The Importance of LinkedIn RECOMMENDATIONs and How to Request one

It’s a known fact that recommendations can be a powerful persuasion into securing your next client or customer. Whether it’s a written review on your Linkedin profile or featured on your website, a recommendation gives you the opportunity to have others reinforce your claims that you are an expert and you’re good at what you do. 

The newest form of “reviews” comes from Linkedin and is known as, “Recommendations on LinkedIn.” Including these recommendations on your profile can add value and serve as a testament to your skills and abilities. Many corporate recruiters actually turn to LinkedIn daily to find qualified candidates to fill open positions.

Here are some winning strategies relating to recommendations on your profile that you might not have considered.

 1. Your name appears on other people's profiles.
What better place to have your name and your job title show up than on the profile of a very important, well-respected individual in your town or industry. Talk about personal branding and increasing awareness of your brands—this really hits the target.

2. The recommendations displayed in the Recommendations section of your profile can be used in other profile sections for increased exposure.

Currently LinkedIn displays the two most recently received recommendations in their entirety, which I really like, but the rest of them are typically not viewed because the reader needs to click Show more to see the entire list.
Actionable item: Review all of your recommendations. Grab the most impactful quotes/statements, and include those in the Description section of any Job Experience entries to which they apply.

3. The number of recommendations you have and the keywords included in those recommendations are part of LinkedIn's search algorithm

Did you know the number of recommendations you have and the keywords included in those recommendations are part of LinkedIn's search algorithm?

LinkedIn has shared that a couple of the important components of who gets picked up in a search and how high he or she appears are the number of recommendations and the keywords that people are searching by and for.

Action step: Reach out to your colleagues and request a recommendation loaded with your most important keywords. This will help you move up in the search rankings when people are looking for someone like you.

The protocols for obtaining one can be a little confusing so I’m going to explain it step by step how you can request a recommendation. I’ll also give you some tips for commonly asked questions I receive regarding the etiquette and what to say when asking. 

How to Request a Recommendation

To request a recommendation from a connection's profile:
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1. Navigate to the profile of the 1st-degree connection you'd like to request a recommendation from.
2. Click the More  icon in the top section of the profile.
3. Select  Request a recommendation.
4. Fill out the Relationship and Position at the time fields of the recommendations pop-up window, and click Next.
5. You can include a personalized message with your request by changing the text in the message field.
6. Click Send.

Who should I ask?
The etiquette of Linkedin is pretty straight forward. Only ask people that you know for a recommendation. You can ask previous clients, employers, colleagues, teachers, etc. 

What should I say?
Linkedin offers you the opportunity to send an auto-generated email request for the recommendation. However, I believe that the more personal you are, the more likely you are to receive not only a prompt reply but a quality recommendation. Give the writer a bit of insight as to what you want them to say about you. This will make their job a whole lot easier and you should get exactly (or close) to what you were looking for. 

Here’s an example:
Hello Heather,

I’m trying to complete my LinkedIn profile to improve my credibility and professionalism and was hoping you would recommend me? I’m really hoping you could point out my attention to detail and my ability to get along with others. If you could also mention my expertise in social media I think that would really help me to build my credibility.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Katelyn Rhoades, Social Media Manager

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The Power of a LinkedIn Recommendation

It might not seem like giving a LinkedIn recommendation would impact your career, but it can. It’s a perfect way to strengthen the connection between you and a first-degree contact, giving you a platform to showcase what you admire about their capabilities.

Plus, any recommendations you make also appear on your profile. As a result, other professionals (and potentially hiring managers) can see that you freely give recognition to those who deserve it, and that can work in your favor.

Just make sure if you are going to give a recommendation, that it is sincere, appropriate, and reasonably detailed. 

The Importance of Getting RecommendationsLinkedIn recommendations are essentially a form of employment references. They let people know that other professionals valued your contributions, witnessed an accomplishment, or are willing to put their name behind yours.
Recommendations can significantly boost your profile. It lets hiring managers learn a bit about what you bring to the table from those who’ve worked with you, and that’s incredibly valuable to them.