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The Importance of LinkedIn Recommendations and How to Get Them

Published on 02.02.2025 by Tracey Chizoba Fletcher

In the current professional landscape, credibility is not simply an asset; it’s a necessity. Whether you’re job hunting, networking for new opportunities, or building your personal brand, how others perceive you can make or break your success. In the digital age, LinkedIn is the place to prove that credibility. LinkedIn has many features, but one of the best ones to help build trust and verify the things you can do as a professional are LinkedIn recommendations.

You can think of LinkedIn recommendations as your digital testimonials; a way of showcasing the difference you make at work, in the words of those who have worked closely alongside you. Skill and achievement endorsements from colleagues, managers, or clients who have seen your skill in action are infinitely more powerful than anything you’ve ever self-written. They are not simply nice-to-haves; they are potent tools you can use to strengthen your profile and make a striking impression.

Here’s the thing: a meaningful recommendation doesn’t come from blasting out a quick request to everybody in your network. It takes strategy, intentionality, and, most importantly, authentic connections. In this article, we will delve into why LinkedIn recommendations are important, why such recommendations are essential in the age of the internet, and how to plan to get such endorsements that will boost your professional profile.

The Importance of LinkedIn Recommendations in the Digital Era

In a time when your online presence is frequently how you make a first impression, recommendations on LinkedIn are your secret weapon for getting noticed. They’re not simply about what you have achieved; they’re about what others think of you—and that can be much more enticing than a self-bulleted summary or skill list.

Just think about it: “great communication skills” or “project management expert” can be listed by anyone on their profile, but when a manager endorses those same qualities with a real-world example, it makes a generic claim authentic and believable. It is the difference between claiming you are very good at your job and getting people to back it up with evidence.

Recommendations add context to who you are as a worker—your work ethic, approach to things, and the outcomes you achieve, making recruiters and potential clients instinctively gravitate toward profiles that have them. 

LinkedIn’s algorithm often rewards rich content profiles, including recommendations that elevate you in searches. When seen in a nutshell, recommendations expound trust and help you get noticed by the right people.

LinkedIn Recommendations: Their Value in Personal Branding

Your LinkedIn profile is your brand in action. It’s a living, breathing portfolio that captures a narrative of who you are as a professional. Although your experience, education, and skills are critical, recommendations help bring that story to life.

Recommendations are proof points that bring your profile to life and add depth and credibility to your profile. For instance, if you are a marketing specialist, instead of saying something generic like “developed successful marketing strategies,” a client recommendation pointing out how your campaign contributed to achieving a 50% sales increase would surely resonate more. Likewise, if you’re a software developer or a manager, talking up your ability to guide a team through a tough project says a lot more about your teamwork and technical skills than a formal paper mark ever could.

In addition, recommendations speak to your ability to build and maintain relationships—a crucial skill in any industry that tends to get overshadowed. They demonstrate that you’re not only good at what you do, but enjoyable to work with. This level of social proof can be the deciding factor when someone is determining whether to hire you, work with you, or refer you for an opportunity.

Why Recommendations Are Social Proof in Action

In this sense, social proof makes us more likely to follow up and the LinkedIn recommendations are a perfect illustration of social proof. When people visit your profile and see glowing endorsements, it inspires instant trust and credibility.

For job hunters, this can simplify a recruiter’s choice. A strong recommendation from a former manager can confirm for them that you are not only qualified, but skilled in applied settings. In competitive job markets, where every detail matters, these testimonials can provide you with a crucial advantage.

For freelancers and entrepreneurs, recommendations are high-quality endorsements of your products or services. A satisfied customer who writes about how you made their world better by providing exceptional value or utility is a close-your-sale advertisement in your phone book. This offer enhances trust in the prospective customers and increases the chances of them picking you over an equal competitor. 

Essentially, recommendations are your virtual word-of-mouth referrals. They confirm your authority, help build your reputation, and give concrete evidence of your worth—all essential to establishing trust in an ever-more digital world.

The Right Way to Request Recommendations on LinkedIn

Asking for worthwhile LinkedIn recommendations isn’t as simple as sending requests en masse and crossing your fingers. It’s about creating a personalized and thoughtful strategy to make the recipient feel valued. Begin with people who can credibly speak to your skills and experience— former managers, colleagues and mentors, or clients who have seen your work in action.

