Writing a recommendation for a business analyst on LinkedIn can be a great way to endorse their skills and strengthen their professional profile. However, recommendations should be thoughtful and honest while highlighting the most relevant qualities of the candidate. Here are some tips to write an effective LinkedIn recommendation for a business analyst:
Focus on tangible skills and accomplishments
Avoid vague, generic praise and concentrate on specific examples that showcase the business analyst’s capabilities. Mention technical expertise, analytical methods, communication abilities and other concrete skills they applied successfully:
“John leveraged his proficiency in data modeling and SQL query development to design a robust analytics platform that reduced reporting time by 25%. He also demonstrated strong project management in rolling out the solution ahead of schedule and under budget.”
Quantify achievements with metrics that demonstrate impact.
Draw from recent experience
Focus your recommendation on recent interactions where you directly observed the business analyst’s abilities. Hiring managers want current, relevant perspectives:
“As the product manager for our latest enterprise software release, I worked closely with Marie over the past year as she led requirements analysis and user experience design. Her customer empathy and creative problem-solving were critical in shaping a product that truly meets client needs.”
If you only worked together briefly years ago, it may be best to abstain from a recommendation.
Align with job requirements
Tailor your recommendation to reflect the skills needed for the types of business analyst roles the person will likely pursue next. Highlight their specialized expertise, tools and methodologies:
“Claire provided invaluable analytics leadership for the duration of our digital transformation initiative. She is highly proficient with Power BI, Tableau and other business intelligence platforms. I was consistently impressed by her ability to synthesize data insights and communicate key findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.”
This helps assure hiring managers that the candidate has the capabilities to succeed in the role.
Emphasize soft skills
While listing technical abilities, don’t forget to highlight soft skills critical for business analysts like analytical thinking, communication, collaboration and leadership:
“Jordan demonstrated exceptional analytical skills in his approach to requirements gathering and user research. He asked thoughtful, probing questions to deeply understand user needs. His calm, patient demeanor put clients at ease during interviews.”
These interpersonal skills are just as key for success as hard skills.
Tell a story
Don’t just list skills – use storytelling to provide a narrative example that illustrates the candidate’s abilities in action:
“When our billing process overhaul ran into scoping issues, Margaret jumped into action. She immediately interviewed the engineering and customer service teams to understand their perspectives and objectives. She then led focused requirements planning sessions that I was thoroughly impressed by. Her leadership abilities, communication style and analytical approach got the project back on track.”
Stories like this bring skills to life in a memorable way.
Check accuracy
Avoid exaggerations and be sure you can stand by everything you write about the person’s work ethic, skills and accomplishments. Inaccuracies or endorsements beyond your direct experience may undermine the reference.
Proofread
Carefully check for any spelling, grammar or formatting errors that may reflect poorly on you or the candidate.
What to Include in Your Recommendation
Aim for 2-3 paragraphs that weave in specific examples supporting the following elements:
Background of your relationship
Briefly explain your relationship:
– How you worked together: as peers, manager/direct report, etc.
– Dates and duration of your time working together
– The company or setting where interactions occurred
– Key projects you collaborated on
This context primes readers to better understand your perspective.
Business analysis capabilities
Describe the candidate’s skills in areas like:
– Requirements elicitation
– Process mapping and documentation
– Data modeling and analysis
– Facilitating workshops
– Leading meetings
– Defining product specifications
– Developing test plans
– Creating user stories
– Conducting ROI analysis
– Applying UX design principles
– Building business cases
Choose capabilities most relevant to the individual and role. Provide examples of the skills in practice.
Soft skills and attributes
Highlight strengths like:
– Communication – written, verbal, presentation
– Ability to translate technical specifics to business needs
– Analytical thinking
– Problem-solving
– Creativity and innovation
– Leadership
– Strategic thinking
– Project management
– Collaboration and teamwork
– Work ethic
– Adaptability
– Attention to detail
– Customer service skills
Describe specific examples of the soft skills in practice.
Professionalism and work ethic
Comment on qualities like:
– Dependability in meeting deadlines
– Commitment to quality
– Productivity and work pace
– Responsiveness to feedback
– Dedication to personal development
– Integrity and accountability
– Ethics
– Positivity
– Proactivity in identifying needs
– Willingness to assist teammates
Avoid generic praise and share anecdotes demonstrating these attributes.
