LinkedIn recommendations are a great way to showcase someone’s skills, endorsements, and positive attributes. Recommendations can help build someone’s professional brand and credibility. The LinkedIn app makes it easy to recommend connections right from your phone. Here’s how to recommend someone on the LinkedIn app.
Open the Profile You Want to Recommend
First, open the LinkedIn app and find the profile of the person you want to recommend. You can search for them by name or browse your connections. Tap on their profile picture or name to open their full profile.
Tap “More” Then “Recommend”
Once you’ve opened the profile, tap on the “More” icon in the upper right corner (it’s the icon with three dots). This will open a dropdown menu. Tap on “Recommend” from the dropdown menu options.
Write Your Recommendation
You’ll now see a screen where you can write your recommendation. There are three main fields to fill out:
- Relationship – How you know this person (colleague, classmate, etc.)
- Position – Their position title when you worked with them
- Recommendation – Write 2-3 paragraphs detailing your recommendation. Focus on their skills, achievements, work ethic, etc.
Choose Visibility
Next, select the visibility for your recommendation. You can choose to make it visible to:
- Your connections only
- Any LinkedIn member
Making it fully public can give your recommendation more exposure. But limiting visibility to connections only makes it a bit more exclusive.
Submit Your Recommendation
Once you’ve filled out all the fields and chosen the visibility, tap “Send” to submit your recommendation. The person you recommended will get a notification that you recommended them.
Tips for Writing Strong Recommendations
Follow these tips to make your LinkedIn recommendations as compelling as possible:
- Provide specific examples of their skills or achievements
- Keep it professional but friendly
- Proofread for typos and errors
- Mention how you know them and for how long
- Describe their impact on you or the company
- Make it detailed – 2-3 paragraphs works best
Who Should You Recommend?
Aim to recommend:
- Former colleagues who did great work
- Classmates who stood out
- Current coworkers
- Anyone you honestly believe deserves a recommendation
Avoid recommending:
- Someone you don’t know well
- Someone who hasn’t earned it
- Someone just because they recommended you
How Recommendations Help Your Profile
Giving recommendations is a great way to:
- Strengthen your network
- Show you’re a team player
- Gain exposure and visibility
- Support former colleagues and classmates
When you recommend others, it shows you’re willing to use your reputation and network to help build them up as well.
Who Can See the Recommendations You’ve Given?
When you give a recommendation, it will be visible to others in a few places:
- On the profile of the person you recommended
- In the “Recommendations” section of your own profile
- Possibly in notifications to your connections
So giving recommendations helps boost the visibility and credibility of both parties involved.
How Many Recommendations Should You Give?
There’s no specific number of recommendations you should give. It depends on:
- How long you’ve been on LinkedIn
- The size of your network
- How many people you’ve worked with
But in general, aim to recommend:
- Every colleague you respect from past jobs
- Handful of classmates or group members in school
- 1-3 people per year you’ve worked with
The more selective you are, the more it showcases those you highly recommend. But recommending liberally can help more people out.
Can You Remove or Edit Recommendations?
Yes, you can edit or remove recommendations you’ve previously given. To do so:
- Go to your profile and click “View profile”
- Click into the “Recommendations” section
- Hover over the recommendation and click the 3 dots icon
- Choose “Edit” or “Remove” recommendation
However, you should avoid removing recommendations unless absolutely necessary. It could make things awkward with that connection.
How Often Should You Give Recommendations?
There’s no required frequency for giving recommendations. It depends on:
- How active you are on LinkedIn
- How often you switch jobs or roles
- How large your network is
But in general, try to recommend people:
- When you change jobs
- When former colleagues change jobs
- When someone really impresses you
- 1-2 times per month as a regular habit
Developing a regular habit of recommendations is better than doing it sporadically or just once.
Should You Recommend Someone Who Hasn’t Recommended You?
Yes, you should recommend people based on merit, not reciprocity. Avoid only doing “trade off” recommendations.
It’s fine to recommend someone who hasn’t (or can’t) recommend you back. The important thing is that you believe they deserve the recommendation.
Key Takeaways
Here are some key tips to keep in mind when giving LinkedIn recommendations:
- Open the profile, tap “More”, then “Recommend”
- Provide 2-3 paragraphs with detailed examples
- Make sure you know them well and they deserve it
- Edit or remove only when necessary
- Develop a habit of recommending regularly
Giving thoughtful LinkedIn recommendations is a great way to strengthen your network, showcase connections, and help deserving professionals stand out.
Pros of Giving Recommendations | Cons of Giving Recommendations |
---|---|
Boosts visibility of those you recommend | Takes time to write thoughtful recommendations |
Shows you’re willing to help others | People may pester you for recommendations |
Strengthens relationships | Could recommend someone undeserving |
Adds credibility to your profile | Hard to retract or remove recommendations |
Supports former colleagues | Visibility of who you recommend |
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I recommend someone I barely know?
No, only recommend people you know well enough to endorse their skills, work, and character. Recommending acquaintances could lack authenticity.
Can I ask someone to recommend me first?
You can, but it’s better to recommend based on merit, not reciprocity. Don’t refuse to recommend someone just because they haven’t recommended you yet.
What if I don’t fully recommend someone?
It’s best to avoid giving lukewarm recommendations. Only recommend someone if you can write 2-3 strong, positive paragraphs and fully endorse them.
How do I recommend previous bosses or executives?
Even if they’re above your role, you can still recommend former managers, directors, VPs, etc. Focus on their leadership and management skills.
Can I ask people to recommend me?
You can, but it’s better to earn recommendations organically. Don’t pressure people into recommending you if they don’t want to.
Conclusion
Giving LinkedIn recommendations is an excellent way to strengthen your professional network and support colleagues, classmates, and connections. The LinkedIn app makes it simple to quickly recommend someone from their profile. Write thoughtful, detailed recommendations to add credibility to both your profile and the profile you endorsed. Recommend those who deserve it, not just to get something in return. Use recommendations judiciously but regularly to showcase your connections.