Email recommending a colleague for a promotion (CLB 9)
Task prompt
Your manager has asked for written input on whether your colleague, Sarah Chen, should be promoted to Team Lead. Write a professional email supporting her candidacy. Include specific examples of her work, leadership qualities, and impact on the team.
Your task
Write a professional recommendation email supporting a colleague’s promotion. Your email must:
- State your support clearly and early
- Give at least two specific examples of the candidate’s work or leadership
- Describe her impact on the team
- Close with a strong endorsement
Word count target: 170–210 words
Model answer (CLB 9)
Subject: Input on Sarah Chen’s Candidacy for Team Lead
Dear Ms. Oduya,
Thank you for the opportunity to provide input on Sarah Chen’s candidacy for the Team Lead position. I wholeheartedly support her promotion and believe she is the strongest candidate for this role.
Over the past two years, I have worked closely with Sarah on several high-priority projects. When our team faced a tight deadline on the Q3 client migration last October, Sarah voluntarily took on the role of informal project coordinator — organizing task assignments, tracking blockers, and facilitating daily stand-ups — without being asked to do so. The project was delivered two days ahead of schedule.
Beyond project delivery, Sarah consistently mentors newer team members. She developed a peer onboarding guide that reduced the typical ramp-up period for new hires from six weeks to three. This initiative alone has saved the team considerable time and improved morale noticeably.
In my view, Sarah already operates at the Team Lead level in all but title. Formalizing this role would recognize existing contributions while giving her the authority she needs to continue improving how our team functions.
I am happy to elaborate further if that would be helpful.
Best regards, James Okonkwo Senior Analyst, Operations
Why this scores CLB 9
| CLB Criterion | What this response does well |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Immediate, unambiguous endorsement |
| Detail | Named project, date, specific outcome, named guide, measurable impact (6 weeks → 3) |
| Organization | Endorsement → project example → mentorship example → closing argument |
| Tone | Professional, confident, specific — not sycophantic |
| Vocabulary | ”high-priority,” “informal project coordinator,” “ramp-up period,” “formalize” |
| Grammar | Complex sentences, past perfect used correctly, varied structure |
Common mistakes at CLB 7–8
| Weak version | Why it loses marks |
|---|---|
| ”Sarah is a great worker and everyone likes her.” | Vague — provides nothing a hiring decision can use |
| No specific examples | Generic praise scores at CLB 7 regardless of grammar quality |
| ”I think she should be promoted.” | Unsupported opinion — needs evidence |
| Over-long flattery with no substance | Examiners penalize padding; every sentence must carry information |
Examiner tip
The golden rule for CLB 9 recommendation emails: replace adjectives with evidence. Instead of “Sarah is proactive,” write “Sarah voluntarily coordinated the Q3 migration without being asked.” The evidence makes the adjective unnecessary and makes the email far more persuasive. At CLB 9, your writing should read the way a senior professional’s does — measured, specific, and built on observable facts.