In Part 1 of this series I talked about how LinkedIn recommendations give you visibility, search engine optimization, and keyword searchability. The magic formula for writing a recommendation was revealed along with what people are looking for when they read a recommendation. If you missed Part 1, click here.
If You’re Asked to Give a Recommendation
Don’t ignore requests for recommendations. But don’t feel like you have to accept all requests to give a recommendation, either. You can respond back that you don’t feel you know him or her well enough in their work life to recommend them. Or you can put them off — saying something like, “Once we’ve worked together for a while, I’d be happy to write a recommendation for you.”
If you decide to write a recommendation, the first question you should ask is: “What is the goal?” Does the individual want a new job? A promotion? Make a career change? Land a client? Knowing what their goal is in soliciting a recommendation will help you tailor it to meet their needs.
Look at the individual’s LinkedIn profile — especially the job description of the position when you worked together. If you are asked to provide a recommendation, it’s fine to ask the person to draft their recommendation for you to work from.
Remember, recommendations you write show up on your profile too, so someone looking at your profile can see the recommendations you’ve made for others.
In the first sentence, you describe how you know the individual and give context about why you are qualified to recommend him or her.
- (Name) and I have worked together…
- I’ve known (name) for (how long)…
For the second bullet point, you can set up the description of his or her qualities by providing an overview sentence. Here are some examples:
- Able to delegate…
- Able to implement…
- Able to plan…
- Able to train…
- Consistent record of …
- Customer-centered leader…
- Effective in _________
- Experienced professional in the _____ industry
- Held key role in ________________
- Highly organized and effective…
- High-tech achiever recognized for…
- Proficient in managing multiple priorities and projects…
- Recognized and appreciated by…
- Served as a liaison between _________
- Strong project manager with…
- Subject-matter expert in _____
- Team player with…
- Technically proficient in _________
- Thrived in an…
- Valued by clients and colleagues for…
- Well-versed in the…
Choose descriptive adjectives to include in your recommendations. Instead of describing someone as “innovative,” choose a word like “forward-thinking” or “pioneering.”
Make sure the recommendation you write is clearly about the person you’re recommending. That sounds like common sense, but many recommendations are too vague or too general — they could be about anyone, not this specific individual. To be effective, the recommendation you write should not be applicable to anyone else.
Recommendations that you write should be:
- Genuine
- Specific
- Descriptive (with detailed characteristics)
- Powerful (including specific achievements, when possible)
- Memorable
- Honest/Truthful (credibility is important; avoid puffery or exaggeration)
Length is an important consideration when writing LinkedIn recommendations. Keep your recommendations under 200 words whenever possible. Some of the most effective LinkedIn recommendations are only 50-100 words.