Results and impact achieved
Reference specific accomplishments like:
– Products launched or improved
– New processes designed
– Problems solved
– Business needs met
– Financial savings or revenue generated
– Customer satisfaction enhanced
– Efficiency increased
Quantify results with hard numbers and metrics to demonstrate the individual’s tangible impact.
Closing statement
Conclude by summarizing why you believe the person is an excellent business analyst you would recommend hiring without reservation.
Here is an example closing statement:
“John’s technical expertise in data analysis combined with his stellar communication skills make him an extremely valuable business analyst able to connect insights to business impacts. He has my highest recommendation.”
LinkedIn Recommendation Examples
The following are two sample LinkedIn recommendations for business analysts illustrating the advice above:
Example 1
I worked with Jane for over 2 years as her manager when we were Product Managers at Acme Inc. Throughout this time, Jane continuously demonstrated excellent skills in eliciting and analyzing business requirements for our ecommerce platform.
One example was when our users reported issues with the checkout flow that were negatively impacting conversion rates. Jane led requirements workshops, surveyed users and created process maps to get to the root of the issues. Her analytical approach and clear documentation were instrumental in the engineering team quickly developing solutions that improved conversions by 10%.
Jane is talented at understanding diverse client needs and perspectives. She always brings together stakeholders to define optimal solutions. I was also consistently impressed with Jane’s communication abilities when presenting findings to leadership. She is a true business partner skilled at driving insights into action. I highly recommend Jane for any business analyst or product owner role.
Example 2
Mark was the lead business analyst for my software engineering team during the 2 years we developed XYZ Company’s customer portal. During this time, I saw firsthand Mark’s excellent analytical abilities and leadership in requirements planning.
Mark created detailed behavioral user personas that allowed us to identify functionality gaps in the previous portal. He facilitated highly productive workshops with sales teams to prioritize needs. Throughout development, Mark served as the key liaison between our engineers and various business stakeholders. He created prototypes and wireframes that effectively communicated UX requirements.
The end result of the project was a customer portal that exceeded satisfaction benchmarks by 29%. Mark’s analytical and communicative abilities were integral in the portal’s success. I unequivocally recommend Mark for business analyst roles especially those requiring leadership, technical expertise and creative problem-solving.
Tips for Requesting a Recommendation
To obtain an outstanding LinkedIn recommendation, consider the following best practices when requesting one:
Choose your sources wisely
Ask those who’ve worked with you extensively and can concretely endorse your skills, like:
– Former managers
– Project collaborators
– Peers you partnered with
– Clients (if permitted)
– Vendors
Avoid asking distant colleagues who lack first-hand experience.
Personalize your request
A generic “Can you recommend me on LinkedIn?” lacks thoughtfulness. Instead, write a personal email or LinkedIn message that:
– States you value their professional perspective
– Mentions your time working together
– Highlights specific skills you hope they’ll endorse (technical expertise, leadership, etc.)
– Shares how their recommendation could aid your job search
This shows you appreciate their personalized input.
Make it easy
Provide resources to make the process simple:
– Attach an updated resume to refresh their memory of your experience
– List key projects, achievements or skills you’d like highlighted
– If desired roles are known, share those so they can customize the content
– Offer to chat if they need more details to feel comfortable providing a recommendation
The easier you make it, the faster you’ll get a recommendation.
Follow up politely
Not naggingly, but follow up if you haven’t gotten a response in 1-2 weeks. Remind them of your request, ask if they need anything and confirm their willingness to provide a recommendation.
Some may genuinely need a friendly nudge to get it done.
Conclusion
An impactful LinkedIn recommendation requires thoughtfulness and care. Target individuals who can concretely endorse your business analysis skills and achievements. Provide ample detail on your background together and capabilities you hope they highlight.
With a well-written, personalized recommendation emphasizing both hard and soft skills, you can effectively strengthen your professional profile and opportunities for exciting new roles utilizing your business analysis talents. The effort to obtain meaningful recommendations is well worth it.
