteristic can be found here.

No matter what field of activity you work in, you may at any time need the ability to write a testimonial. To do this, you do not have to be a professional psychologist, but observation and impartiality are necessary. A good testimonial is always factual, has a logical structure, and is tailored to the purpose of the request. Let's look at how to write a characteristic correctly.

The characteristics, like any official document, have a clear structure. Although there are no uniform requirements dictated by law for registration, there is a mandatory list of items that must be indicated in the document. So, any official report contains a header, body, date and signature. The characteristics header contains the name, reference number, and date of compilation. Here information about the compiler is indicated: the name of the enterprise or other institution issuing the characteristics of the body, legal address, contact information.



Next, in the middle, the title of the document “Characteristics” is written and information about the person is described. The content of this paragraph varies significantly in different situations and depends on the purposes of drawing up the document. Thus, the characteristics of an applicant when applying for a job should foresee his potential as a future employee and make it clear to management how well the candidate meets the tasks assigned to him. But, for example, the guardianship and trusteeship service will be more interested in the actual qualities of the parent and his attitude towards the child, mental stability, absence or presence of precedents of violence in the past, etc. The following data, called personal data, must be indicated when it is necessary to write a characteristic: full name, date of birth, marital status, education, position, etc.



In conclusion, as always, the author of the document indicates his last name, first name and patronymic, signs and seals. In some cases, not only the originator, but also the director signs here.



There are internal and external characteristics for an employee. The internal one is compiled for management and remains within the company. Such a characterization may be required when hiring a candidate, when appointing a current employee to another position, when deciding on penalties or incentives, etc. An external characterization is written upon request, which can be submitted by the court, guardianship and trusteeship authorities, banking and educational institutions. institutions, others. The characteristics may be asked to be drawn up by the person himself for his own purposes, for example, for admission to a university. Before writing a description, try to look at the person you are characterizing without bias, leaving a personal assessment. Describe his qualities, life path, achievements and negative actions, depending on the purpose of the requested characteristic. Sometimes a person can be asked to write a description of himself. Of course, it is not worth handing it over to the manager or the organizations that submitted the request. This short essay will help you evaluate the person being characterized more deeply, better understand his values ​​and how he perceives himself. This will help you make a prediction about what to expect from him in the future.

You can download it on our website.

This document can be considered quite official. The characteristics can be compiled either at the request of the employee himself, or at the request of external sources. It is worth noting that character references can also be compiled within the company for promotion. An example of a job description is always drawn up directly by the head of the company or department. The main purpose of this document is to describe the employee's abilities and achievements in his former job.

How to write a job description correctly

  • The document must be drawn up only on A4 sheet. All text must be written in third person only. You can write in the present or past tense.
  • Initially, the title of the document and for whom it was compiled are indicated.
  • After this, you need to indicate your personal data in the first section.
  • Afterwards, the entire career path of the employee in the company is described. Most often, the boss simply describes the employee’s activities (from what year and what position he held).
  • Provide additional information about obtaining education or advanced training.
  • Then the professional qualities of the employee are assessed. How experienced is he in his field (how can he carry out analytical work, is he familiar with regulations, what kind of relationship did he have with employees).
  • Description of personal qualities.
  • At the very end, you will need to write where this characteristic will be directed.

Sample characteristics from the place of work certified by a seal and signed. Finally, we would like to note that there are several types of characteristics: from the place of work, for the court, for the traffic police, for the driver, production characteristics, to the military registration and enlistment office.

Contents of characteristics from the place of work

The presented sample job description contains the following information:

  • Last name, first name, patronymic of the employee;
  • Year of birth;
  • Education (secondary, secondary specialized, higher, etc.), specialty, name of educational institution;
  • Place of work, position, period of work;
  • List of job responsibilities;
  • Merits and achievements, including incentives and penalties, if any;
  • Description of the employee’s qualities;
  • Information about the person who signed the document.

The characteristics can be written either on the organization’s letterhead or on a simple sheet of paper.

The document must be signed and certified with the seal of the organization.

In personal characteristics, it is worth noting organizational qualities (for managers), initiative, relationships with the workforce, the presence or absence of responsibility.

It is worth writing truthful information. So, when writing a reference from a place of work to the court, the person who signed the document is responsible for the accuracy of the information.

An employee’s working time in an organization or department can be any time; there are no restrictions in law. So the document can be drawn up for a person who has worked for a month (for example, on a probationary period).

The character reference for the manager is drawn up on behalf of the superior manager.

An example of writing a job description.

Let's consider an example of compiling a description from a place of work (drawn up on the organization's letterhead). Also, the options below work well as sample reference from previous place of work.

Option No. 1: Sample characteristics from the place of work

Characteristics (sample)

This characterization was issued by Valery Anatolyevich Petrichenko, born November 1, 1978, working at the Center for Social Protection of Children. Address: st. Kulagina 25 (organization details) from May 16, 2013 to the present day in the position of “Social Worker”.

Marital status: Married. Wife Petrichenko Inna Petrovna, born 11/12/1979 Children: Vitaly Petrichenko, born in 2000 and Anna Petrichenko, born in 2002.

Petrichenko V.A. Graduated from Volgograd Pedagogical University with a degree in Psychology, with honors. This employee is distinguished by high professionalism, punctuality and responsibility. She has no disciplinary sanctions; she has certificates of encouragement for participating in the conference “Protection of Children – the Responsibility of the State.” He has friendly relations with colleagues and subordinates and always shows restraint, patience and delicacy. In difficult, conflict situations with clients of the institution, he is always self-possessed, correct, and has the ability to smooth out the problem and translate it into a peaceful, constructive solution. Has no bad habits. Her life guidelines are correct, she strives to help children from disadvantaged families, taking into account their needs and desires. She happily takes part in the social life of the team, attends personal growth training and advanced training courses.

This characteristic was issued for submission to the Social Protection Authorities of disadvantaged families.

Head of the Department of the Center for Social Protection of Children Natalya Mikhailovna Bergs.

Option No. 2: Example of characteristics for an employee

Characteristics (sample)

Issued to Nadezhda Petrovna Abakumkina, born on April 10, 1977, position – economist.

Abakumkina N.P. has been working at Finance and Credit Bank since April 16, 2010. During her work, she was repeatedly sent to advanced training courses, which she successfully completed in the following programs: “Accounting statements 2016”, “Analysis of the financial condition of the company”, “Financial forecast in the current economic conditions”.

Abakumkina N.P. has excellent business negotiation skills, has comprehensive knowledge in her specialty, attends seminars and trainings, and always has the latest innovations and information in the field of economics.

Head of the economic department of the Bank "Finance and Credit" Romanenko Vasily Petrovich.