LinkedIn recommendations are an important part of building your professional profile and establishing your credibility in your industry. Recommendations from current or former colleagues, managers, or clients serve as endorsements of your skills, accomplishments, and work ethic.
Since recommendations can have a significant impact on how you are perceived professionally, it’s natural to be concerned about them disappearing from your profile. Maybe you received a glowing recommendation from a former supervisor who has since left the company. Does that mean their recommendation could vanish? Or what if you and a colleague had a falling out? Could they retract their positive feedback?
Let’s take a closer look at how LinkedIn recommendations work and when or if they can disappear from your profile.
Can Someone Remove a LinkedIn Recommendation?
The good news is that once a recommendation has been posted to your LinkedIn profile, the person who wrote it can’t directly remove or delete it.
However, there are a couple rare cases when a recommendation could disappear:
- If the person who wrote the recommendation deletes their LinkedIn account, any recommendations they’ve provided will also be removed.
- LinkedIn may determine that a recommendation violates their User Agreement and remove it. But this would only occur in situations of abuse, spam, fake accounts, etc.
So while it is possible for a recommendation to be removed, it is fairly uncommon. In most cases, once a recommendation has been published, it will remain associated with your profile indefinitely.
What If Someone Wants to Edit or Change Their Recommendation?
Let’s say someone writes you an amazing recommendation, but then realizes they want to tweak or edit some of the wording. Unfortunately, there is no way for them to change a recommendation after it has been posted.
If they absolutely must edit their feedback for some reason, the only option would be to withdraw their existing recommendation and then write and post an entirely new one.
Can You Request a Recommendation Be Removed?
Just as the original writer of a recommendation cannot directly remove or delete it once posted, you as the recipient also cannot request to have a recommendation deleted. Even if you decide you don’t want someone’s recommendation to appear on your profile anymore, there is no mechanism to request its removal.
However, if the recommendation contains anything that violates LinkedIn’s policies such as offensive, abusive, or spam content, you can report it and LinkedIn may decide to take it down.
What if Someone’s Account Is Closed or Deactivated?
One question that often comes up is what happens to recommendations associated with an account that gets closed or deactivated. For example, what if someone leaves the company they work for and deactivates their LinkedIn profile?
In this case, any recommendations written by that person will remain visible on the profiles of those they endorsed. Closing or deactivating an account does not lead to any recommendations being removed. The name and job title of the person who provided the recommendation will simply show as “Inactive LinkedIn Member” where their info used to appear.
Example of an Inactive Account Recommendation
As you can see, while the specific account details are hidden, the recommendation content itself persists.
Best Practices for Managing LinkedIn Recommendations
While you don’t have to worry too much about recommendations being deleted or disappearing without your knowledge, it’s still smart to manage them proactively. Here are some best practices:
- Give recommendations in return. Engage in mutual endorsements when you can, as this strengthens the relationship and may prompt the other person to update their recommendation if you ever need it.
- Keep in touch with key endorsers. If someone has written an especially meaningful recommendation, connect periodically to maintain the relationship.
- Monitor changes carefully. Occasionally review your recommendations for any changes in wording or job titles that could indicate an edited or new version.
- Update your own skills/roles. If your responsibilities change significantly, consider asking key endorsers to update recommendations to reflect your new skills and experience.
Actively managing your recommendations helps ensure they remain current and maximize the impact on your profile.
What to Do If a Recommendation Does Disappear
While extremely rare, it’s still possible you could sign into LinkedIn one day to find a key recommendation missing. If this happens, here are some options:
- Check with the endorser. They may have deactivated their account temporarily or permanently.
- Ask the person to re-post the recommendation. If they are willing, have them post a new version of the recommendation to your profile.
- Request a new recommendation. If the original endorser is unwilling or unable to post a new recommendation, politely ask a current colleague if they would be able to provide you with a recommendation.
Having a recommendation disappear can be frustrating, but it’s usually only a temporary setback. With some effort, you can obtain an updated or replacement recommendation.
Summary
Here are the key points to keep in mind when it comes to disappearing LinkedIn recommendations:
- Recommendations rarely disappear without the recipient’s knowledge.
- The original writer cannot directly delete or edit a posted recommendation.
- Deactivating a LinkedIn account does not remove associated recommendations.
- Recipients cannot request to have a recommendation deleted.
- Always engage in mutual endorsements and keep in touch with key endorsers.
- Monitor your profile carefully for any changes in existing recommendations.
With over 830 million members, LinkedIn is the premier platform for establishing professional connections and getting recognized for your accomplishments. Following these best practices helps ensure your profile leverages the power of recommendations fully.
So in summary – no, LinkedIn recommendations do not normally disappear without the recipient knowing. Any changes or issues can usually be addressed by requesting an updated recommendation. Maintaining your professional relationships, monitoring your profile, and engaging in mutual endorsements are the best ways to effectively manage your recommendations over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a recommendation I left for someone else?
No, there is no ability to directly remove or delete a recommendation once you have published it on someone’s LinkedIn profile. The only option would be to withdraw the recommendation and post an entirely new one.
What if I suspect someone gave me a fake recommendation?
If you believe a recommendation violates LinkedIn’s policies or was made using a fake account, you can report it to LinkedIn for further investigation. But in most cases, they typically won’t remove a recommendation without strong evidence of a policy violation.
Do all my recommendations appear on my profile?
You can choose which recommendations are featured on your profile. Go to your profile Editor and adjust the visibility settings on individual recommendations as desired. You control which ones are public.
Can I request anonymous recommendations?
No, LinkedIn does not allow anonymous recommendations. All recommendations must be attributable to a specific LinkedIn member.
Should I get recommendations even if I’m just starting out?
Yes, it’s a good idea to request recommendations even early on in your career. Getting recommendations from professors, internship managers, colleagues, etc. builds credibility and relationships.
The Importance of LinkedIn Recommendations
LinkedIn recommendations serve several important purposes for your professional profile and career:
- Validate your skills and experience
- Provide credibility and trust
- Highlight your accomplishments
- Demonstrate your work relationships
- Help you stand out from other candidates
According to LinkedIn, members with at least 5 recommendations are 17x more likely to be contacted by recruiters. Given how influential quality recommendations can be, it’s critical to proactively maintain your most impactful endorsements.
Tips for Getting Great Recommendations
Here are some tips to get recommendations that make a strong impact:
- Ask at opportune times like after wrapping up a big project or leaving a company.
- Suggest key accomplishments the endorser could highlight.
- Provide recommendations in return to reinforce the relationship.
- Send friendly reminders if you haven’t received the recommendation yet.
- Personalize each request and recommendation provided.
Number of Recommendations LinkedIn Members Have
The number of recommendations members have on their LinkedIn profiles varies significantly. Here is a breakdown by number of recommendations:
Number of Recommendations | Percentage of Members |
---|---|
0 | 61% |
1-4 | 26% |
5-9 | 9% |
10+ | 4% |
As you can see, 39% of members have at least one recommendation, but far fewer have five or more. Getting to that critical five recommendation threshold helps you stand apart.
Key Takeaways
Here are the key takeaways to remember when managing LinkedIn recommendations:
- Recommendations rarely disappear without your knowledge.
- The original writer cannot remove or edit a posted recommendation.
- Deactivating an account does not lead to recommendations being deleted.
- Engage in mutual endorsements whenever possible.
- Monitor your profile carefully for any changes in wording or account details.
- Request updated or replacement recommendations if one does disappear.
- Quality recommendations boost your credibility and help you stand out.
By investing time in cultivating recommendations, you can use them as powerful tools to enhance your professional reputation and opportunities.