Article: The job description will let you know exactly what skills and character traits the company wants in a new employee. By reading the job description, you can tailor the recommendation to these specific traits. You will need to talk about the candidate’s job history in the recommendation. Ask the person for an updated resume. Read over it, and include a few details from it in your recommendation. The recruiter may contact you with questions about the candidate. To make sure that you give accurate answers, quiz the applicant with potential interview questions. This will also help them prepare if they get an interview. Some questions you might ask include:  What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Why do you think you are qualified for this job? Can you tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem? What skills would you like me to emphasize in your recommendation? If you have never worked with the person before, it may be difficult to attest to their skills or work habits. Come up with at least one story or description that demonstrates any strengths that might be relevant to the job.  You can always ask the applicant what stories or skills they want you to mention in your letter. For example, you can say, “Kim and I once spent a summer backpacking across the country together. Through this experience, she proved herself to be resourceful, optimistic, and cheerful, even when things went wrong.”

What is a summary?
Read the job description to learn what the job is looking for. Ask for their resume. Perform a mini-interview. Come up with a few anecdotes.