Throughout our careers, we have had the pleasure of collaborating with numerous exceptional colleagues, supervisors, and staff members who we would be thrilled to endorse on LinkedIn or any other platform.
Writing a LinkedIn recommendation can be more time-consuming than anticipated. How can you make your contact stand out while still sounding sincere? Should you include every impressive skill they possess or keep it concise and meaningful?
No need to fret. We have transformed that challenging duty into a quick and simple five-step process that only takes five minutes. The next time you’re requested to recommend an individual, follow our guidelines for crafting and publishing a message that will not only enhance your colleague’s career but also earn you some career karma points. As a bonus, we are providing you with a copy-and-paste template and a few examples to make the task even more effortless.
Understanding LinkedIn Recommendations: The Importance of Writing Them for Your Connections.
Let’s take a moment to go over the what and the why: This small feature of the popular business-social media platform allows you to write short testimonials for individuals you have collaborated with. Consider them as online reviews for your current and past colleagues, subordinates, and supervisors (or anyone else you have worked with).
When recruiters and hiring managers are deciding whether to interview or hire someone, they often read through the LinkedIn recommendations. Although these brief statements may not be as crucial as a strong resume and well-crafted cover letter, they do offer additional insights into a person’s background and strengths from a third-party perspective – similar to a mini reference check.
Wondering why you should write a LinkedIn recommendation? Well, consider the reasons why you write reviews for your favorite restaurant or hair stylist. It’s a simple way to express your appreciation and support, while also boosting their credibility among potential customers or employers. Additionally, it offers a natural way to reconnect with old contacts and stay top of mind. Once you post your recommendation, they will be notified, which is sure to make them happy and potentially inspire them to reciprocate when you need recommendations of your own. One more thing – writing a LinkedIn recommendation can also convey to everyone in your professional network that you’re a thoughtful and gracious colleague, which is definitely appealing to any potential employer.
How can I share a recommendation on LinkedIn?
There are two ways to give a recommendation on LinkedIn.
from your own profile: Simply go to your profile, scroll down to the “Recommendations” section, and click the “+” sign. You will be asked if you want to ask for or give a recommendation – select the latter. Then, a pop-up box will appear, prompting you to choose the contact you would like to recommend.
From the other person’s profile: Just go to the profile of the person you want to recommend, click the “More” button to the left of the “Message” button, and then select “Recommend.” Another option is to scroll down to their “Recommendations” section and click on “Recommend [Name].”
You will be asked to provide the following information:
- Your connection: Did you supervise the individual? Did they report to you? Did you collaborate with them? Choose your relationship from a list of options.
- Their role at the time: What position did they hold when you worked with them?
- Your endorsement: A concise description (no more than 3,000 characters, but shorter is better) of your experience working with this person. This is where you should dedicate most of your attention.
5 Easy Ways to Craft an Impeccable LinkedIn endorsement
Follow these instructions to transform that empty screen into a recommendation that will impress your colleague.
Step 1: Begin with a remarkable statement.
Just like any good piece of writing, you should start with a sentence that grabs the reader’s attention and makes them eager to know more. (After all, you want hiring managers to actually read your recommendation, right?) Ideally, this opening line will immediately showcase how amazing the person you’re recommending is.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to use “the best” or “my favorite” for every individual—there are plenty of other words and phrases that convey the same strength. For example:
“It’s uncommon to encounter exceptional talent like Mary.”
“Not many people have the privilege of working for a manager who is also a coach and mentor—but I did when I was employed by Sandra.”
“When I think about Michael, the phrase ‘incredibly efficient’ comes to mind.”
Step 2 involves providing some background information about your relationship with the person
You may want to mention factors such as your reporting structure, the projects you have worked on together, or the length of time you have known each other. While you do not need to share all the details as LinkedIn will already display some information, it is important to explain why you are qualified to provide the recommendation.
For instance: – “I had the opportunity to collaborate with Faith for two years at the Sons Company on several project teams.”
– “Clement was hired as a freelance designer in 2018 after I came across her impressive online portfolio, and she has since completed six impeccable projects for me.”
– “Maribeth capably served as the social media coordinator for my company’s marketing team for slightly over a year.”
Step 3: Share a standout trait.
When writing a recommendation, it’s best to avoid stating the obvious qualities that the person possesses, such as being smart or organized. Instead, focus on one or two standout traits that make the person exceptional in your eyes. You can also ask the person if there’s something specific they want you to mention, like highlighting their experience in a certain area relevant to the job they’re applying for.
For example, you can mention how Darren effortlessly handles tough clients, Tasha’s ability to get people on board with her ideas, or Mark’s exceptional skill in juggling multiple projects.
Step 4: Inject some personality into it.
Most individuals desire to hire someone who not only completes the tasks at hand but also possesses a pleasant demeanor. Therefore, if you can provide some insights into their character or share an anecdote about what it’s like to work with this person, go ahead and do so. However, it is important to consider your audience and exercise discretion.
For instance, it may not be appropriate to mention something like:
“Sophie always treated everyone to tequila shots during happy hour!” when addressing potential employers.
“He also ensured that our Monday morning team meetings were never without bagels and coffee. This truly motivated the entire team!”
“No matter how tense a meeting got, Ann always made sure to leave everyone with a smile.”
Step 5: Conclude your recommendation on a strong note.
A brief yet solid concluding statement that expresses your wholehearted endorsement can go a long way. The idea is to keep it concise and impactful.
Some examples of such statements include:
“Allison can be a valuable addition to any team,”
“Jerry is a highly recommended team player and leader,” and “Jury would make an excellent manager for any employee.”
3 LinkedIn recommendation examples
While we suggest following the aforementioned steps to create a fresh recommendation for each contact, here’s a handy template you can utilize if you’re short on time—just remember to input the pertinent details!
“[Name] is someone who truly leaves an impression. Throughout our [length of time] working together, I’ve been consistently amazed by their standout qualities and [personality trait]. Their exceptional [1-2 skills they excel at] make them an invaluable asset in any role. I wholeheartedly recommend [Name].”
1. For a colleague on your team
“Mara is an exceptional member of our sales marketing team. One of the core values we believe in is “constant improvement,” and Mara embodies that philosophy like no one else. While working with her over the past year, I have seen her constantly seek out new challenges to overcome. Whether it’s working with a client, writing a script to book reservations at a popular restaurant, or participating in charity races during her free time, she always goes above and beyond. Moreover, she never hesitates to assist newer members of the team in resolving their issues. Overall, I have enjoyed working with Mara and I am confident that anyone who hires or works with her will share the same sentiment.”
2. For a boss
“I was fortunate to have Mr. John as my first manager, and he exceeded all my expectations. John, who was my direct supervisor for two years, was recently promoted to the VP of Sales. Thanks to his guidance and training, I went from achieving my sales target only 50% of the time to surpassing it every quarter. Moreover, John always encouraged us to consider different perspectives and embrace diverse viewpoints, which not only strengthened our connections with other team members but also made our team more cohesive. If you ever get the opportunity to work under John’s leadership, I wholeheartedly recommend that you seize it.”
3. For a client
“I have had the pleasure of working with Blessing and her marketing team for the past two years, and I can confidently say that she is a fantastic client. She provides detailed project briefs, trusts my team’s creative process, and keeps me informed about content performance and project results. Additionally, she always pays on time, which is greatly appreciated. If you have the opportunity to work with Blessing as an employee, colleague, or vendor, I highly recommend it.”
