Yes, it is possible for people to leave reviews and recommendations for you on LinkedIn. LinkedIn includes features that allow members to endorse each other’s skills and leave recommendations to vouch for someone’s work, expertise, or character. Reviews and recommendations on LinkedIn can help build your professional reputation and give you more credibility.
How Do Recommendations Work on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn recommendations are written endorsements or testimonials about you and your work that other members of your network can leave on your profile. When leaving a recommendation, the person writing it will be asked to rate you on a scale of 1-5 stars in categories like “expertise” and “recommendation.”
Along with the star rating, the recommendation will include a text statement where the person can describe what it was like to work with you, your key strengths and qualifications, examples of great work you delivered, and why they would recommend you. Recommendations on LinkedIn must be accepted before they will appear on your profile.
Who Can Give Recommendations?
On LinkedIn, recommendations can only be given by 1st-degree connections – people you are directly connected to on LinkedIn. 2nd and 3rd-degree connections, as well as people not in your network, cannot leave recommendations.
Some key people who may be able to provide a LinkedIn recommendation include:
- Current or former coworkers and colleagues
- Managers or supervisors
- Clients you have done work for
- Business partners
- Vendors or affiliates
- Mentors and coaches
- Professors and academic contacts
How to Request a Recommendation on LinkedIn
There are a few ways you can directly request a recommendation from your connections:
- Go to your profile page and click “Ask to be recommended.” You can then select contacts and customize the recommendation request you send.
- When viewing a connection’s profile, click “Recommend” under their name and fill out the form.
- Use the LinkedIn mobile app to request recommendations from contacts.
You can also ask your connections in person or by email if they would be willing to write you a recommendation on LinkedIn. Be sure to provide guidance on the key points you hope they highlight based on your work together.
Do LinkedIn Recommendations Have to be Accepted?
Yes, LinkedIn requires mutual consent before recommendations will be shown publicly on member profiles. This helps keep the quality of recommendations high.
When someone writes you a LinkedIn recommendation, you will receive a notification. You can then:
- Accept the recommendation so it displays on your profile.
- Decline the recommendation so it is not public.
- Request changes to the recommendation before accepting it.
Rejecting a recommendation is permanent – the person who wrote it cannot resubmit or modify it after you decline.
Key Benefits of Accepting Recommendations
Here are some of the main advantages of accepting recommendations on your LinkedIn profile:
- Shows you have the endorsement of past coworkers, clients, managers, etc.
- Supports and provides proof for the claims in your profile summary and work descriptions.
- Adds credibility and “social proof” that you are a reputable professional.
- Can enhance your search rankings and discoverability on LinkedIn.
How Many Recommendations Should You Have?
There is no definitive rule for how many recommendations you need on your LinkedIn profile. However, having at least a few strong recommendations can be beneficial. Here are some general benchmarks:
- 5-10 recommendations – Good for early-career professionals and new LinkedIn users
- 10-15 recommendations – Solid for mid-career professionals
- 15-25+ recommendations – Impressive for experienced executives and leaders
The quality and relevance of the recommendations is more important than the pure number. It’s better to have a smaller number of endorsements from key colleagues and managers than lots of superficial recommendations.
LinkedIn Endorsements
In addition to recommendations, LinkedIn members can also endorse each other for specific skills. This serves as another way to validate expertise.
Endorsements appear as small notifications under your skills on your profile. Unlike recommendations, endorsements do not require approval and they have no text – just the name of the endorser.
Endorsements also boost visibility for your listed skills. Skills with the most endorsements tend to rank higher when people search on LinkedIn.
Giving and Receiving Endorsements
Giving someone an endorsement is easy – just click the plus sign next to a skill on their profile to add your endorsement. You can also retract an endorsement later if needed.
To request endorsements, you can update your skills and then ask your network to endorse your most relevant ones. This helps showcase the topics you are skilled in.
Review LinkedIn Recommendations Carefully
While most LinkedIn recommendations are authentic, there is still a risk of fake or misleading ones. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Look closely at the person’s name, job title, company, and profile details for consistency and accuracy.
- Be wary of extremely vague, general, or hyperbolic language in a recommendation.
- Watch for profiles and recommendations that seem to be focused on promoting a service rather than a real person.
You can report suspicious recommendations to LinkedIn if needed. Overall though, most endorsements on LinkedIn are legitimate and offer useful social proof.
Tips for Getting Great LinkedIn Recommendations
Here are some best practices for getting quality LinkedIn recommendations:
- Provide plenty of context on your work together and key achievements you would like highlighted.
- Recommend the person back after they recommend you.
- Personalize each request to the individual rather than just blanket messages.
- Follow up if you haven’t heard back on a request.
- Offer to write a draft but let the person finalize the content.
- Thank the person after they provide the recommendation.
Putting thought into who you ask and how you ask will lead to better recommendations.
Conclusion
Yes, it is possible for any LinkedIn member to leave a review or recommendation on your profile. Recommendations can enhance your professional reputation and boost your credibility. Focus on getting quality endorsements from people who can speak first-hand about your skills and work. With helpful recommendations, you can leverage LinkedIn more effectively for networking, job searching, and showing your professional achievements.