Be clear about what you’re asking for when you reach out. Just don’t send a generic “Can you write me a recommendation? Provide context. Something like: “Hey [Name], hope all is well! We worked together on [specific project or role], and I liked your work. I would appreciate it if you would feel comfortable, sharing a link to a recommendation regarding my [specific skill or contribution] on LinkedIn. Your perspective would really matter to me.”

Not only is this easier for them to write something meaningful but it helps to guarantee that the recommendation speaks to the skills or experiences you want to highlight on your profile. And always be sure to thank them because they’re giving up part of their day to help you out.

The Importance of Giving Before Asking

A good way to improve your chances of getting a LinkedIn recommendation is to give one. Writing a recommendation for someone in your network demonstrates generosity and a little well-placed reciprocity.

When crafting a recommendation letter for a colleague, hone in on specific strengths and contributions that he or she made to the team. Challenge yourself to avoid general platitudes and share concrete learnings that only someone with their years of experience could offer. Examples: “Working alongside Sarah on the product launch was a real pleasure. Innovative marketing strategies led us to exceed our goal by 25%, and (woman’s name) led the team through tight deadlines like a champ.”

Once you’ve crafted a thoughtful recommendation, the odds are high that the recipient will also be inspired to reciprocate. Even if they don’t, you’ve deepened your professional connection and demonstrated that you appreciate their work—a win-win scenario.

Asking for Recommendations: Mistakes to Avoid

Although many of us know the importance of asking for LinkedIn recommendations, there are a few do’s and don’ts from not only a professionalism standpoint but also from an effectiveness point of view. 

Being Too Vague

Without context, the recipient may not know what to write, and as a result, your request may get you a boring or rote endorsement.

Making a Request From Someone Who Doesn’t Know You Well

A second mistake is asking someone who doesn’t know your work very well. Recommendations are supposed to be trusted and detailed so sending a request to a weak connection or someone who worked briefly with you may not provide you with a meaningful testimonial.

Bombarding People with Asks 

If you’re asking several people to recommend at once, make sure they’re spaced so that it doesn’t appear you’re stockpiling endorsements. Not only does a steady, strategic approach look much more organic, it will make sure you get labeled as someone who gets recommended on your profile regularly.

Highlighting Your Recommendations in a Strategic Manner

After you’ve gotten a few LinkedIn recommendations, you want to showcase them appropriately for maximum impact. Don’t just post recommendations, though; LinkedIn lets you showcase them, so make sure they’re for key roles or projects in your profile.

If, in one of your recommendations, someone mentions you led a product launch, attach that to the relevant job title in your experience section. This sets the stage and demonstrates your credentials in that domain.

Also, seek recommendations that capture different facets of your professional path. A glowing recommendation from a manager can demonstrate your leadership potential, while a colleague testimonial can reference teamwork and collaboration. This diversity provides potential employers or clients with a clearer picture of what you can do.

Resourcing Referrals in Your Job Hunt

LinkedIn recommendations are an amazing way to bolster your profile and content while actively job hunting. Hiring managers often want to get to know candidates beyond their resumes and cover letters to learn about their work ethic, character, and abilities. Recommendations demonstrate to the reader proof in a real life context of what they’re reading, making your profile all the more convincing.

Make sure the type of role you are seeking matches your recommendations. If you are applying for a leadership position, recommendations that underscore your experience in managing teams or leading projects will enhance your candidacy. And for client-facing roles, testimonials that speak to such communication and customer service abilities will be priceless.

If your recommendations are relevant to an incoming conversation, don’t be afraid to mention them when you’re in the interview process. Having some choice quotes up your sleeve lets you drop into the conversation your experience with concrete examples. Then, let your references handle some of the speaking for you.

How to Highlight Recommendations in Your LinkedIn Profile Summary

Though LinkedIn allows you to display recommendations under your work experience section, there’s another area where they can make a substantial difference: your profile summary. The summary is the first thing most people see when they visit your LinkedIn profile, so it’s important to make a good first impression.

To lend authority and authenticity to your story, your summary may include quotes or excerpts from your recommendations. If, for instance, a recommendation highlights your problem-solving ability or your leadership skills, incorporating that feedback into your summary can show potential employers precisely what others appreciate about you.

Just make sure not to be too overwhelming with recommendations for the reader. A couple well-selected, on point, excerpts can bring just a little bit more credibility to your profile, without taking away from who you are and what you have to say. Use the suggestions to emphasize skills and accomplishments you wish to highlight within your professional narrative.

Continuing an Ongoing Stream of Recommendations

You can turn that excitement into giving you more by continuing to ask for feedback. New recommendations every now and then help keep your profile alive as a profile with outdated recommendations can lose its charm.

Post work on a significant project, milestone, or career goal, and seek reflection from coworkers or clients about your collaborative work. Not only does this indicate that you’re committed to personal growth and development, but regularly updating your LinkedIn profile also helps keep your profile consistent with your latest skills and experiences.

Ask for recommendations from people at various points in your life, including mentors, supervisors, colleagues, and clients. This diverse range of perspectives will cue your potential employer into a very thorough view of your capabilities and potential.

LinkedIn Recommendations: How They Can Help You Establish Trust and Credibility

Establishing trust and credibility is essential for any professional in today’s digital world. LinkedIn recommendations are a fantastic way to showcase both. Your resume shows what you are, and your profile photo makes you more human, but recommendations from others are the ultimate social proof that you can do what you are saying you can.

You can think of LinkedIn recommendations as testimonies from people who have direct experience working with you. They can corroborate your work history and offer specifics about how you have added value. This serves as a testimonial that fosters trust with recruiters, hiring managers, and would-be business partners alike.

A fair, unbiased, and well-written LinkedIn recommendation can be an antidote for trust deficit which is an important factor in future professional relationships. It demonstrates that you have used your skills in real-world scenarios and that other people value those contributions, making you a more appealing candidate for future opportunities.

LinkedIn Recommendations: Best Practices

Giving LinkedIn recommendations is equally important as asking for them. Crafting a thoughtful, detailed recommendation for someone else will not only strengthen your relationships, it’ll also make it more likely that you’ll get one in return. When writing a recommendation, include specific details about the individual’s skills and how they helped you or a project succeed.

Focusing on examples of their work and sharing tangible details about their strengths can make the recommendation sound more sincere and impactful. Anyone can write, “John is a great team player,” but a more effective recommendation would detail how John solved a specific problem while working on a project and what his actions did to achieve what the team needed to accomplish.

Taking time to write thoughtful recommendations for others builds goodwill and makes it more likely that you will receive strong recommendations in return. It also creates a feeling of teamwork and reciprocity in your network.

The Importance of Recommendations on Career Growth

LinkedIn recommendations aren’t only for job seekers; they can really impact career advancement and professional development. With each of your recommendations, the reputation of a trusted, competent, and esteemed employee among your peers builds. This reputation may open new doors, whether it’s being promoted in your current position or being recruited by other firms.

Recommendations can also set you apart for leadership positions. In many instances, hiring managers and business leaders are more interested in hearing from others about what it’s like working with you under pressure, how you interact with others, and the positive impact you had in your previous roles. These third-party endorsements will embiggen your candidacy and ennoble your chances.

Even if you’re not looking for a job, LinkedIn recommendations can enhance your credibility in other areas, including bringing in potential clients, partnerships, or speaking engagements. When people hear from others that you can be trusted, they’re more inclined to want to work with you, which is why recommendations are an important element of long-term career success.

Conclusion – The Game Changing Benefits of LinkedIn Recommendations

LinkedIn recommendations are greater things than only a way to boost your profile; they’re a strategic way to create trust, credibility, and a strong professional brand. Whether you’re in search of a job, want to move up within your existing career, or are looking to win new clients or business opportunities, recommendations act as real-world evidence of your abilities and value.

Not only can you gain a platform for showing your know-how and success by optimally dealing with your recommendations, but you can also create closer ties in your circle. Asking for and providing recommendations cultivates a culture of mutual support and recognition and establishes you as a contributor to collaboration and solutions.

Adding LinkedIn recommendations to your profile, job search, and career development will indubitably give you an edge over other candidates, build credence with potential recruiters, and prove that your skills and experience encourage the people who can make a difference—not just your loved ones. 

As you work to bolster your professional relationships and professional credibility, you will enjoy the benefit of a well-cultivated LinkedIn profile complete with relevant, thoughtful endorsements.